Astrophotographer captures breathtaking images of the Northern Lights and STEVE during a brief encounter (photos, video)

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A long, red beam of light stretches across the night sky. In the background, the Milky Way appears as a thick band of stars running from the top of the image to the horizon. A long, red beam of light stretches across the night sky. In the background, the Milky Way appears as a thick band of stars running from the top of the image to the horizon.

STEVE streaks across the Milky Way, seen from Manitoba, Canada. . | Credit: Justin Anderson, High Hopes Aurora

During a brief solar storm on the night of July 31st to August 1st, a full-time aurora hunter Justin Andersen proved that “being in the right place at the right time” is hugely rewarding when hunting the Northern Lights.

“While I was editing the photos indoors, I noticed that our all-sky camera was recording STEVE“I ran back outside and took the photo above our shed,” Anderson told Space.com in an email.

Anderson’s stunning photo shows STEVE arching and twirling against a beautiful backdrop starring Milky Way in all its glory. Anderson also captured the dynamics northern Lights and put on a great show.

Not everyone is lucky enough to see STEVE, let alone capture it on camera. In fact, the strange phenomenon was only formally discovered between 2015 and 2016 by citizen scientists, according to the first study published on STEVE in scientific progress in 2018.

But this wasn’t Anderson’s first encounter with STEVE. “I’ve photographed and filmed STEVE many times,” Anderson told Space.com. Anderson’s work, along with the work of other aurora-hunting enthusiasts, has been used to study STEVE, with their findings published in the journal Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society.

a long red beam of light spans the night sky, in the background the Milky Way can be seen, appearing as a thick band of stars running from the top of the image to the horizon.a long red beam of light spans the night sky, in the background the Milky Way can be seen, appearing as a thick band of stars running from the top of the image to the horizon.

a long red beam of light spans the night sky, in the background the Milky Way can be seen, appearing as a thick band of stars running from the top of the image to the horizon.

Although STEVE is often associated with aurora borealis, the two phenomena are not the same.

Auroras are caused by electrically charged particles entering the Earth’s surface. the earth’s atmosphereexcite gases and cause them to emit light as they return to their original energy (ground state). This light generates the Northern Lights (also known as the aurora borealis) in the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Lights (also known as the aurora australis) in the Southern Hemisphere.

While STEVE, which stands for Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, occurs when solar emissions, specifically fast-moving streams of plasma gas in the upper atmosphere, release heat. STEVE is essentially hot, glowing gas.

Northern Lights appear as ribbons of purple and green light across the sky, like curtains reaching down from the stars. Trees are silhouetted in the foreground of the image.Northern Lights appear as ribbons of purple and green light across the sky, like curtains reaching down from the stars. Trees are silhouetted in the foreground of the image.

Northern Lights appear as ribbons of purple and green light across the sky, like curtains reaching down from the stars. Trees are silhouetted in the foreground of the image.

Although STEVE has to share the sky with the bright and colorful dancing Northern Lights, STEVE manages to hold its own and create a captivating show for a more exclusive audience, as the phenomenon is not open to just anyone.

“It was an incredible experience to see it distort and light up against the backdrop of the Milky Way,” Anderson continued.

Related: Where and how to photograph the Northern Lights?

curtains of green light are crowned with curtains of purple light, as far as the eye can see, the whole sky is filled with color. Silhouettes of trees are on the left of the picture.curtains of green light are crowned with curtains of purple light, as far as the eye can see, the whole sky is filled with color. Silhouettes of trees are on the left of the picture.

curtains of green light are crowned with curtains of purple light, as far as the eye can see, the whole sky is filled with color. Silhouettes of trees are on the left of the picture.

Before STEVE got underway, Anderson enjoyed the fleeting substorm, capturing beautiful images and footage of the vibrant auroras in great detail. But Anderson had to be quick.

Related Stories:

— Where and how to photograph the Northern Lights?

— How to Photograph the Milky Way: A Guide for Beginners and Enthusiasts

— Best gear for aurora photography

“The photo of the aurora was taken during a brief inter-storm event, when the aurora intensified dramatically,” Anderson continued.

“It was exceptionally bright to the naked eye. Even my iPhone camera captured it on video in real time,” Anderson said.

For more work by Justin Anderson visit High expectations for Aurora.

Publisher’s Note: If you take a stunning photo or video of the Northern Lights (or Southern Lights!) and would like to share it with Space.com for a possible story, please send images, comments about the view and your location, and usage rights to spacephotos@space.com.

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