The orbital path around the solar body produces calculated periods of seasonal diminished light. The dark side of the Earth during this period is predictable. Yet the contingent occurrence the day after the turn of the solar body of 2012 brought something of a mystery.
I have witnessed something of an extraordinary phenomenon. Perhaps something one only sees every solar cycle, every millennium, every galaxy rotation, or not even in one's lifetime. Not only did I get to experience this spectacular show, but others commented on its rarity as well. My work partner stated that it was apocalyptic and even the air was thick. So rare, that an 87 year old witness commented on the sight of it and how they had never seen anything like it in their lifetime or heard of anything like this happening before...
From this latitude the long days are dark without a solar body
directing its energy. There is minimal light and only for a calculated minimal amount of time. When the Sun has come to its zenith just below the horizon it creates a hazy pale greyish blue glow within the atmosphere. This time of year the breaking of dawn does not happen in this region until the middle of
January. Although briefly encountered for a mere short hour of the day,
the solar body does not enter into visual contact until the beginning of
February.
I have been here for several dark seasons and I have witnessed how the celestial bodies rotate and how the return of the solar body is normally viewed after the winter solstice.
December 22, 2012: I was early to rise, as my position requires such. As I was leaving my post around 0530, the skies were filled with a haunting indescribable zodiacal light, reflecting the ominous color of blood red. The sky should of been dark and void of any light other than star or perhaps moon this early in the day (especially following the darkest and longest day of the year). As one would know of the polar extremes, light is minimal and the Sun does not shine during certain times of the year... let alone reflect off the atmosphere at such an angle to produce this visual spectrum during specific times of the 24 hour clock. In my amazement this production of red light was not in regards to any sunlight, as there is no Sun to be seen or even rays that could be distinguished during this hour. Additionally, there were no clouds to be mistaken for noctilucent, and no other natural disturbances in the sky. The temperature was cold and dry, deep into the minus of Celsius. As the early morn continued the entire heavens were crimson. As the Sun did finally make its way to hang below the horizon, the red was still ablaze enveloping the entire Earth. As the atmosphere hung in this balance of thick fiery glow throughout the day, I could not help but spend much time outside in awe of this happening. It lingered on even after the "official below horizon sunset" and throughout the darkened night.
In accordance with astronomy, the Earth was to be in the center of our galaxy during this time frame, additionally passing closest to a black hole located there (or the remnants of an exploded giant star). During the same time frame Earth was within reach of comet Wirtanen and coming close to Asteroid 4179 Toutatis. Not to mention 2012 was a leap year and a solar maximum preempting solar polar reversal, also contributing factors to the Sun's solar cycle effecting Earth (as a previous entry discusses this titled What They Didn't Tell You...).
I did manage to take a picture. To my amazement the picture revealed oddities as to what was being seen. It showed no red in the sky other than the normal skylight colors of this time of year... Yet the water reflected the blood red occurrence. Based on this alone, what was witnessed was the Earth going through some intense form of radiation (electromagnetic, light to sound - possibly a mix of variable wavelengths). Waves that cannot be captured from a digital device, yet seen with the naked eye and reflected. Pollution tends to draw towards the red wavelength, yet the picture reveals no smog or otherwise color of red in the sky. Red is the longest wavelength and the most less seen by the naked eye, as the shorter wavelength colors drown it out. That is why reds and oranges are normally experienced only during sunrise and set. This day the surreal deep red was not just in or around the horizon, it encapsulated the entire hemisphere of sky from horizon to horizon. Anything below the normal color of red is classified as infrared. Was this possibly a rare visual aspect of this infrared wavelength? Due to its rare color and form of passing through the atmosphere, I would be more likely to concede that it was indeed a mixed variable producing a new wavelength. The Matter Wave, being particles traveling at the speed of light, diffract to move around an object (Earth). Particles that behave like waves from outside sources can interfere with the already present wavelengths. Instead of canceling each other out, they added to one another creating the new wavelength (which is what everyone possibly saw with the naked eye).
I took the picture with my cell phone, so the quality is not superb. I had thought this would be an ideal place to show the contrast of the blood red sky along side the deep blue of the sea. On the contrary, the picture showed quite the opposite in coloration and it captured something not visibly seen to the naked eye... the Sun?
And here in the photograph was most remarkably some cosmic event.
Below: Computer modified version to reflect naked eye visual colors. Modification still does not capture the magnitude of reds over the entire sky. However, it does show where one would not see the actual burst of light emitting on the horizon, until the camera auto adjusted the coloration when taking the photograph.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEp9MCQlAa4
(Spectrum - Zedd)
