I was out at dusk training for an upcoming marathon when I noticed the a big auroral display filling the sky. Pillars of reds and green were clearly visible, despite the glow form the setting sun. With 5k still to run, I set off as fast as I could to get back home and grab the camera.

What followed was another stunning display, the second in just a few months! Luckily, the skies were completely clear with no moon to ruin the show. I was happy to stay out until 3am to capture one of the most epic displays I’ve ever witnessed.

Image details: Fujifilm XT-1, Sigma 16mm f1.4 at f1.4. Exposure lengths between 1 and 4 seconds at iso 400. Edited in Adobe Camera Raw & Photoshop.

The source of the stunning display was the strong x1.8 class solar flare captured here by SoHo observatory. Also captured is Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3), one of the brightest comets of recent times, is passing through the field of view. With any luck, the comet will become visible in the evenings from around the 12th October.

Weathr permitting, I’ll be heading out every evening from sunset over the next week or two to try capture the comet, as I did many years ago with comet McNaught in 2007, and comet Neowise in 2020.