Eerie Sky Glow Called 'Steve' Isn't anAurora, Is 'Completely Unknown' to Science

Eerie Sky Glow Called 'Steve' Isn't an Aurora, Is 'Completely Unknown' to Science

www.livescience.com...

To photographers and stargazers in northern climes, Steve has been a familiar night phenomenon for decades. But the mysterious ribbons of light only entered the scientific literature for the first time earlier this year, thanks largely to Steve-tracking efforts coordinated by Facebook groups like the Alberta Aurora Chasers. Writing in the journal Science Advances in March, researchers (including Gallardo-Lacourt) decided to keep the name "Steve" as the official nomenclature for the colorful happening, but they changed it to an acronym standing for "Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement" — aka STEVE.

Compared to the northern lights — which tend to shimmer in broad bands of green, blue or reddish light depending on their altitude — Steve is remarkably slim, usually appearing as a single ribbon of purplish-white light. What this ribbon lacks in girth, it makes up for in length; unlike the wavy northern lights, Steve appears to stab straight upward into the night sky, often spanning more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers).

I've never heard of this.
way cool
not sure how long they've been around. presumably any natural phenomenon is ages-old. like the asperitas clouds.

Sounds like a Mandela Effect..

Science has never heard of this ages old giant purple pillar of light?

Recently, medicine (doctors) discovered a new, large organ that we all have now.. You'd think someone would of noticed for as long as we've been cutting into bodies.

Just sayin'.

It's a wormhole!

Given that it is slim and purple in color makes sense as violet is the highest wavelength possible of visible color. while white is all of them in even output/distribution.


I am willing to bet that when there is one at the top of the Earth as what is being viewed here, there is one at the bottom at the same time and this is some sort of electromagnetic affect of the energy being absorbed then released through the center of the Earth. Sort of like a pulsar.

wow.. it's beautiful. Thanks for sharing, I've not heard of this either!

a reply to: ElGoobero

That's what I imagine the pillar of light of Exodus must've looked like. Frickin Steve, amiright.

Used to see these occasionally when I lived in Tasmania.
Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

I lived in the north of Tassie, so I think we saw pillars instead of a 'sheet' because we were further away from the main event that was at the south end of the planet and that meant we only got to see the scraps of it. It's outer edge.

They were pretty dim though so you had to go to somewhere really dark to see them well and the ones I witnessed were red and white.
Looked slightly different because those photos are using an exposure to show more than your eyes can pick up at night otherwise it was the exact same thing shown there.

If you'd been in the city of Hobart at the same time you would of seen something closer to a proper full blown aurora with the expected colours and effects.

So for me yeah, it's just normal atmospheric lights appearing in a way people aren't used to seeing them.
It's just a change of perspective is all, and we're seeing the 'run off' of an aurora currently occurring elsewhere.
Nothing weird, unusual or new about it. Possibly just the first time any ones bothered to take a picture.

Possibly not many people notice them because in areas with even a small amount of light pollution they become difficult to see.

Just my 2 cents.

originally posted by: AtomicKangaroo
Used to see these occasionally when I lived in Tasmania.
Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

I lived in the north of the Tassie, so I think we saw pillars instead of a 'sheet' because we were further away from the main event that was at the south end of the planet and that meant we only got to see the scraps of it. It's outer edge.

They were pretty dim though so you had to go to somewhere really dark to see them well and the ones I witnessed were red and white.
Looked slightly different because those photos are using an exposure to show more than your eyes can pick up at night otherwise it was the exact same thing shown there.

If you'd been in the city of Hobart at the same time you would of seen something closer to a proper full blown aurora with the expected colours and effects.

So for me yeah, it's just normal atmospheric lights appearing in a way people aren't used to seeing them.
It's just a change of perspective is all, and we're seeing the 'run off' of an aurora currently occurring elsewhere.
Nothing weird, unusual or new about it. Possibly just the first time any ones bothered to take a picture.

Possibly not many people notice them because in areas with even a small amount of light pollution they become difficult to see.

