northern lights

rdln · Nov 6, 2001

Was outside last night using my new laser level for marking
drain tile depths turned around to see the most awesome aurora
I have ever seen live. Between 8:30 and 9:30 Michigan time.
Other times I have only seen part of the white halo, but last
night I caught a large red/pink curtain to the NW and smaller
green curtains due North. Did anybody else see this or has anybody
tried to photograph or videotape the northern lights?

Bill_in_MI · Nov 6, 2001

Missed it. I'll try to look tonight. Went to school in the upper peninsula. Saw the most spectacular displays of my life up there. They were almost scarry.

Gatorboy · Nov 6, 2001

I did not see it, but I heard on the radio this morning that last night you could see the Northern Lights here in Maryland. They also said that you should be able to see them again tonight!

Regards,
Dave "Gatorboy" Hoffmann
Fallston, Maryland

Devildog · Nov 6, 2001

Did not see them last night but when we where stationed in alaska we use to see them (awesome site)
___________________________________________________
Take care all, Jim

2001 B7500 HST 302 Fel R4 Tires, Befco BRB60
Semper Fidelis

TerryinMD · Nov 6, 2001

Gatorboy,

This is too cool!!

I happened to be out around 8:30 or so and did not see them. Of course, I did not happen to look into the norther skies.

However, I plan on looking out there tonight.

Thank you for the information.

Terry

ShantyBranch · Nov 6, 2001

We even notice the redish glow here in Bama - here is an explaination from our local weather gurus :
A rare display of the northern lights was observed across the Tennessee Valley on Monday night. The red glow across the sky was most noticeable in rural areas away from city lights. Many observers saw brilliant green and especially red glows across the sky. The show diminished as light from the rising moon obscured the view by 9 PM. A similar display was observed across a wide area of the Eastern Seaboard in the mid 1980's.
The rare view of the Aurora Borealis was caused by a powerful solar flare on the sun that was observed on Sunday. There is a chance that the lights will be seen again Tuesday evening if the magnetic storm above the earth continues.

MossRoad · Nov 6, 2001

I live in Northern Indiana and saw them about 9:30 local time. I live in a well lit area and could still see them. I've only seen them once when I was a little kid and again about 10-12 years ago. I woke up the wife and older kid and went out and just watched them for about 20 minutes. Greenish white curtains from straight overhead down to the whole northern horizon. Big red curtains in the north west and north east. They started pulsing for a while overhead. On for 15-20 seconds, then off for the same. I went to be around 10:00 and got up around 2:00 and they were back, only the reds were very dim. Beautiful.

 MossRoad

RAllen · Nov 6, 2001

Here in northern Montana the display was awsome. Never seen the the red shades before. I am wondering if the red came from the rising moon similiar to the sky reds during dusk or dawn. Anyone have an idea?

Rick

patrickg · Nov 6, 2001

Takes a really really sensitive video camera to do any good. ASA 1500 or faster 35MM color slide film will do so so the problem being the image is often "moving" so slow shutter speeds blend the scene as if in an osterizer. Need fast film and not too slow of a shutter (wide open or nearly so apertures, of course). Use wide angle NOT telephoto settings.

Best I ever witnessed were in North Dakota. Looked like a Dutch Boy paint ad. Like looking up into a transparent hemisphere with someone above pouring transparent pastel paint on it which runs down over it.

Patrick

bpence · Nov 6, 2001

I happened to be closing the barn up about 10:00 last night and was treated to the great Northern Lights show you're talking about. In SE Michigan, the lights went from pure white, blue, green, and red. I went and dragged my wife and kids out to see the show. An awesome display for this far south. Lights like that are usually reserved for da folks in da UP.

Bob Pence

TerryinMD · Nov 6, 2001

You guys are killin' me! /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

I have never witnessed the Northern Lights and now with this post, IT IS A MUST!!

I hope that they come back tonight. Keep my fingers crossed.

Terry

Mentioned this to one of my coworkers and got this blank stare. "What's that???" "Northern lights???". I feel sorry for her.

Edited by TerryinMD on 11/06/01 02:06 PM (server time).

MossRoad · Nov 6, 2001

Found this for you shutterbugs.
Photo Tutorial For Northern Lights

 MossRoad

rdln · Nov 6, 2001

Eh!/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

RPM · Nov 6, 2001

I tried to see them tonight - SE PA - and only got a dim reddish glow on the northern horizon with a few possible green twinkly things. I'll try again later - these things come and go.

A great link for early warning on when to expect to look outside is:

SpaceWeather.com

There is a probe somewhere between the earth and the sun that detects the shock-wave from solar flares as they travel our way. These usually result in auroras. You can also sign up for email alerts.

Seems to me that the email alert for an aurora at low latitudes is almost always a good forecast for cloudy weather for me though /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

Patrick

ERNIEB · Nov 7, 2001

Just came in from sitting outside. No Aurora Borealis here. But a very clear night. Billions and billions of stars. You know what they say.
The stars at night are big and bright
clap clap clap clap
deep in the heart of Texas.

Ernie

Knight9 · Nov 7, 2001

Here in Northern Alberta we get some spectacular Northern Lights. On a cold clear night you can actually hear them pop and crackle as they move. It truly is an amazing thing to see.

Kevin

TerryinMD · Nov 7, 2001

Checked our skies out between 8:30 and 10:00. Nada! /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Maybe next time.

Terry

Harv · Nov 7, 2001

I feel ripped off. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

The only northern lights I get to see here in the S.F. Bay Area is when the local refinery catches fire. /w3tcompact/icons/blush.gif Unfortunately, that happens all too often. /w3tcompact/icons/tongue.gif

MossRoad · Nov 7, 2001

Man, that spaceweather.com really has some nice pictures posted by lots of people. Check it out in the gallery.
spaceweather.com gallery from tuesday

 MossRoad