2nd October 2002

As I returned home just before midnight from a work night out, I could see a greenish arc in the north through gaps in the cloud cover. By the time I got home the cloud cover was complete. I travelled many miles to various locations looking for clear skies before I arrived at Sheriffmuir, near Stirling, where the eerie greenish auroral glow extended into clear sky beyond the thick bank of cloud occupying the northern sky. As the minutes passed the cloud cover moved to the north allowing the auroral light to extend into clearing skies.

Before long, the diffuse auroral arc became visible with numerous fleeting beams projecting upwards. The aurora was very active with rapid changes in the structure of the arc and associated beams and the appearance of beautiful reddish beams in the NE.  Highlight was the dramatic appearance of wonderful sheets of white light that flamed towards the zenith. I was filled with awe as I enjoyed the dynamics of the spectacle.

The auroral activity was caused by the Earth passing through gusts of solar wind emitted from a coronal hole that lay on the sun's central meridian a few days earlier.

Here are few of my images taken between 00:15 UT and 02:00 UT on the 2nd of October 2002. These images were featured in spaceweather.com aurora gallery.

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