Starship Asterisk*

Bridge to the Aurora
You may have heard, we had a G4 level geomagnetic storm last night and KP8 level Aurora. This was an extreme event with aurora seen as far south as Florida and Mexico. A solar storm was launched towards Earth from the sun a day or so ago and arrived with great speed and density, and impacting the Earth's magnetosphere in a very significant way. This intense auroral storm will be studied by scientists for decades.
I hope you got a chance to see it if not, enjoy this pretty picture of the auroral display over a creek in Kinburn Ontario.

Bridge to the Aurora by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

The Setting Moon and the Aurora
A bright 51% moon last night did not stop the aurora.... such a stunning night for aurora watchers and people all around the world. They say they could see Aurora in Florida and Mexico.

This G4 level geomagnetic storm was caused by a solar storm that was launched towards Earth from the sun a day or so ago and arrived with great speed and density, and impacting the Earth's magnetosphere in a very significant way. This intense auroral storm will be studied by scientists for decades.
I hope you got a chance to see it if not, enjoy this pretty picture of the auroral display over a creek in Kinburn Ontario.
Setting moon by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

All the Colours of the Aurora
One of the first things I noticed last night was the vibrant auroral colour, even in twilight... It began with SO much red and pink. No saturation in post productions needed, then the greens and pale pinks came and were visible to the naked eye which I had not seen since the May 10th display.
Such a stunning night for aurora watchers and people all around the world. They say they could see Aurora in Florida and Mexico.

This G4 level geomagnetic storm was caused by a solar storm that was launched towards Earth from the sun a day or so ago and arrived with great speed and density, and impacting the Earth's magnetosphere in a very significant way. This intense auroral storm will be studied by scientists for decades.
I hope you got a chance to see it if not, enjoy this pretty picture of the auroral display over a creek in Kinburn Ontario.
The colours of the Aurora by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

One of the first things I noticed last night was the vibrant auroral colour, even in twilight... It began with SO much red and pink as you can see from this picture taken in the early evening. No Stauration is post productions eneded, then the greens and pale pinks came and were visible to the naked eye which I had not seen since the May 10th display.

Such a stunning night for aurora watchers and people all around the world. They say they could see Aurora in Florida and Mexico.



This G4 level geomagnetic storm was caused by a solar storm that was launched towards Earth from the sun a day or so ago and arrived with great speed and density, and impacting the Earth's magnetosphere in a very significant way. This intense auroral storm will be studied by scientists for decades.

I hope you got a chance to see it if not, enjoy this pretty picture of the auroral display from the Arnprior Beach.

Auroral Colours on the Beach by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

Taken on October 10, 2024

Title : STEVE Arc in Northern France
Copyright : Julien Looten (https://linktr.ee/julienlootenphotographie)



Last night, during a large-scale geomagnetic storm, I captured a rather rare phenomenon: the STEVE arc. Have you ever heard of this phenomenon?

For millennia (and likely much longer), humanity has been fascinated by the sky, especially by polar auroras. But in recent years, a brand new type of aurora has been discovered by amateur scientists: the STEVE arc (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement). It is a luminous phenomenon that appears as a shimmering plasma ribbon in shades of violet, blue to white, and is very fleeting. This aurora is sometimes accompanied by small, more unstable green shapes.

With the naked eye, along with my photographer friend Axel, who appears in the images, we were observing a SAR arc. It was this arc that changed appearance and took the form of a structure with well-defined, sharp contours. On it, very rapid light flashes appeared, and it was truly impressive... In fact, in the image, you can see Axel raising his arms and shouting when STEVE appeared: "What is happening?!" We were amazed.

Unlike traditional auroras, which are caused by solar particles colliding with Earth's atmosphere, the STEVE arc seems to result from a different interaction in the atmosphere. It is associated with fast-moving particle currents and very high temperatures in the magnetospheric zone, though scientists are still studying the exact mechanisms of its formation. Satellite data from the European Space Agency's (ESA) SWARM mission indicates that this phenomenon is caused by a ribbon of hot plasma, 3,000°C, 25 km wide, at an altitude of 450 km, flowing at a speed of 6 km/s.

