2009 Noctilucent Cloud Season

[martinastro]

Excellent John!, 2, 3 and 4 really catch my eye but I'm really falling in love with numer 3, stunning structure, colour, and great depth, the contrast with the lower trop cloud really sets it off. That's the first fisheye NLC image I've seen anywhere this year. - fantastic result 

John, can you imagine what no 3 would like look blown up and mounted on the wall....

[rjgjr]

Those are really magnificent John, # 3 is my favorite also. Good job!

[brianb]

Looks like another display again tonight, I've only got small fast moving holes between the showers but there is a bright streamer in the North at about 20 deg altitude running almost up & down i.e. at right angles to the horizon, plus indications of other activity as well.

[John9929]

A big clump of cloud is covering the whole northern sky here so nothing seen so far.

Thanks guys for the comments, here's another close in shot with very fine detail shot at about 200mm I think as I couldn't see in the dark and forgot my red head light! The bright star is Capella with The Kids on the right.

[John9929]

I can confirm that Brian, horizontal bands of various brightness observed with binos through holes in cloud in the NW.

[davegrennan]

Some amazing NLC's tonight too!!!

Some quick and dirty photos;

[Paul]

We're on a cloud break here, so here's how it's looking so far...

[Paul]

Hey Dave, fantastic shots - see how we both have the "Dolphin"

Paul.

[John9929]

Great shots guys, I didn't even get that much just a few partly covered with shower clouds. I don't think it for clearing so sack time!

[martinastro]

John, that's a stunning zoom NLC shot...you are on a roll 

Excellent images Dave and Paul...top stuff!

The display last night, between 01.00 and 02.00, was the most incredible display I have ever seen in my life!!!. The structures were out of this world, an actual dream come true. The shadow-casting whirls, loops, knots, and pillars were moving rapidly among the brighter stars as seen with the naked eye. The colours and high defintion structures were so good that I will not sleep tonight. As a result, I have got my very finest NLC images - ever. What an awesome season this has turned out to be. If anyone is reading this and hasn't seen a first class NLC display before, then start watching from now on...you won't believe your eyes!

[markt]

Fantastic images all!  Congrats on Spaceweather front page too Martin

I observed visually last night, but unfortunately didn't image on this occassion.

[brianb]

Pretty well done by the other NLC (nasty low clouds) I'm afraid ... only a few short lived fast moving holes between frequent showers but it was clear Something Was Going On. Absolutely useless for observation though. Very frustrating as is often the case with showery airstream except in spring ..... summer must be here 

[Paul]

Great Front page Martin, well done!

Here's a short HD video....

[martinastro]

Thanks very much Mark and Paul for the comments. Those images are not even 'processed' either, that's how impressive the structure was last night. Congrats to you Paul also for getting on the gallery again. A great result!

Sorry to hear about the cloud Brian, I had quite alot of showers and periodic cloud here too but it always cleared up again from the W. I suspeted you had a bad night near the coast.

Paul, I was hoping you would post a timelapse video of that display because the NLCs last night exhibited the fastest motion with the naked eye that I have ever seen. They were blowing past Capella in real time and far faster than any normal cirrus clouds. My Sister was watching the display and was blown away by the structure, she has seen 7 displays this year lol, before dawn we seen insect or reptile-like structures in the clouds. One patch looked like a skeleton type form similar to the Aliens in the movie of the same name, another patch even looked like the 'stomach busters' from the same film. Before retiring for the night I could see the faint extensions of this display creeping over the crescent Moon for the second time this season. This is the best NLC season I have ever experienced! - enjoyed the timelapse 

[jgs001]

Well done Martin cracking shots and Spaceweather too. Like Brian, I've been cursed with the Nasty Low type every night since Tuesday.