Aurora tonight? - DPChallenge Forums

05/14/2005 09:48:22 AM · #1

For those of you interested, there may be a good chance to observe an aurora tonight:

A fast, potentially strong coronal mass ejection has been directed strongly toward the Earth. The event was observed in conjunction with a major class M8/2B solar proton flare on 13 May. Arrival is expected on 15 May with lingering effects persisting into 16 May. A middle latitude auroral activity warning has been issued for this event, valid through 24:00 UTC on 16 May.

POTENTIAL MAGNITUDE OF MIDDLE LATITUDE AURORAL ACTIVITY: MODERATE TO
HIGH

POTENTIAL DURATION OF THIS ACTIVITY: MAIN BELT = 12-18 HOURS
MINOR BELT = 18-24 HOURS

ESTIMATED OPTIMUM OBSERVING CONDITIONS: NEAR OR PRIOR TO LOCAL MIDNIGHT

EXPECTED LUNAR INTERFERENCE: LOW

OVERALL OPPORTUNITY FOR OBSERVATIONS FROM MIDDLE LATITUDES: GOOD

AURORAL ACTIVITY *MAY* BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE
FROM...
(THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR)

OREGON TO SOUTHERN IDAHO AND NORTHERN UTAH TO WYOMING TO NEBRASKA TO
NORTHERN MISSOURI TO SOUTHERN ILLINOIS TO KENTUCKY TO VIRGINIA.

ACTIVITY *MAY* ALSO BE OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY NORTH OF A LINE FROM...
(THIS LINE IS VALID *ONLY* IF FAVORABLE STORM CONDITIONS OCCUR)

CENTRAL FRANCE TO NORTHERN SWITZERLAND TO SOUTHERN GERMANY TO THE
CZECH
REPUBLIC TO POLAND TO CENTRAL RUSSIA.

NEW ZELAND AND SOUTHEASTERN AUSTRALIA SHOULD ALSO BE ABLE TO SPOT
PERIODS
OF ACTIVITY IF SUITABLE STORM CONDITIONS MATERIALIZE DURING
DARKNESS.

Happy hunting!

d

Jacko

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

05/14/2005 09:51:14 AM · #2

Excellent, I'll keep an eye out to the sky.

bod

05/14/2005 10:18:04 AM · #3

The story behind this event is quite interesting too ... Sun spits out tiny squirt of plasma.
Good luck to those in the viewing areas : )

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

05/14/2005 01:51:29 PM · #4

thanks....Ill definately be out tonight watching for it(i live in kentucky)...this is the main reason i want to go to alaska..soo kewl if i could get some shots of it here. now i feel like a kid the night before christmas!

LalliSig

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

05/14/2005 02:07:01 PM · #5

Great... ItÂ´s pretty much bright all night now here in Iceland so chances are you wonÂ´t see very much here. Anyway, thanx for the heads up Dahkota.

Here is a link that shows aurora activity, unless itÂ´s bright red I normally donÂ´t even try to go outside for Aurora shots but I find it useful.

Happy shooting tonight!

//www.sel.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

Message edited by author 2005-05-14 14:07:33.

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

05/14/2005 02:10:14 PM · #6

Originally posted by larus:

Every winter I plan a trip to Iceland for the Auroras and I still haven't made it. I think the cold scares me off at the last minute. :) Maybe this year...

d

LalliSig

05/14/2005 02:30:44 PM · #7

Hehe, please, thatÂ´s a VERY lame excuse. You can always just dress a little bit better :o) Like nike says, just do it!

05/14/2005 02:45:57 PM · #8

Thanks Dahkota, for the heads up, I will have eyes to the sky in mid west Indiana. I've seen them before, on the west coast, Oregon. Truely awesome. I'm with you on the trip to Iceland, but I must say that Alaska is closer and cheaper (maybe), although not quite as exotic.

05/14/2005 02:48:32 PM · #9

Wisconsin will be completely clouded out - drats - so allow me to share my aurora shots from last November.

05/14/2005 03:18:51 PM · #10

Originally posted by sofapez:

For me, Iceland is much cheaper. Roundtrip in January runs about $400 after taxes. Take it midweek for 3 days and they throw in the hotel for free! Alaska, even in January still runs about $800. And the difference in flight time is a clincher.

Larus, do they keep the thermal pools warm in the winter? ;) I can set up in one of those...

d

05/14/2005 03:24:59 PM · #11

Yeah, We'll probably be clouded up here, (Indiana) too, but hey, maybe there will a moment or clear sky between thunderstorms and raindrops.

Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital

05/14/2005 03:28:41 PM · #12

Originally posted by dahkota:

Originally posted by sofapez:
Thanks Dahkota, for the heads up, I will have eyes to the sky in mid west Indiana. I've seen them before, on the west coast, Oregon. Truely awesome. I'm with you on the trip to Iceland, but I must say that Alaska is closer and cheaper (maybe), although not quite as exotic.

For me, Iceland is much cheaper. Roundtrip in January runs about $400 after taxes. Take it midweek for 3 days and they throw in the hotel for free! Alaska, even in January still runs about $800. And the difference in flight time is a clincher.

Larus, do they keep the thermal pools warm in the winter? ;) I can set up in one of those...

d

My X spent a year in Iceland for the Navy thing (he got seasick even on small ships)and brought back some great photos of the land and people.

Its been awhile since I checked into tickets to Alaska and never to Iceland. When I was in Seattle area, a trip to Alaska was cheap, I guess that 2200 mile separation is pretty expensive these days.

LalliSig

05/14/2005 03:47:20 PM · #13

Originally posted by dahkota:

Larus, do they keep the thermal pools warm in the winter? ;) I can set up in one of those...

d

ThatÂ´s the beauty of thermal pools, they run by natural hot spring water so there isnÂ´t anything you can "turn off" so yeah no problem. Anyway, like I said, dress in warm clothes and you shouldnÂ´t have a problem, it rarely gets under -10 degrees celcius :o)

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/14/2005 03:49:27 PM · #14

"it rarely gets under -10 degrees celcius :o)"

In american english I think that means: put on your warmest long johns _its very chilly

But honestly, Indiana winters get colder, just that it does warm up to boiling in the summer.

Message edited by author 2005-05-14 15:50:48.

Nordlys

Canon EOS R10

05/14/2005 04:20:57 PM · #15

Originally posted by sofapez:

I'm with you on the trip to Iceland, but I must say that Alaska is closer and cheaper (maybe), although not quite as exotic.

Though if temperature is an issue, Alaska can get considerably colder.

My favorite place for aurora watching is northern Norway (specifically N67.29 E14.45 ;-) ), where I took the following a couple months ago. I go there every couple years or so. Not much aurora here in San Diego. :-/

Nordlys

bah!! clouds clouds clouds

05/14/2005 05:24:00 PM · #16

Isn't 0 celcius the same as 32F????? you are kidding, right? I'm in longjohn's below 60F!

The polar passes are finally moving up, but not to where I could see them. 7 hours until midnight here. Hopefully activity will heat up right on time...

Is there a lot of snow in Iceland? I had figured with only 3 days I wouldn't get to see too much of Iceland outside of Reykjavik. Okay. This year is it. I'll just spend December here in my shorts getting used to it.

d

ralph

Nikon Z9

05/14/2005 05:53:27 PM · #17

ralph

Nikon Z9

05/14/2005 05:55:11 PM · #18

infrared rathre than visable clouds ...

Message edited by author 2005-05-14 20:47:45.

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/15/2005 04:21:35 AM · #19

Well what do you know! I got an hour's worth of clear skies, and here are the best of the resulting shots:

These were taken with the Peleng 8mm fisheye, f/3.5, ISO 200, exposures of 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

Message edited by author 2005-05-15 04:33:58.

05/15/2005 04:56:33 AM · #20

Same here Fritz. I woke at 3 to check and got the cam and tripod right out. I'm importing my shots now (while I should be getting back to bed!).

Originally posted by kirbic:

Well what do you know! I got an hour's worth of clear skies, and here are the best of the resulting shots:

These were taken with the Peleng 8mm fisheye, f/3.5, ISO 200, exposures of 1-2 minutes. Enjoy!

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

05/15/2005 05:53:17 AM · #21

Here are a few of my quickly processed aurora shots from tonight, Madison, WI, approx 3:30 am:

bod

05/15/2005 06:31:12 AM · #22

Awesome. The fisheye gives a very nice twist to the usual aurora shot and a great sense of scale.

This one ...

... is beautiful in it's simplicity. My fav so far.

Imagineer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

05/15/2005 07:00:33 AM · #23

Apparently there's a good chance of seeing something in North of England - Yorkshire or thereabouts. You lucky people who see this thing. Great shots here.