In these three photos, taken one after the other (with a 1- or 2-second interval) and with 2.5-second exposures, you can see that in each image, the shape of STEVE is different, clearly showing the speed at which this phenomenon moves.

If any specialists have further insights into this arc, I'd love to hear them, as it's a subject I know little about. I am certainly eager for any additional information regarding the description of this phenomenon in my images.

Thanks in advance

exifs :
Camera: Sigma FP-L2 Astronomik
Lens: Sigma 14mm f1.8
Exposure Time: 2.5 seconds
ISO: 2000
Date and Time: 10/10/2024, 10:55 PM (French time)
Location: Northern France (Fort d’Ambleteuse)

Aurora @ Ancona Vol.1 by Andrea Amici - Andrystix

Single shot 15sec f/4 ISO1000.
Ancona, Italy 10.10.24 11.15PM

Bright Lights Big City



Here are the Northern Lights captured over the Vancouver city skyline. It is usually best to get away from city light pollution to catch a glimpse of the northern lights, but there is nothing usual about these lights! This image was taken at 10 pm from Vancouver, Canada. I used a Sony A7R and manually shot 9 different exposures to capture the wide dynamic range between the aurora and the city lights. The photos were merged with the HDR merge function in Adobe Lightroom.

This image was taken last night on the 11th October at 9:46pm near Cavendish in Victoria, Australia. One single 12 second exposure, ISO 800, f/1.8 - edited in photoshop.

The arrival of STEVE was foreign to me, and I thought it was someone spotlighting before I realised what I was seeing - naked eye visible! The addition of Venus and the milky way makes it a lovely visual, and I am honoured to have witnessed this event.

STEVE from Australia
Copyright: Sarah Longcor

"The Cosmic Swan" - Omega Nebula - Imaging with a 90's Telescope

My version of the Swan Nebula (M17) uses a distinct SHO palette that goes beyond the usual hues seen in this region. While many images of the Omega Nebula often stick to the typical red-dominated palettes, I wanted to break away from that and explore a broader spectrum of colors, spanning across the entire range of RGBCMYK. This approach helps highlight the complex interactions between different elements and emissions within the nebula.
Capturing M17 is tricky, especially with the core being such a bright, concentrated area. The key is to balance the nebula’s dynamic range while maintaining the vibrancy of the surrounding dust clouds. Through detailed local adjustments, I’ve been able to show off the chaotic details in the core, with waves of gas and dust radiating outward in various directions, offering a glimpse of the intense star-forming activity. This particular color palette not only brings out these intricate details but also adds a refreshing depth to the image, making it stand out from the more common renditions of this popular target.

After capturing the Helix Nebula in August, I wanted to revisit this classic 90's setup – the Celestron Ultima 9-1/4 – and push its limits again. The Omega Nebula (M17) has a unique structure that reveals itself beautifully, even at the native 2350mm focal length and f/10. The sheer detail this scope can still deliver, paired with modern technology, never ceases to amaze me. Under Bortle 6 skies and full moon, the challenge is real, but that’s the thrill of deep space imaging – pushing the boundaries with what’s possible, even with equipment that’s decades old.

Tech specs:
Integration: 9h 48′
Filters: 1.25" SHO with narrowband stars
Imaging Telescope: Celestron Ultima 9-1/4
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI1600MM Pro
Mount: Sky-Watcher NEQ6-Pro

Follow me on all my socials via linktr.ee/deepskyjourney

Cosmic Sorcery: The Witch Head Nebula

Halloween came early! Join me on a cosmic journey to the hauntingly beautiful Witch Head Nebula, floating 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Eridanus.
This spectral cloud, shaped like a witch’s profile, stretches across space illuminated by nearby stars, including the bright Cursa (β Eri). If you look closely, you can also spot Kursi al Jauzah II (ψ Eri) further down.

In the background, several faint galaxies—millions of light-years away—are visible, including NGC 1720, NGC 1726, NGC 1752, NGC 1779, and others, hiding among the nebula’s tendrils. What you’re seeing is the combined glow of starlight reflected in the dust, enhanced by H-alpha data that brings out the rich, deep-red hydrogen gas lingering in the area—an essential element for star formation.

This nebula reveals how the interplay of light and gas creates such a mesmerizing cosmic scene.

