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12/14/2006 07:47:59 PM · #1 |
| 6:50 pm local time in Wisconsin. Display in the north is pretty powerful, flaring up occasionally with some pretty good streamers. Me and smartypants have been shooting for about 20 min. |
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12/14/2006 07:58:11 PM · #2 |
Bad clouds here, I've been pining for good NL too. Dang CME's have horrid timing. :(
SkyNews Aurora Watch, for those interested. Shows real-time where you can / should be able to see aurora in the northern hemisphere |
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12/14/2006 08:05:16 PM · #3 |
| Haha, I was just outside having a smoke and did a double-take when I looked up and saw it. About 50 miles north of Chicago and it is very obvious. |
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12/14/2006 08:05:47 PM · #4 |
I'll post some shots in awhile, unless smartypants decides to submit something for "sky." If we're getting this here at 43deg north, I shudder to think what our far north brethren are seeing tonight. Display here is good, but not great.
Kirbic, are you watching?? |
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12/14/2006 08:11:00 PM · #5 |
D'oh, the Fairbanks forecast says they should be visible on the horizon down to Salem, Or. BUT we are having a huge storm move in tonight. There's no way we're going to get clear skies. :(
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12/14/2006 08:15:58 PM · #6 |
Straight from the camera. Love that Tok 12-24:
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12/14/2006 08:22:14 PM · #7 |
we just got back from a ride out in the boonies. The lights were very strong. I took about a dozen or more shots. Still in the camera though.
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12/14/2006 08:34:39 PM · #8 |
| anyone has seen anything around the east coast, central ny?? .. its clear sky but cold, don't know if I should go out? |
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12/14/2006 08:45:11 PM · #9 |
| i've been taking shots just north of pittsburgh, pa. they're not extremely bright and it's somewhat cloudy, but you can definatly see some if you watch. |
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12/14/2006 08:55:15 PM · #10 |
| It's been quiet here now for over 45 minutes. We may be done. Of course, it could flare up again at any time. It's a work night though, doubt that I'll stay up. I'll keep checking until I hit the sack though. |
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12/14/2006 11:50:26 PM · #11 |
Here's one of the ones I shot earlier. I heard that after midnight, they usually get brighter? I'm not sure. This is the first time I've ever seen them. Anyone know anything?
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12/14/2006 11:59:24 PM · #12 |
POES still sez activity is high. Clear again, after overcast shut down the first show for me. Don't know if we'll get more action tonight or not, looks like overcast may move back in.
Earlier, around 7:15, it was so strong that it was easily visible while driving in the city. |
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12/15/2006 12:07:14 AM · #13 |
| Brighter now than earlier. For a while it had disappeared. |
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12/15/2006 12:09:06 AM · #14 |
its back? cool. long as it is still not too cold im going back out there to get some more photos.
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12/15/2006 12:12:04 AM · #15 |
Nothing happening here at the moment. at least nothing that can be seen without driving out of town. Too late in the evening for that..
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12/15/2006 12:14:33 AM · #16 |
Aurora tend to be brightest at midnight. Think of the aurora as a cap on a head (this analogy is far from accurate). The solar winds always blow straight out from the sun and blow the cap toward the part of the globe (head) that is facing away from the sun (midnight, naturally).
Of course fluctuations in the strength of the activity can change this and make it actually brightest before or after, but odds are the best viewing will usually be around midnight.
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12/15/2006 02:13:27 AM · #17 |
Likely reason for the Aurora show tonight:
NOAA TRACKING SPACE WEATHER EVENT
//www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2758.htm
Although i'm now a Seattlite... i spent ~30 yrs in upper midwest Canada where we were treated to a show at least weekly. Definitely miss the fantastic Floyd-like laser quality exhibits up there!
btw: they were ALWAYS strongest at 2 or 3AM (i don't sleep much, so i always stayed up for the show) :o)
Unfortunately, like the Doc... we're mired in one helluva storm tonight. 60MPH gusts at the moment - worst we've seen in years.
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12/15/2006 03:02:31 AM · #18 |
| GRRRRRRRR.....dumb dumb dumb...just call me dumb. I drove 45 minutes north to get to where the clouds were not interfering with the northern lights. Got the camera set up on the tripod, had all my settings ready to shoot...but forgot the damn CF card. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR. I had taken it out to shoot pics of my new kitten, then forgot to put it back in the camera. So here I am out in the middle of nowhere, freezing my arse off, and not even getting the shot I was hoping to get. I had the perfect spot too...a cute little house in the foreground with Christmas lights, and mountains in the background. dumb, dumb, dumb me |
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12/15/2006 03:33:31 AM · #19 |
Pug, Pug, Pug... that could not suck more. :o\
You don't carry spares in your bag ???
Hey - look on the bright side - you went for a nice drive & saw some cool stuff. Beats the heck outa sitting on the couch watching Survivor ;o) |
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12/15/2006 03:48:02 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by roba:
Pug, Pug, Pug... that could not suck more. :o\
You don't carry spares in your bag ???
Hey - look on the bright side - you went for a nice drive & saw some cool stuff. Beats the heck outa sitting on the couch watching Survivor ;o) |
WHOO HOO...the clouds broke and I was able to redeem myself. Here's a shot I just took of the aurora over my own house. Shame I dont have mine all christmasy
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12/15/2006 05:53:39 AM · #21 |
awesome shot! see... it all worked out in the end. if you HAD taken your CF with you... you'd likely have still been up North, and missed this shot !! :o)
btw: we've been without power for 3 hours now. Thank God for cell-phones with Web access ! |
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12/15/2006 07:17:50 AM · #22 |
I have never heard of an Aurora, can anyone explain in Sesame street language what exactly it is. It looks beautiful!!
we don't have that over here :( |
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12/15/2006 07:38:17 AM · #23 |
Originally posted by Puckzzz:
I have never heard of an Aurora, can anyone explain in Sesame street language what exactly it is. It looks beautiful!!
we don't have that over here :( |
Basically, streams of high energy particles from the sun (solar wind jacked up by a solar flare type explosion) that collide with the earth. The particles are mostly deflected away from earth due to the strong magnetic field that surrounds our planet, but some of the particles are pulled in at the magnetic poles, north and south. When they enter our atmosphere, the interact with molecules of oxygen, nitrogen, etc., and fluoresce. The displays are usually restricted to near-polar latitudes, but when the sun-stream is stronger, the effects reach lower latitudes. |
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12/15/2006 08:09:13 AM · #24 |
Just a beautiful scene near IThaca, NY .. .had a fun time taking pictures, met another DPCer ..
Edit to add : Not really midwest but didn't see another Aurora thread to post the pictures :)
Message edited by author 2006-12-15 08:10:18.
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12/15/2006 08:28:27 AM · #25 |
Originally posted by strangeghost:
Originally posted by Puckzzz:
I have never heard of an Aurora, can anyone explain in Sesame street language what exactly it is. It looks beautiful!!
we don't have that over here :( |
Basically, streams of high energy particles from the sun (solar wind jacked up by a solar flare type explosion) that collide with the earth. The particles are mostly deflected away from earth due to the strong magnetic field that surrounds our planet, but some of the particles are pulled in at the magnetic poles, north and south. When they enter our atmosphere, the interact with molecules of oxygen, nitrogen, etc., and fluoresce. The displays are usually restricted to near-polar latitudes, but when the sun-stream is stronger, the effects reach lower latitudes. |
Thnx! So it's nothing like the Northern light or is there some similarity? |
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