Wanderer through the stars ~ amateur astronomy ~ photography by Jürgen Stöger
Miscellaneous astro photos
Aurorae
Aurorae or polar lights are natural light displays in the night sky, typically in the ionosphere. Aurorae are produced by the collision of charged particles (solar wind) from the Earth’s magnetosphere. Temporarily, when a strong magnetic storm arises, these phenomena can also be seen in temperate (northern) latitudes.
Aurora bor. from 47° lat., 10 May 2024
Aurora bor. from 47° lat., 20 November 2003
Aurora bor. from 47° lat., 30 October 2003
Halos
Halos are optical light phenomena that appear near strong light sources like the Sun or Moon. Atmospheric phenomena such as rainbows and parhelia are wellknown effects.
Halo with sun dogs 15 February 2020 Halo with sun dogs 2 March 2014Cloud iridescence 6 February 2011
Cloud iridescence, Milos, Greece 20 April 2014 Sun pillar 22 October 2011Hannes Gruber as Brocken spectre 18 November 2010
Rainbows
A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky.
Double rainbow (Katzelsdorf) 6 May 2023
Double rainbow (Katzelsdorf) 25 June 2020
Low rainbow (Güssing) 20 April 2014
Noctilucent clouds (NLC)
Night clouds or noctilucent clouds are tenuous cloud-like phenomena that are the “ragged-edge” of a much brighter and pervasive polar cloud layer called polar mesospheric clouds in the upper atmosphere, visible in a deep twilight. They are made of crystals of water ice. They are most commonly observed in the summer months at latitudes between 50° and 70° north and south of the equator. They can only be observed when the Sun is below the horizon.