Equipment:
• Telescope: RedCat 51 II
• Camera: ZWO Astrophotography ASI2600MM Pro
• Mount: Sky-Watcher Australia NEQ6-Pro

Imaging Dates:
• Sept. 19 - 24, 2024
• Oct. 5 - 7, 2024

Technical Details:
• Antlia 3nm Narrowband H-alpha: 114×600″ (19h)
• Baader Blue: 43×300″ (3h 35′)
• Baader Green: 27×300″ (2h 15′)
• Baader Red: 37×300″ (3h 5′)

• Total Integration: 27h 55′

Follow me on all my socials via linktr.ee/deepskyjourney

NGC-7023 The Iris Nebula (LRGB)

This bright reflection nebula lives in the constellation Cepheus at a distance of approximately 1300ly. The ethereal glow of the nebula is a result of the illumination of the star HD 200775, a +7.4 magnitude Blue-White, B3 star.

Imaging Telescope: Celestron EDGE HD 8 @F/10
Imaging Camera: ZWO ASI2600MM-Pro
Image Acquisition: ASIAIR Plus
Guide Scope/Camera: ZWO OAG-L / ZWO 220mm-Mini
Mount: ZWO AM5 / iOptron Tri-Pier
Focuser: MoonLite CHL 2.5” Crayford
Polar Alignment: ASIAIR Plus
Bortle Class: 6
ZWO EFW
Filter: Chroma LRGB
Chroma L – 254 x 180sec
Chroma R – 145 x 180sec
Chroma G – 148 x 180sec
Chroma B – 146 x 180sec
Power Management: Pegasus Astro Pocket Powerbox Advance Gen 2
Flats: Pegasus Astro FlatMaster 250L
Integration: PixInsight
RC Astro BlurXTerminator
RC Astro NoiseXTerminator
RC Astro StarXTerminator
Astrobin Bull Resolution: https://astrob.in/4c9gsr/0/

Southern Cross Aurora

https://www.instagram.com/max.nti/
Copyright: Max Inwood
Date: 11 October 2024
Location New Zealand

Following several solar flares and Earth-facing CMEs, the Southern Lights were back on full display over the last two nights. While clouds covered up most of the aurora last night, I caught this image in the morning sky the day before (5am) - right as the aurora was starting to kick off.

higher resolution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/199702830 ... ateposted/

The "Flying Bat and Squid Nebulae" - Sh2-129 & OU4 in Foraxx

The Squid nebula has a reputation of being one of the most challenging targets in the night sky.

The extremely faint OIII being blasted out from the dying star in its center can be caught only from good skies and with very long exposure time.

I dedicated many nights in a Bortle 2 region just gathering the OIII data, hoping to be able to render something decent.

51 hours of data gathered between October 2023 and October 2024.
23 hours of Ha
21 hours of OIII
And 7 hours of SII

Location : Spain, Sierra de Cazorla & Malaga

Telescope : Skywatcher Esprit 120
Camera : ASI 2600 MM Pro
SHO filters from Antlia, 3nm
Mount : EQ6-R Pro
AsiAir Plus, EFW, EAF, reducer x0.77
Processed in PixInsight




High resolution image : https://www.astrobin.com/p33o5p/

Thank you,
Dany

NGC 1807 - Open Cluster in Taurus

BEST DETAILS
https://www.astrobin.com/full/zk56sd/0/

EQUIPMENT:
Esprit 150mm triplet
Zwo asi 6200mc
Mount CEM120
Frames 91 x 100" ( 3 hours)

LOCATION: Munhoz - MG - Brazil
DATES: From 08/10/2023 to 11/07/2023

PROCESSING AND CAPTURE:
Adobe Photoshop, ASTAP, SGP, PHD2 and PixInsight

Author: Fernando Oliveira de Menezes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menezes_fo?ig ... _source=qr

Email: Barretosmed@hotmail.com

(Organizing author of the book Amateur Astrophotography in Brazil)
https://clubedeautores.com.br/livro/ast ... -no-brasil

Please find below my image for possible inclusion as an Image of the Day.

