Aurora Australis

It is time for the Southern Lights! An aurora is a natural light display in the sky particularly in the high latitude (Arctic and Antarctic) regions, caused by the collision of energetic charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere. The charged particles originate in the magnetosphere and solar wind and, on earth, are directed by the earth's magnetic field into the atmosphere.

I am on the aurora pager list. If someone spots one they call the firehouse who in turn sets out a page to everyone on the list. I have gone out twice now in the middle of the night for viewing. Simply awesome! I am still trying to figure out how to take a picture with my camera. A friend, MC, took the following pictures behind the dorm. I don't know if my little digital camera will ever take a picture like this.

Photo credit to MC.

Photo credit to MC.

Photo credit to MC.

Wind driven snow onto different surfaces make for some interesting pictures. Here are a few I took near the doorway of the main building 155.