Voyage of the Scotia 1902-04

The Antarctic

Polar skyscape

This image, the original of which has no descriptive caption, is included among those from the 1902-1904 Scottish National Antarctic Expedition organised and led by William S Bruce in the exploration ship SY Scotia.

The photograph seems to represent a spectacular Antarctic skyscape above the silhouette of part of Laurie Island in the South Orkney Islands.

It is difficult to tell from the photograph itself whether the unusual pattern visible in the sky is due to cloud or the austral aurora, but is probably the former, as no reference has been found to the aurora effect in the records of the expedition. This is in spite of considerable coverage of other unusual magnetic and optical phenomena.