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Panorama of the Milky Way, Morning Zodiacal Light, and SAR Arc
Milky Way, Zodiacal Light and SAR Arc (Vertical Panorama).jpg
This is a vertical panorama extending from horizon to zenith framing a convergence of several bands of light in the dawn sky on October 11, 2024, over Arizona and New Mexico, at a latitude of 32° N.
– A reddish SAR (Stable Auroral Red) arc from the massive Kp8 geomagnetic storm that night, up high (~400km) in our atmosphere. SARs are not auroras per se but are horizontally flowing currents generated by the intense magnetic storms that also create auroras.
– A white band of light rising up diagonally from the eastern sunrise point, the Zodiacal Light, created by sunlight reflecting off dust in the inner solar system (so not in our atmosphere). Leo is rising amid the Zodiacal Light.
– The Zodiacal Light intersects above centre with the winter Milky Way, running down from Perseus at top, through Taurus, and past Orion through Canis Major and Puppis. Sirius is the bright star at lower right. Jupiter in Taurus is the bright object above centre at the intersection of the Zodiacal Light and Milky Way. Mars is the reddish object in Gemini below and to the left of Jupiter. Both sit in the Zodiacal Light as they all lie along the ecliptic plane of the solar system.
– Airglow adds green and yellow tints to the sky.
And I left the satellite trails in — there are several down low where they are beginning to catch the light of the soon-to-be rising Sun.
Technical:
This is a panorama of 5 segments, each a 1 minute exposure with the RF15-35mm lens at 15mm and f/2.8 on the Canon R5 at ISO 1600. It was tracking the sky on the MSM Nomad tracker, thus the blurred ground. Stitched with Adobe Camera Raw.
Taken October 11, 2024 at about 5 am MDT (4 am MST Arizona time), from the Quailway Cottage between Rodeo, New Mexico and Portal, Arizona. This is looking east toward New Mexico.
– A reddish SAR (Stable Auroral Red) arc from the massive Kp8 geomagnetic storm that night, up high (~400km) in our atmosphere. SARs are not auroras per se but are horizontally flowing currents generated by the intense magnetic storms that also create auroras.
– A white band of light rising up diagonally from the eastern sunrise point, the Zodiacal Light, created by sunlight reflecting off dust in the inner solar system (so not in our atmosphere). Leo is rising amid the Zodiacal Light.
– The Zodiacal Light intersects above centre with the winter Milky Way, running down from Perseus at top, through Taurus, and past Orion through Canis Major and Puppis. Sirius is the bright star at lower right. Jupiter in Taurus is the bright object above centre at the intersection of the Zodiacal Light and Milky Way. Mars is the reddish object in Gemini below and to the left of Jupiter. Both sit in the Zodiacal Light as they all lie along the ecliptic plane of the solar system.
– Airglow adds green and yellow tints to the sky.
And I left the satellite trails in — there are several down low where they are beginning to catch the light of the soon-to-be rising Sun.
Technical:
This is a panorama of 5 segments, each a 1 minute exposure with the RF15-35mm lens at 15mm and f/2.8 on the Canon R5 at ISO 1600. It was tracking the sky on the MSM Nomad tracker, thus the blurred ground. Stitched with Adobe Camera Raw.
Taken October 11, 2024 at about 5 am MDT (4 am MST Arizona time), from the Quailway Cottage between Rodeo, New Mexico and Portal, Arizona. This is looking east toward New Mexico.
- Copyright
- © Alan Dyer/AmazingSky.com
- Image Size
- 5950x7676 / 41.2MB
- www.amazingsky.com

