Skywarden

Newest observations

Contact information

Skywarden,
Ursa Astronomical Association
Kopernikuksentie 1
00130 Helsinki
taivaanvahti(at)ursa.fi

Ursa Astronomical Association

Impressive mother of pearl clouds in Enontekiö

18.1. The second PSC period of the winter began on Sunday, reports of clouds have come from Juva to Utsjoki. The picture below is from the finest show that Merja Paakkanen watched in Enontekiö on Monday. The first period took place a month ago on 15-17 December. Additionally, a single occurrence of PSC's was photographed on 23 December.

The PSC's of the last days »

The best northern lights play in the winter brought even dunes

14.-15.1. Almost the whole of Finland experienced the northernmost play of northern lights so far. Some of the observers were able to see the rare northern lights, which provided more data to help the researchers. Congratulations to everyone who photographed the dunes. At the maximum stage of the play, the northern lights chandelier, which dominated the sky, was active and the sky was more than half covered by a fire. (Photo by Ida Andersson)

Pictorial observations 14-15.1. from the play »

Intersection of Minnaert cigar on snow

12.1. Lasse Nurminen photographed a surface 22° halo with bright lamp. Instead of the lower part of the 22° halo around the lamp, a closed loop appears on the snow. This is the cut surface of a three-dimensional 22° halo called also as Minnaert cigar, and created due to the divergent light of the lamp. Nurminen's video shows how the loop of the 22 ° halo shrinks as he walks closer to the lamp and disappears when Minnaert's cigar no longer touches the snow surface.

Nurminen's observation »

Pioneering Finnish halo statistics from 2021

11.1. Petri Martikainen took it as his task to stack all halo display he saw last year. The stacked image typically brings out halos that are invisible to the human eye and one could say it tells the "truth" of the display. Now, based on theses stacks, Martikainen has published the numbers for individual halo occuurrences. The work is first of its kind in Finland and as an unique addition, Martikainen's list comes also with a comparison to what was visible to the naked eye.

Martikainen's list »

Share
Previous Next

Newest commented observations

Quiet aurora arc

Quiet aurora arc

14.1.2022 at 23.15 - Hamina (II)
Heikki Jokiranta

Dull dunes (?) In a northern lights belt that ran across the sky for a short time. Later brighter and more varied fires.

Comments: 1 pcs

Observation information »

Active aurora band

Active aurora band

21.1.2022 at 19.05 - 00.30 - Paljakka, Puolanka (III)
Minna Glad, Kuopion Saturnus

The northern lights were hiding behind the clouds in the early evening in seven countries. At eight, the clouds tolerated receding, and a quarter later the arc began to live and lift its calm rays. At half past nine the arc restrained itself to settle down and at times almost disappeared from view. A quarter past nine it brightened and condensed, but a decent sub-storm had not yet begun. After half an hour, two arcs appeared and again a calm radiance. By half past one, the greenery had dimmed to such an extent that I decided to take a tea break. The pause stretched for an hour, but then an int...

Images: 5 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Pintahalo

Pintahalo

22.1.2022 at 10.25 - 10.45 - Naantali (II)
Lasse Nurminen

In the morning I decided to take a look at the surface halo situation in Luolalanjärvi in Naantali. The place was just a passel, the surface was just a crack of mostly mixed snow and ice structures, following the recent weather. A crystal suitable for halos was eventually found in a very scarce area. In addition, the fumes of the thermal power plant as they dripped from the barrel created considerable shading on the ice, impairing observation. Nothing detached from the middle of my eyes and I decided to walk to the north end. There, after a small search, a rather nice 22 ° snippet was found, t...

Images: 3 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Quiet aurora arc

Quiet aurora arc

21.1.2022 at 18.58 - 22.20 - Kuusamo, Käylä (II)
Jani Päiväniemi, Ursa (Pohjois-Suomi)

The northern lights were already visible in the early evening so I decided to put the camera to shoot the timelapse for the evening. The video was just over three hours old. The lens froze at times and the heater had to be put on for the rest of the time, it was so cold.

Images: 2 pcs • Comments: 1 pcs

Observation information »

Quiet aurora band

Quiet aurora band

14.1.2022 at 22.27 - 22.41 - Hamina (II)
Juhani Hokkanen

As the Northern Lights appeared, I noticed a wavy shape in the arc of the west, which I now call the Northern Lights Dune

Images: 3 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Pearl clouds

Pearl clouds

17.1.2022 at 15.44 - 15.45 - Sodankylä (III)
Dennis Lehtonen

I have always tried pearls every morning and evening. I guess on Monday and I took a picture from the backyard on the phone. Samsung s21 +

Comments: 1 pcs

Observation information »

Active aurora band

Active aurora band

15.1.2022 at 01.45 - 05.10 - Tampere (III)
Kari A. Kuure, Tampereen Ursa

The northern lights of the morning began as a calm arc but very quickly turned into an active belt with rays. The fast-moving fires were that in some images they appear more or less diffuse.

Images: 8 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Pearl clouds

Pearl clouds

20.1.2022 at 15.36 - Kuusamo, Rukatunturi (II)
Jani Päiväniemi, Ursa (Pohjois-Suomi)

At work, after dusk, I almost certainly noticed pearl clouds heading south / west. There might have been other types of clouds as well as shining in brighter spots on the shore of the sky. Too bad when the camera was not included but I tried to document what I saw on my cell phone.

Images: 3 pcs • Comments: 3 pcs

Observation information »

James Webb

James Webb

26.12.2021 at 20.19 - 21.00 - Tervakoski (II)
Petri Kuossari, Riihimäen tähtit. yhdistys

The James Webb Space Telescope has been spotted several days after launch, now data from the Seti Institute began to flow. Let's start here.

Comments: 1 pcs

Observation information »

Half-sky auroras

Half-sky auroras

19.1.2022 at 23.43 - 02.24 - Karigasniemi (IV)
Tarja Kouvo

I waited a couple of hours after the first couple of flares. After that, there was only that gauze and vague light mass in the sky that desperately tried to come to life. I decided to go home. Just before I arrived in the village they then woke up. From time to time, my head flew over my head.

Images: 2 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »