Photographer Ali Penman releases new aurora calender | Ayrshire Today

A KEEN night sky photographer from West Kilbride has published a new calendar showcasing the best aurora pictures he has ever taken in Scotland.

Ali Penman, 48, grew up in the village, and got hooked on astrophotography a few years ago, and is now specialising in photos of the spectacular Northern Lights which have graced our skies over the past year.

Ali has even set up his own Facebook page specifically for this theme called Mon the Aurora, showcasing the amazing pictures he has taken.

Ali said: “I now live in a small village called Kinloch Rannoch in Perthshire.

Ali and family, including wife Aurelia and daughter Georgia (Image: Penman family)

"Over the last few years I have become aurora obsessed, and take it very seriously, studying space forecasts and analysing aurora activity predictions for the area, and during the past week I have even managed to get some spectacular photos of C/2023 A3 comet in our skies.”

"We are living in a time where the aurora activity is at its maximum as part of an 11 year cycle so this year probably represents the best opportunity to see the aurora in a dark sky area if you haven't seen it yet.

"It's always different colours in different parts of the world - depending on latitude.

"Where I live, it is ideally situated, as it a short distance away from my front door where I get a decent view and I have been lucky enough to see the aurora many times - it is a hobby which sometimes takes you out and about to take photos in the middle of the night."

Sky spectacular: Aurora in the night sky has been a joy to behold this year (Image: Ali Penman)

The explosion of aurora interest in Scotland has been magnified by social media and the rise of camera phones, but Ali believes it is only high quality digital cameras which capture the northern lights at their best.

He uses a Nikon D850 to capture some of his marvellous vibrant shots of the colourful display in our night skies.

Ali said: "I was lucky enough to purchase the Nikon D850 second hand and I had been advised that the astro settings were very good for night time photography.

"I started taking photos of the Milky Way and constellations, but my interest in the aurora borealis and capturing something spectacular really took hold.

"The lens is very good and setting it is a bit of an art form to bring out the full majesty of the aurora."

Ali shared his passion with his six year old daughter Georgia, named after his late grandfather George Sloan, and she loves to join him in his night time expeditions and was thrilled to get a view of the big comet sighting this week.

Mon the Aurora! A spectacular sight captured by Ali in his local neighbourhood (Image: Ali Penman)

As well as being the secretary of the village hall where he lives, Ali is a website designer, and regularly visits his father Douglas who lives in Headrigg Road in West Kilbride with wife Aurelia, and Georgia.

For more details on his aurora photography and to purchase a calendar, go to https://www.auroraphotos.co.uk/.