Details:
M33, the Triangulum Galaxy
October 28 - 31, 2022 and
September 24 - October 10, 2024
Rowe, NM

Telescope: 305mm Riccardi-Honders @ f/3.8
Mount: AP1100GTO AE Mount, Guided
Camera: QHY600PH Monochrome @ -10*C
Filters:
Chroma 50mm x 50mm RGB filters
Chroma 50mm x 50mm 3nm H-alpha
Chroma 50mm x 50mm 3nm OIII

2022 data:
3h 38m red (high gain)
3h 26m green (high gain)
3h 40m blue (high gain)

2024 data:
25h 05m red (extended full well)
22h 45m green (extended full well)
24h 30m blue (extended full well)
13h 55m H-alpha (high gain)
13h 10m OIII (high gain)

Total Integration: 110h 9m

Software:
APCC for mount control
NINA for data acquisition
PHD2 for guiding
PixInsight for calibration and post

Author: Jared Willson
Gallery: https://www.astrobin.com/users/jwillson/
Email: willsonjared@yahoo.com

max.nti wrote: ↑Sat Oct 12, 2024 3:30 pm Southern Cross Aurora

https://www.instagram.com/max.nti/
Copyright: Max Inwood
Date: 11 October 2024
Location New Zealand

Following several solar flares and Earth-facing CMEs, the Southern Lights were back on full display over the last two nights. While clouds covered up most of the aurora last night, I caught this image in the morning sky the day before (5am) - right as the aurora was starting to kick off.

higher resolution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/199702830 ... ateposted/

Click to view full size image

This is a gorgeous, gorgeous image, by far the loveliest aurora picture I have seen in a very long time!

Ann

Copyright: Tiziano Casanova
Location: Sampeyre, Cuneo, Italy
Date: 10 Oct 2024, aroung 20:45 UTC
https://www.instagram.com/tiziano.casanova86/

Northern Lights Observation over the Cottian Alps, with Mount Monviso in the Foreground

Throughout the evening, we witnessed a stable SAR (Stable Auroral Red Arc), filling the sky with its faint glow. Then, at around 20:30 UTC, the aurora came to life! For about 20-30 minutes, it danced across the sky, offering a breathtaking display of colors and moving lights.
In the foreground, the majestic Mount Monviso stands tall, the highest peak in the Cottian Alps, in northwest Italy. This iconic mountain, known for its imposing shape, dominates the landscape and is one of the most visible peaks in the region.
Above Monviso, the Ursa Major constellation adds a celestial touch to the scene, as if the night sky itself is joining in the aurora's luminous dance, linking the beauty of the Earth to that of the stars.

Northern lights above Monviso by Tiziano Casanova, su Flickr

The Nebulous Realm of WR 134

Joint project by Rochus Hess and Bernd Wallner

WR134 - Wolf Rayet Star, surrounded by ring-shaped nebula structures.
This fascinating object is located in the constellation Cygnus, about 6,000 light-years away! The image is the result of a collaboration with my friend Bernd Wallner from Burghausen. WR 134 is a rare and extremely hot star in Cygnus, and the most striking feature is the spectacular ring-shaped nebulae. These emission nebulae, consisting of hydrogen (red) and oxygen (blue-green), are created by the intense stellar wind of the star.WR 134 has five times the radius of the Sun, but due to its high temperature, it shines 400,000 times brighter!

full resolution https://www.astrobin.com/ow8ci7/ Copyright: Rochus Hess/Bernd Wallner

Telescope: ASA - RC600
Camera: QHY600 Pro M
Location: VEGA Observatory, Haus der Natur (Austria, Salzburg)
Photo: Bernd Wallner, Rochus Hess
Integration: 20h 32′

Red Aurora or SAR Arc ( Stable Red Aurora)

During the massive geomagnetic Storm of October 10, 2024, auroras spread as far south as California Florida and Mexico. Upon closer inspection, however, not all of those lights were auroras. Some were “SARs” large arcs of pure red light that ripple across the sky during strong geomagnetic storms.
SARs may look like auroras, but they are not the same. SARs are neither aurora nor stable. Auroras appear when charged particles rain down from space, hitting the atmosphere and causing it to glow. SARs form differently. They are a sign of heat energy leaking into the upper atmosphere from Earth’s ring current system.
Many people associate seeing the SARC ac with spotting a “STEVE”. STEVE is an unusual ribbon of bright mauve light that extends across the night sky far to the south from where we typically see the aurora. Recently, a connection has been identified between SAR arcs and STEVE, and there have been observations of SAR arcs evolving into a ‘STEVE”. ( ref: <a href="https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101205" rel="noreferrer nofollow">doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101205</a>)

