Latest news with #photographers
ABC News
3 days ago
- Climate
- ABC News
Auroroa australis lights up the sky over southern Australia
An alert about a geomagnetic storm might not sound like a good thing, but it's exactly the kind of notification photographers of the southern night sky want to be getting. These storms are behind a phenomenon called the aurora australis, or the southern lights, which produce a colourful light show. And that's just what happened in some southern parts of the country last night. Here are some stunning examples shared to the ABC's Weather Obsessed Facebook page: These photographers are among many who post their snaps to the Facebook group. It's a public group where people share pictures and weather updates from around the country — and many other parts of the world. Lately there's been a lot of snaps of frosts and autumnal leaves, but it is flooded with aurora photos when geomagnetic storms flare up. It's a phenomenon when the sky in the Southern Hemisphere is lit up by glowing whirls of colour. "Australis" comes from the Latin word for "southern". In the Northern Hemisphere, it's the aurora borealis, or the northern lights. Geomagnetic storms. They're triggered by something called coronal mass ejections. "A coronal mass ejection is the literal ejection of material from the Sun out into space," Australian Space Weather Forecasting Centre (ASWFC) forecaster Andrew Jackling said. This sends charged particles from the Sun towards Earth, causing geomagnetic storms that can disrupt Earth's magnetic field. "Kind of like in a normal thunderstorm, your shutters on your house would get a bit rattled by the wind and the rain," he said. In a geomagnetic storm, the disruption can cause atoms of oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere to emit bright, colourful light. And that's what gives us these whirls of colourful lights in the sky. That depends on how strong the geomagnetic storm is but, generally speaking, it'll be visible in southern parts of the country. So Tasmania is your best bet. But you might also be able to catch glimpses of it in southern parts of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and, if you're lucky, New South Wales. The ASWFC, which is part of the Bureau of Meteorology, sends out geomagnetic storm alerts via email. If you sign up to the ASWFC alerts via this online portal, you'll get an email when there's an alert. But before you head south, make sure to pay attention to the a G-scale rating to make a judgement about whether it'll be worth your while. This scale rates global geomagnetic activity, which ranges from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). Alerts will have a G rating, where the higher the rating, the greater the chance of a spectacular light show. You should also have a squiz at the ASWFC's dedicated Aurora website, which will give you an idea of how severe the geomagnetic storm is. And keep in mind that local weather and Moon cycles can impact how you see an aurora. Heavy cloud coverage might block out the glow. And the light from a full or nearly Moon could make the aurora appear duller — same goes for light pollution from populated areas. So it's best to find a spot on a beach or hill out of town with a clear view to the south.
CBS News
4 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Manhattanhenge 2025 will be visible tonight in NYC. Here's where to watch for the best view.
Manhattanhenge starts Wednesday. Here's the best time to see it. Manhattanhenge starts Wednesday. Here's the best time to see it. Manhattanhenge starts Wednesday. Here's the best time to see it. Manhattanhenge 2025 starts tonight in New York City, followed by a second chance to see it on Thursday. Here's everything to know for the best view. What is Manhattanhenge? Manhattanhenge happens when the sunset aligns with the city's street grid. The sun appears to set perfectly between the skyline. The phenomenon takes place on four days a year -- two in the spring, and two in the summer. This year, those dates are May 28 and 29, then July 11 and 12. The scene typically draws a large crowd of photographers and spectators hoping to snap the perfect shot. "Reverse Manhattanhenge" happens in the winter months when the sunrise lines up with the grid. Best places to see Manhattanhenge The following Manhattan streets are said to have the best view: 14th Street 23rd Street 34th Street 42nd Street 57th Street It's also possible to see Manhattanhenge across the East River in Long Island City, Queens. Wednesday's best time to watch will be at 8:13 p.m. Thursday will be slightly earlier at 8:12 p.m. Manhattanhenge weather tonight CBS News New York Viewing conditions will be far from ideal Wednesday evening. Not only will it be cloudy, but it's likely we'll have showers in the vicinity. Thursday offers a little bit of hope, with partial clearing on the back edge of a departing system. Unfortunately, we'll have a low-end chance of showers in the forecast, as well. Temperature-wise, expect the upper 50s on Wednesday and upper 60s on Thursday. Photos of Manhattanhenge Check out these photos from the past few years, and share yours with CBS New York using this link here. A view of the sunset from 42nd street during the 'Manhattanhenge' on May 29, 2023 in New York, United States. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Two birds fly through the middle of the street as people gather around to watch the sun set during Manhattanhenge in Times Square on July 11, 2022 in New York City. Alexi Rosenfeld / Getty Images Pedestrians cross a street during a Manhattanhenge on June 4, 2021 in New York City. Liao Pan/China News Service via Getty Images The sun sets along 42nd Street on July 9, 2020 in New York City. Gary Hershorn / Getty Images A view of the sunset from 42nd street is seen during the 'Manhattanhenge' on July 12, 2019 in New York, United States. Atilgan Ozdil/A partially cloud obscured Manhattanhenge sun set. Manhattanhenge is where the rising or setting sun aligns with the street grid in Manhattan, New York City. Michael Brochstein/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Video of drivers pulled over on highway to photograph bears in Whistler draws outrage
A video out of Whistler is generating a lot of anger online. It shows multiple drivers pulled over on Highway 99 to take pictures of bears.
CTV News
5 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Bear encounter on highway sparks anger
A video out of Whistler is generating a lot of anger online. It shows multiple drivers pulled over on Highway 99 to take pictures of bears.
The Independent
5 days ago
- The Independent
Hong Kong nature reserve shut down as birders flock to see rare owl chicks
A Hong Kong nature reserve has been partly closed after birdwatchers thronged to catch a glimpse of some rare owl chicks. The Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden in the Chinese financial hub last week said brown wood owl chicks had been born within the nature reserve for the first time in four years. The announcement attracted scores of photographers and bird watchers, prompting the nature reserve to close a part of the site to prevent visitors from "disturbing the owl chicks". Brown wood owls are known for their distinctively deep and dark brown eyes and are found commonly in India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Taiwan, but are rare in Hong Kong. "The owls attracted much interest among visitors and photographers, some of which could potentially disturb them and we decided to temporarily close the road that provided access to the birds, a measure we communicated via social media," Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden said in a post on Facebook. It added: "We also appreciate that some enthusiastic photographers must have been disappointed, but as a nature conservation institute, the well-being and protection of the animals and plants in our nature reserve has priority." The nature reserve added that for the protection of the owl family, the part of the site will remain closed until further notice. The Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden on Saturday had shared a photo collage of three owls and a picture of a large group of birdwatchers pointing their long-lens cameras at a them. The post was later deleted by the nature reserve, Hong Kong Free Press reported. A spokesperson with the reserve told local media that birdwatchers with big cameras began to show up shortly after the first pictures of the owls were posted on social media. The reserve had reportedly warned against using laser beams or owl hooters to attract the birds and eventually decided to close the road. It said visitors willing to see the owl species up close can visit a captive owl named Woody at its raptor sanctuary.