Just my 2 cents.

So basically you just proved my point.

It is seen on south and north at the same time. It shoots straight up, its a high frequency beam of light/particles. So Earth emits energy like a Pulsar and we see the radiation in beams of violet light.

I was right! The Earth emits its own light during Aurora!!!!

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

That was the assumption. Which was wrong.
Now the fun part starts.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

That was the assumption. Which was wrong.
Now the fun part starts.

No I proved what is going on.

Its time for celebration!

a reply to: SR1TX

It shoots straight up,

The contrail of a jet plane can appear to shoot straight up too.

Steve appears as a very narrow arc extending for hundreds or thousands of miles, aligned east-west.

en.wikipedia.org...(atmospheric_phenomenon)

a reply to: Pearj

originally posted by: Pearj
Sounds like a Mandela Effect.

Just. No.

On topic... I remember seeing pictures and hearing a little of this phenomenon years ago. It will be interesting to find out more about what causes it.

S&F

originally posted by: SR1TX

So basically you just proved my point.

It is seen on south and north at the same time. It shoots straight up, its a high frequency beam of light/particles. So Earth emits energy like a Pulsar and we see the radiation in beams of violet light.

I was right! The Earth emits its own light during Aurora!!!!

Yeah I never said any such things.
I stated what I have personally seen, not the science behind it.
It proves nothing but my own experience and belief these 'pillars' are part of an existing aurora australis event.

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

That was the assumption. Which was wrong.
Now the fun part starts.

How is something I witnessed with my own eyes wrong or an assumption exactly?
Only time I ever witnessed these coloured streaks in the sky, was during an aurora australis appearing.
No other time.
For me that says there is a clear connection between the 2 events.
Or is it some amazing coincidence science has explained away already?

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

How is something I witnessed with my own eyes wrong or an assumption exactly? Only time I ever witnessed these coloured streaks in the sky, was during an aurora australis appearing.

He didn't mean *you* made assumptions. He was saying scientists had assumed it was all aurora and now they're realising that 'Steve' is a phenomenon in its own right. The 'fun part' is studying it to learn more.

a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Or is it some amazing coincidence science has explained away already?

Yes, as far as the coincidence part goes. Explaining it? Nope. Not really.

Our results verify that this STEVE event is clearly distinct from the aurora since it is characterized by the absence of particle precipitation. Interestingly, its skyglow could be generated by a new and fundamentally different mechanism in the ionosphere.

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Or is it some amazing coincidence science has explained away already?

Yes, as far as the coincidence part goes. Explaining it? Nope. Not really.

Our results verify that this STEVE event is clearly distinct from the aurora since it is characterized by the absence of particle precipitation. Interestingly, its skyglow could be generated by a new and fundamentally different mechanism in the ionosphere.

agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com...

The Earth emits light like a pulsar. Get over it. It's solved. It goes Straight up and down and obviously its not a contrail nor does it look like a contrail.

a reply to: SR1TX

Maybe.
But it ain't Steve. Steve don't go that way. Steve goes east west.

originally posted by: SR1TX

originally posted by: Phage
a reply to: AtomicKangaroo

Just an extension of an existing aurora australis and similar atmospheric lights if you ask me.

That was the assumption. Which was wrong.
Now the fun part starts.

No I proved what is going on.

Its time for celebration!

I'm down here at the Mojave Spectroscope Array in downtown Death Valley, Hawaii, and I'm having a plaque commissioned with your ATS Screen Name on it, because, as you stated, we can now consider this matter concluded. It's a done deal. No need to contact you to find out your real name just like there is no need to confirm "your" "findings". We will just put your ATS Screen Name and call it good! Thats how we do science round here at the Megatronic Electroscope Observatory in Nome, Alaska!

a reply to: 3n19m470

Death Valley, Hawaii,

Geo coordinates please.

Are you ready for Lane? Hatches battened?

I like the triggered egos.

The Salt goes good with the pepper.