Here is a partial SAR arc captured near Ottawa Ontario and reflecting in the beautiful creek. Shot October 10th 2024

Red Aurora or SAR Arc ( Stable Red Aurora) by Andrea Girones, on Flickr

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan–ATLAS) on October 12th above the horizon under cloudy skies.

Presenting a panoramic Aurora!

The Sun has been spitting fire lately!
We’re witnessing some of the strongest geomagnetic storms in decades, and the skies are lighting up in response! Here’s a panorama I captured on Oct 10th with my Nikon Z6. The auroras were absolutely breathtaking!

High res image at https://www.flickr.com/photos/devesh_pa ... ool-apods/ or https://www.astrobin.com/onuw2y/
Thanks,
Devesh Pande
AstroDarks

Dear Editors,
we would like to submit our latest image of the Veil Nebula for your evaluation as APOD.

This image was taken from the town of Lanciano, Italy, over the period from mid-July to early September 2024.

In this composite, a custom color palette has been applied to represent the nebula's emission structure: red corresponds to both Ha and SII, with yellow indicating regions where SII emission is dominant. Green is used to map OIII and Hb emissions, while blue is employed to highlight areas of stronger Hb emission.

Additionally, the stars in the image are represented with a natural color appearance, achieved using PixInsight’s blackbody estimator tool. This tool utilizes the narrowband data to approximate the stars' blackbody radiation.
Our aim was to create a scientifically informative yet aesthetically captivating portrayal of the Veil Nebula, revealing its intricate ionization structure while showcasing the beauty of the surrounding stellar field.



Telescope: ASKAR 300 FRA Pro
Camera: QHY 268M
Mount: 10 Micron GM2000 HPS II
Filters: Baader SII 6.5nm- Astrodon Ha 5nm, OIII 5nm, Astronomik H-beta
Total exposure 85h 10′

Authors:
Antonio Ferretti and Attilio Bruzzone

We grant our explicit consent for publication purpose

Soul Nebula

Although this is called the Soul Nebula, due to its proximity in the sky to the Heart Nebula, the large cave-like gaps look to me a little like the ventricles of a human heart. This area contains some of the most beautiful star formation regions I've seen.
Imaged in September, 2024.

Details:
QHY600C OSC camera with IR Cut filter
Celestron RASA 11
12.5 hours
Processed in PixInsight and Photoshop


Paul

**********************************************************
Bracken Observatory
https://paulbracken.com

Comet A3 Tsuchinchan-ATLAS by Blake Estes, on Flickr

A photo by Christian Sasse and I
Got an epic photo of C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) but forgot to double check that I had set everything up to do an RGB image and instead set it to RBB (I was excited). This is the Red channel image stack. Details below.

Equipment:
PlaneWave DeltaRho 500
Planewave L-550
Chroma Red Filter
ZWO 6200MM
15x5sec exposures

The comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas (C/2023 A3) at sunset
Date: 13th October 2024
Location: Angoulême (France)

The evening comet by Joel Klinger, sur Flickr

The now famous comet Tsuchinshan-Atlas has entered the northern sky for some days.
Although it is visible since its perigee (the 12th October, 2 days ago), it can be more easily detected with the naked eye and/or photographed since yesterday as it is in a deeper sky every night. The days to come will show the comet still bright in a darker sky.

This picture has been taken from a little lake of the city of Angoulême (France) on a peaceful evening with no wind and only a few clouds there. The head and the large tail of the comet appear clearly, and even the reflection is very detailed and bright! The tail is not a perfect line and shows a fan shape since the comet is currently turning around the Sun: what we see is all its dust that the comet spread in the sky while "drifting" around our star.

Exif:
Nikon D610 + Nikon 50mm f/1.8
50mm, f/2, 8s, ISO1600
Single shot