David Malin
English, 1941-
Capturing Ancient Light Portfolio, 1989
25 chromogenic prints
2 1/2 x 37 1/4 x 27 in. (portfolio)
SBMA, Museum purchase with funds provided by PhotoFutures
2005.32.1-25
Undated Photo by Andrew T. Warman, RIT
COMMENTS
Born in England, Malin has been involved in scientific imaging his entire working life. He joined the Anglo-Australian Observatory (AAO) as its Photographic Scientist in 1975 and has since conquered the depths of cosmos with stunning photography through the 3.9m Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT). He is also an Adjunct Professor of Scientific Photography at RMIT University in Melbourne.
As part of his work at AAO, Malin developed hypersensitization methods for the photographic materials used in astronomy, greatly increasing their speed. His development of methods for detecting faint information on astronomical plates has also garnered him international acclaim. These novel image enhancement techniques quickly led to the discovery of two new types of galaxies, and in 1987 he discovered an extremely faint 'proto-galaxy' now known as Malin-1. These new galaxies are among the faintest objects ever detected by a ground-based telescope, and their discovery represented a significant advance in photographic astronomy and a major contribution to galaxy research. The photographic techniques Malin developed to discover them are now known as 'Malinisation'.
Malin was a pioneer in making true-color astronomical photographs from black and white plates taken in three separate colors. His photographs have been widely published and have been on the covers of hundreds of books and magazines including LIFE and National Geographic. His work also graces a series of Australian postage stamps. International solo art exhibitions of his work have been held in Australia, Britain, China, France, Italy, India and the USA.
- The World at Night, David Malin Gallery, n.d.
http://www.twanight.org/newTWAN/photographers_about.asp?photographer=David Malin
The Sun has a cycle of activity that builds to a maximum about every eleven years. For a year or so around solar maximum the number and size of sunspots increases and energetic, electrically charged particles are ejected from the surface of the sun in much greater numbers than at other times. They take several days to travel as far as the earth and when they arrive, the earth's magnetic field channels them to high latitudes around the north and south poles. There they enter the upper atmosphere and produce the beautiful aurorae seen in both hemispheres, usually about 30 degrees from the poles, the Aurora Australis in the south, Aurora Borealis in the north.
Only at times of extreme solar activity are aurorae seen at lower latitudes such as Siding Spring Observatory, which is about 60 degrees from the pole (30 degrees south latitude). However one such occasion occurred when the sun was particularly active in October 1989, when this picture was taken. The southern half of the sky turned a uniform bright red for most of one night and a little of the next. This picture was taken looking due south where the aurora was most intense. In the foreground is a V-shaped support for a telescope designed to point to the south celestial pole, around which the stars seem to rotate.
- Australian Astronomical Observatory, Aurorae Australis, 1989-2002
http://www.aao.gov.au/images/captions/misc008.html