Aurora Australis & the Milky Way - Stirling Dam, Western Australia

Nikon d810a

35mm

ISO 2500

f/2.2

27 x 8 seconds

iOptron SkyTracker

 

This is a 27 shot panorama of the recent worldwide aurora event on May 11 incorporated into a full panorama of the rising Milky Way taken at Stirling Dam, 1.5 hours south of Perth in Western Australia.

 

One thing I did not envisage when going out to shoot the aurora for the first time was the effect it would have on the other features of the night sky, in particular the Milky Way arch. The overpowering red glow covered the arch completely and I've had to try and temper its effect as best I could with this panorama as almost the whole sky was glowing and incredibly bright red.

 

When also shooting H-alpha frames it makes it even harder, being red in colour as well. You can just make out some of the Ha regions, mainly the Gum Nebula just above the tallest tree. The central yellow part of the aurora was brightened somewhat by the light pollution from an alumina mine about 15km south of the dam.

Done