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Ursa Astronomical Association
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Ursa Astronomical Association

Night cloud summer has now started

5.6. The first NLCs of the summer were seen on the Monday night. Exceptionally, there were clouds up to the zenith. "The season got off to a great start, although of course the clouds were dim because of the bright sky," says Pentti Arpalahti, who took the photo in Helsinki. He also verified the authenticity of the clouds using a polarizing filter. Last year resulted in in record 53 NLC night. This year it will be of course full throttle observing, but the conditions need to be also favourable. 

the first night clouds 4/5.6. »

Negs still rule the NLC sky

3.6. While waiting for the start of the NLC season, the mood thickens in the form of negative observations. The most recent negs are now from June, when Pentti Arpalahti and Paula Wirtanen (photo) checked the situation on the Friday night. Although last year's start happened no earlier than June 6/7, it ensued as the most best year as measured by the number of NLC nights when the season was called a wraps with the final show on August 23/24.

Pine pollen coronas in the sky

3.6. The period of birch pollen coronas is behind us and the turn of the pine, which ends the season, is at hand. Mikko Peussa told the pine was dusting effectively as he photographed the phenomenon on 30.5 in Turku. He paid attention to the variation in the intensity of the corona. "The third zone veritably flushes on from time to time and disappears just as quickly," Peussa writes, suspecting that windy weather enhances the effect.

Peussa's observation »

Moon and airplane

2.6. Getting an airplane to the foreground of the Moon is not easy. Matti Helin, who lives in Lieto, had been waiting for his own opportunity for 10 years. When a promising-looking situation came up on May 30, he was feeding the cats. Maybe not the best starting point for a situation that requires a quick reaction, but luckily the camera bag happened lie next to him. After the photos were taken, there was still the apprehension about quality. All copacetic. "I was happy," writes Helin.

Helin's observation »

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Newest commented observations

Negative observation of missing night shining clouds

Negative observation of missing night shining clouds

7.6.2023 at 00.00 - 01.45 - Turku
Mikko Peussa

The sky was empty. I watched for a couple of hours.

Comments: 1 pcs

Observation information »

Several halo forms

Several halo forms

5.6.2023 at 18.25 - 20.05 - Turku (II)
Mikko Peussa, Ursa (Länsi-Suomi)

Catch the evening glow from the balcony. In the last stacked photo (50 photos) we still found a horizon ring, which is quite a borderline case. You can't see it inside the ring, but the right side might have a tail long enough that I'll mark it accordingly. EDIT: The side suns got really amazingly bright, so I'll add the pictures to that beginning. Probably the brightest sauris I've ever seen.

Images: 5 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Clearly visible night shining clouds

Clearly visible night shining clouds

5.6.2023 at 00.00 - 01.40 - Helsinki (III)
Matias Takala, Kuopion Saturnus

I received a message from Pirjo Koski at midnight that there might be illuminating night clouds. I took a peek from the balcony, and it could very well be true. It was decided to wait for it to get dark, I received a new message around 00:30. At that point it was quite clear that the season was definitely open. Considering the time of the season, it was quite an upbeat play.

Images: 2 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Clearly visible night shining clouds

Clearly visible night shining clouds

4.6.2023 at 23.48 - 02.00 - Laitila (III)
Pirjo Koski, Porin Karhunvartijat

Tomorrow, crazy pictures from the night. I didn't expect such a wide and intense start.. Edit.smart pictures added. The spectacle began to take shape in the sky before midnight (at 11:48 p.m.) and when returning home from an evening walk with Riku, we wondered whether the fibers appearing in the east/southeast direction were aircraft debris or perhaps the beginnings of night owls. Thoughts were exchanged with Matias Takala, and Matias defended the yökkös at the very beginning, when the signatory still hesitated. I finally went home to pick up the shaker and during that time the sky was ful...

Images: 7 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Dim night shining clouds

Dim night shining clouds

5.6.2023 at 00.01 - 01.28 - Helsinki (II)
Pentti Arpalahti

In the East [Edit. -> In the west (in the phone noise the wind direction went the wrong way) and in the zenith there are a lot of clouds that Pola is biting into, were there night clouds? Edit. Well, there they were. Polademo in the west [

Images: 8 pcs • Comments: 5 pcs

Observation information »

Several halo forms

Several halo forms

21.5.2023 at 12.00 - 20.00 - Kouvola (II)
Tero Sipinen, Ursa (Etelä-Suomi)

In the afternoon I noticed a 22r (photo 1) going into the mug and took a small stack of it. The top and bottom sides of the stack suddenly revealed (picture 2). I also took a timelapse, which had to be left unfinished due to the shopping trip, even though the tire was still strong (picture 3). The same clip processed into 10-image USM and BR-processed stacks reveals that 46r was also included (Figure 4). Later, in the land of evening darkness, the ring appeared again in the sky, and after half an hour a bit of zyk could also be seen. The last sighting of the groping was around eight in the eve...

Images: 5 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Pollen corona

Pollen corona

4.6.2023 at 15.19 - Kurikka (IV)
Marko Myllyniemi, Lakeuden Ursa

The surfaces of the garden furniture have already suggested something, and in the afternoon, when the sun was able to shine properly, I got confirmation: pine pollen is already in the air here too. Based on the BR photo ( #2) three clear circles and a fine hint of a fourth. The white dots in the pictures are willow flakes.

Images: 3 pcs • Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Primary reflection rainbow

Primary reflection rainbow

22.5.2023 at 21.30 - 21.55 - Vesanto (II)
Timo Kuhmonen

A picture from Vesanno from a week ago, my first rainbow sighting of the spring. This time we were lucky (also) when there was a piece of reflection rainbow in addition to the main arc. It was my first visual observation of it. The reflection arc was visible only on the right side of the main arc. At the time the picture was taken on May 22, 2023 at 21:43, according to Stellarium, the sun was in direction 312 and at an altitude of 3 degrees (low in the northwest). It could be that the reflection of the sunlight may have come either from the local ground water or from the surface of Iso-Åland.....

Comments: 2 pcs

Observation information »

Negative observation of missing night shining clouds

Negative observation of missing night shining clouds

3.6.2023 at 00.00 - 02.30 - Nousiainen
Mikko Peussa, Ursa (Länsi-Suomi)

Nothing like that anywhere. Observation for three hours in good conditions. Photo at 01:18.

Comments: 3 pcs

Observation information »

Moon

Moon

2.6.2023 at 23.52 - Helsinki (III)
Tuomas Salo, Ursa (Helsinki)

I photographed the moon by stacking 21 photos with an autostacker.

Comments: 3 pcs

Observation information »

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