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Sunday 2 March 2014

Merry Dancers!

Stunning photo by Pawel Kuzma in Orkney

This month has been incredible for the "Merry Dancers" (Northern Lights/Aurora). The Facebook network in Orkney soon gets word out if there is any activity. Often it's not bright enough for me to see because the lights of Stromness blot it out, but these last couple of weeks have been amazing and as well as the usual arc of white light, there have been shimmering reds and greens too.  I'll share some photos taken by others on this page - my wee camera didn't capture anything - I need to experiment with setting. But frankly I just love standing outside the back door and watching the display without having to think about how to photograph it!

These were taken by Max Fletcher on the island of Rousay who has kindly let me share these.
















And this one from Caithness (across the water on the Scottish Mainland - the very Northern tip of Scotland), taken by Maciej Winiarczyk



Here is a YouTube clip of some of the wonderful images earlier in the month, by Derren Fox in Egilsay, Orkney.  As he says, human eye doesn't see the colours as richly as this, but there WERE colours of green and red dancing across the sky.  You can see them dancin' and a prancin'!   CLICK HERE


20 comments:

  1. Great photos. I'd love to see the aurora like that.

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    1. We had some fabulous displays this year. Though the colours to the naked eye are much paler. But I DID see reds and greens. And the shimmer too, was beautiful.

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  2. what a great shoot thank you!!

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    1. The photos are wonderful aren't they. Though all the photos are taken by others in Orkney. My compact digital probably can do something but I haven't found out what yet!

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  3. The pictures are great. I have only seen the aurora once, and the colors were not near what they are in these pictures.

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    1. Hmm yes well to the naked eye they are usually paler. Though I DID see the reds and greens this time.

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  4. Oh, how lovely! I don't know if we could see it in Edinburgh. I wasn't looking. Alas.

    I do love looking at your pictures. In a different life, I'd live on an island instead of a city.

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    1. Thanks for stopping to make a comment! Yes island life is certainly different! Though it doesn't suit everyone. I had a look at your blog - so sorry you lost Sirius. It's so hard to say goodbye to our companions whatever the circumstances.

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  5. Gosh, what a wonderful show! The Northern Lights were seen as far south as Wales on Thursday night, thanks to the solar flare a few days before, but sadly I missed them. :-(

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-26380585

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    1. I think they were seen in Norfolk too! Ah well after independnence Scotland will charge for viewing them south of the border ;-)

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  6. Amei conhecer o seu blog,achei maravilhoso.Visite-me:http://algodaotaodoce.blogspot.com.br/
    Siga-me e pegue o meu selinho!!!

    Obrigada.

    Beijos do Brasil, Marie.

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    1. Thanks for saying Hi Marie. I love your photos. They are very beautiful.

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  7. Stunning and you don't even have to freeze your buns off or head to the deep woods -- you just stepped out your back door. I've never seen them like that in my life. I've seen faint green "curtains" of light but these are amazing images and the video is wonderful. I am jealous both of your climate and the Northern Lights !

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    1. Hee hee I know, I AM lucky. Though I did have to go b ack indoors for scarf, hat and gloves because I wanted to stay out and enjoy them for longer.

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  8. Gorgeous. Love the name Merry Dancers. I love the Northern Lights.

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    1. Hi Marjorie, thanks for taking time to comment. Yes I love the name "Merry Dancers". It is very descriptive I think.

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  9. Amazing photos!! I have seen the aurora Australis once in southern New Zealand. The colours were purples and greens with dashes of red. We got the children out of bed [10.00pm] to show them. Nature truly has some wonderful displays for us to enjoy.

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    1. I love the really good displays with all the beautiful colours. Mostly we gets arcs of white light here, with a very faint green tinge but this year we were really spoilt!

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  10. Must admit I am SOOO jealous! The lights were seen all over the place for once, yet we managed to miss them completely. I have only seen them once, in St. Andrews, and that was just a greenish smudge in the sky. Thank you for sharing these jaw-droppng photos.

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    1. This display was particularly bright and even then you had to get your eye in to see the colours as sadly the naked eye doesn't see them quite a brilliantly as the camera lens. But there were sheets of light across the sky with colours quite defined. It was really amazing. What a shame you didn't see it! We have a good network in Orkney, it gets announced on facebook by whoever sees it in various groups and then neighbours phone too. So it's hard to NOT know, but sometimes I get a bit blase and if the weather is not conducive to standing outside for too long I sneak back indoors :-)

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