The year 2024 is rich with astronomical events in North America. A total solar eclipse and some spectacular aurora borealis were seen. Here are some pictures taken.
I couldn't miss it. So I took a day off from the job. I took a motel room in the town of Granby the night before, within the totality region. The sky was supposed to be free of clouds. The totality was scheduled to last 2m 58s according to Xavier Jubier's website. Never used my camera with my telescope before. So I bought an adapter. An hour before the beginning of the event, I adjusted my scope with my camera. I wasn't able to focus because the adapter tube made my camera out of focus. It was too far but close. So I removed the adapter and took a frew pictures by putting the camera direcly on the focuser tube. The flange of the camera was touching the tube's edge. It was stable enough despite handling it by hand. Sure, the images aren't of the best focus. However, for a first experience, I'm satisfied with the results.
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From 2024-05-10 to 2024-05-12, spectacular boreal auroras were seen as far south as the north american great lakes. That friday (may 10th) after work, I decided to go full north to Chibougamau since auroras are normally seen much further north. I wasn't prepared to see them at Shawinigan. The weather website windytv.com showed me a hole in the cloud cover around 1-2 am may 11th. So, I approached the town around 11h pm the 10th. I saw the whitish dancing between some big clouds. I was excited! Sadly, the clouds decided to close the sky instead. So I moved further north to the cree community of Mistissini. I saw the same cloud cover. It was 3 am the 11th, so I got mad and drove due south without sleeping. Got home at 8h am.
The next night, NOAA space weather said that the show continued. This time, I moved 20 minutes east from Shawinigan to Hervé-Jonction. An isolated road gave a good viewpoint in the middle of farmlands. The sky was beautifull, very dark with some remote faint clouds. I was able to see it all, I took pictures. It was my first live seeing of aurora borealis.
Gear used: