Timelapse footage from inside the Aurora Borealis [HD]Wired UK


"The project had three main goals," says Ben Longmier, plasma physicist and rocket scientist at Ad Astra Rocket Company and lecturer in physics at the University of Houston. "Firstly, we were looking to answer some questions about the Aurora, to understand the physics and science around the Aurora and learn how to better predict it. Secondly, we wanted to develop new technology to enable us to answer these questions, this included developing HD imaging of the Aurora and new plasma instruments to stabilise the payloads for imaging. We also needed to develop a way to control the balloon buoyancy.

"Thirdly, education outreach, specifically highlighting the connection to science, technology, engineering and maths. The goal was to motivate students of all ages and to inspire them to understand that life in science doesn't have to be mundane or boring and it can be cutting edge and take you to very unique environments."

The team attached GoPro HD cameras to the high-altitude balloon rigs, and released them into the sky during the aurora. The results can be seen in the timelapse video attached to this post. A second camera is in shot because the team needed one to capture the images and a second to flash and project light onto the first camera to make it possible to get the exposure right. Once the balloons got so high that the pressure popped them, they parachuted back to Earth, where the footage was recovered.

Longmier said, "Fresh powder and new snowfalls also made retrieving the balloons along with all the data and images they had gathered challenging. This slowed what would have been a simple three to five mile hike into anywhere between a three to 17 hour snowshoe and snowmobile adventure!" 

He added: "We were lucky to get three exceptionally bright nights of the Aurora. We launched on two of the nights and managed to get three really good launches. One piece of footage looks fantastic. One piece we recovered but unfortunately the electronics failed so we didn't get any data. 

"Two more weren't recovered and are somewhere in the Alaska desert -- it would have required a 12-hour expedition to find them and our team didn't have enough time. We were out of snow machine range and dog sledging and the helicopter couldn't land in the area as there are too many trees. We are posting the co-ordinates online to allow local boy scouts, clubs or other groups to go their own expedition and find them. As a reward we will allow them to keep the camera, we just need them to return the GPS tracking devices and SD Cards."

If that sounds tempting, Longmier says the coordinates will be posted online "soon". Keep an eye on the Project Aether website for that.

Image credit: Shutterstock


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