DISCLOSURE / FILE
A 1958 ANARE field report from Mawson Station logging an unusual 20-minute display of moving shadows and parallel rays observed by four Australian Antarctic Research Expedition members near Taylor Glacier.
A 1958 ANARE field report from Mawson Station logging an unusual 20-minute display of moving shadows and parallel rays observed by four Australian Antarctic Research Expedition members near Taylor Glacier.
On July 17, 1958, at approximately 1300 hours (GMT plus 7), ANARE observers P. Trost, G. Knuckey, P. Chapman and I. Adams watched two distinct aerial phenomena from sea level in the bay east of Taylor Glacier. The display included an indefinable blob of shadow travelling east to west at speeds comparable to auroral movement, repeating at roughly 3-second intervals, followed by groups of 30 to 40 parallel rays whiter than the pinkish twilight sky, extending 10 to 15 degrees above the horizon. The whole display migrated from the eastern sector northward over 20 minutes under a nearly clear sky during the pre-dawn twilight of the International Geophysical Year period. The observers noted they were away from instruments and that measurements rest only on the accuracy expected from experienced field observers.
On July 17, 1958,P. Trost , G. Knuckey, P. Chapmqn and I. Adams noted an unusual display of' light and shadows, at Approximately 1300 Hours (G1~ PLUS 7) whilst standing at s e a level in bhe bay adj9cent to the East side of' Taylor Glacier.p.2
The phenomena had two separate forms and were si ght e d over a period of' 20 minut es.p.2
First of note was an indefinable blob of shadow travell- ing from right to left at great speed (equal to speed of Auroral movement).p.2
The secon6 ws s a group of' Parallel rays moving from right to left similar in ap~earan c e and speed to an auroral drapery but much more regular.p.2
The rays moved in groups of' roughly 30 -40 with an average of' 5 seconds between groups, but with occasiona l breaks of one minutep.2
It is regretted that at the time the observers were well away from instruments for obtaining accurate measurements .p.3
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A N.A.R. E . VISUAL PHF,NOI10NA - SIGHTED FROM ' TAYLOR ' 1958 - - K (. 2Y On July 17, 1958,P. Trost , G. Knuckey, P. Chapmqn and I. Adams noted an unusual display of' light and shadows, at Approximately 1300 Hours (G1~ PLUS 7) whilst standing at s e a level in bhe bay adj9cent to the East side of' Taylor Glacier. The phenomena had two separate forms and were si ght e d over a period of' 20 minut es. The sun had not yet appea red over the horizon but there was a bri ght, slightly rosy t wili gh t glow. The sky was almost clear of' cloud with sp·1rse high level cloud in the sector which the phenomena appeared . The ba y is bounded by a high headland and archinelago on the East side and less prominent headlands and Tsylor Gla cier IVIV '._- to the N~t~. Thus horizontal extent could not be ascertained. However, unbroken visibility extended from 350°T through North to 065°T. In each case the si ghtings were first noted ~n the East - ern s e ctor and then the whole display moved to the North. First of note was an indefinable blob of shadow travell- ing from right to left at great speed (equal to speed of Auroral movement). At the end of' a run it faded ver y quickly without other activity. A parallel drawn at the time of sighting whi ch best describes this phenomena is a high spee d car travelling down a st r aight • These shadows fol l owed each other as regularly as 3 seconds apart varying to infrequent intervals. The secon6 ws s a group of' Parallel rays moving from right to left similar in ap~earan c e and speed to an auroral drapery but much more regular. The rays in the genera l bright conditions approximated in brilliancy to strength one aurora . In colour, whiter than the pinkish sky' while the s pa ce bet we en r ays was grayish probably due to contrast. They were based on the hori zon extend - ing upwards in uniform cmlour to between 10 - 15°, then blending q11ickly with the sky so that they were not visible a bove 15°. In the eastern sec t or they were inclined to the right at more than 45° fro rn vertical while in the north less than 45° \n th some variation. I The rays moved in groups of' roughly 30 -40 with an average of' 5 seconds between groups, but with occasiona l breaks of one minute
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f' • or more. Ttl'" ~ ,.; t£ ,..J.:t;,; C The ~vemsnt of the whole display from east to north was distinguishe ~ bJ a gradual lessening of frequency in the east as the north became more and more prominent . It is regretted that at the time the observers were well away from instruments for obtaining accurate measurements . There- fore the above measurements can only be treated to an accuracy that could be expect ed from experienced observers.
Concatenated page-by-page transcript. Born-digital pages came through pdf.js; scanned pages were transcribed by Claude vision OCR. Pages marked unreadable failed multiple OCR retries (heavy redaction, microfilm artifacts, or blank separators) and are kept in place for audit.
-- - l i ~ ~ ~ ........ .. ~ ~ 1.1- ~ '""' --;., ~ ........ ~~~~... """ .. \ ..,\ r:
A N.A.R. E . VISUAL PHF,NOI10NA - SIGHTED FROM ' TAYLOR ' 1958 - - K (. 2Y On July 17, 1958,P. Trost , G. Knuckey, P. Chapmqn and I. Adams noted an unusual display of' light and shadows, at Approximately 1300 Hours (G1~ PLUS 7) whilst standing at s e a level in bhe bay adj9cent to the East side of' Taylor Glacier. The phenomena had two separate forms and were si ght e d over a period of' 20 minut es. The sun had not yet appea red over the horizon but there was a bri ght, slightly rosy t wili gh t glow. The sky was almost clear of' cloud with sp·1rse high level cloud in the sector which the phenomena appeared . The ba y is bounded by a high headland and archinelago on the East side and less prominent headlands and Tsylor Gla cier IVIV '._- to the N~t~. Thus horizontal extent could not be ascertained. However, unbroken visibility extended from 350°T through North to 065°T. In each case the si ghtings were first noted ~n the East - ern s e ctor and then the whole display moved to the North. First of note was an indefinable blob of shadow travell- ing from right to left at great speed (equal to speed of Auroral movement). At the end of' a run it faded ver y quickly without other activity. A parallel drawn at the time of sighting whi ch best describes this phenomena is a high spee d car travelling down a st r aight • These shadows fol l owed each other as regularly as 3 seconds apart varying to infrequent intervals. The secon6 ws s a group of' Parallel rays moving from right to left similar in ap~earan c e and speed to an auroral drapery but much more regular. The rays in the genera l bright conditions approximated in brilliancy to strength one aurora . In colour, whiter than the pinkish sky' while the s pa ce bet we en r ays was grayish probably due to contrast. They were based on the hori zon extend - ing upwards in uniform cmlour to between 10 - 15°, then blending q11ickly with the sky so that they were not visible a bove 15°. In the eastern sec t or they were inclined to the right at more than 45° fro rn vertical while in the north less than 45° \n th some variation. I The rays moved in groups of' roughly 30 -40 with an average of' 5 seconds between groups, but with occasiona l breaks of one minute
f' • or more. Ttl'" ~ ,.; t£ ,..J.:t;,; C The ~vemsnt of the whole display from east to north was distinguishe ~ bJ a gradual lessening of frequency in the east as the north became more and more prominent . It is regretted that at the time the observers were well away from instruments for obtaining accurate measurements . There- fore the above measurements can only be treated to an accuracy that could be expect ed from experienced observers.