June, 2005....J. Dana Hrubes...updated June 30, 2005 , 1000 GMT
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Skylab backlit by a red-green aurora

June at the Pole - Midwinter Solstice

June is the month that marks the middle of our long winter. On June 21st, the sun is about 23 degrees below the horizon and it is then 3 months until sunrise.   Midwinter is celebrated by all of the stations on the Antarctic Continent. We send each other midwinter greetings.   midwinter greetings from South Pole Station          

We have not had as many auroras as in previous years, because we are just about at the minimum of the eleven year solar activity cycle. The ones we have had, however, have been spectacular.  


Red aurora over the new station stairwell tower
 
red corona aurora       red corona aurora (2)     red aurora near the cosray platform      red aurora over the new station beer can stairway tower       red-green aurora        red-green aurora backlighting SETI telescope        

aurora over the new station     aurora backlighting skylab       aurora backlighting skylab (2)      auroral arc with full moon      swirl over the dome     green arc over new station       curtain over the dome     green-red curtain      green-red twist   

We had more Iridium satellite flares early in the month            Iridium flare over the new station and "beer can"       Iridium flare over new station with small aurora      Iridium flare over new station    
 
Various other photos around station include:    a very clear night at ARO       moonlit hole eroded in sastrugi by the wind     photographer's moon shadow      SETI telescope backlit by the moon       me at my back door          frosted at the vlf shack     

At the South Pole we had a beautiful midwinter dinner and then three bands entertained the station. I am in one of the three bands, named "White Noise". It is a small trio, much different than the 7 member band I was in last year.    band gig    

...NEW......
  SETI Extrasolar Planet Finder Telescope Website  .... this is one of my projects here....  see what is currently happening   ......


NEXT MONTH:  coldest days to come at the Pole

      A Real-Time Photo of South Pole Station as Seen from the ARO Building (live when satellite is up)

      A Comprehensive South Pole Web Site by Bill Spindler

       Winterover Web Pages (Bill Spindler's List)

 
 

MY SOUTH POLE 2005 HOME PAGE

MY BI-POLAR HOME PAGE