Report of Aurora Observation

[anonymous]

G'day,
      Just reporting an auroral sighting with details as follows:

Date/Time:   Sat Sept 8 18:15 to 18:45 2002 UTC  
             Sun Sept 9 03:45 to 04:15 2002 local time
             
Location:    Just West of Victor Harbor, South Australia
             Latitude:   35 34.43S
             Longitude: 138 33.45E

Conditions:  Full clear sky, cloud cover nil, rural/coastal setting with
             no artificial light contamination.

Aspect:      Initially in SSW sky moving across to SSE/SE, 
             elevation 10-30 degrees.

Description: Initially quite a bright red air glow which decreased in 
             intensity and gave way to more structured displays incorporating
             orange and yellow hues that moved eastward through about 
             50 degrees from the SSW to almost SE. Sharply defined angled 
             drapes intersected by numerous (up to 5) yellow/white vertical 
             fingers could be observed. These fingers varied in intensity with 
             a typical lifetime of 2-5 minutes. Observed display lasted 
             approximately 30 minutes.


As a person with a geomagnetic background I was most surprised to witness 
such a display at this latitude, and with such colour. However the magnitude 
of the disturbance synchronous with this sighting (as evidenced by real-time 
magnetograms from numerous observatories) seems to explain the display 
observed. A photograph was taken in latter dying stages although this is yet
to be developed and unlikely to be successful due to inappropriate film being
in my camera at the time. Hopefully it will show something though. Interested 
to hear if anyone else witnessed this display.


Cheers,
       Jon Whellams