I used to work in NW Ontario (about a 2 week canoe paddle to James Bay - and I have been there, amongst other places, by canoe). We saw some pretty spectacular ones there both summer and winter. One night we were doing an all night paddle (headed north up Lake Nipigon) with the students (while rafted up for safety) and our way was lit by the green version of that, over most of the sky, all night. It was pretty amazing to canoe and watch it change and dance around for hours. No photos as that was pre-cell phone and my camera was packed away in the waterproof bag for safety.
@Kidsandliz Sounds like a great journey. When I was North of the arctic circle it was getting to be Summer. No hope, really, of seeing “Northern Lights,” Because memory of seeing a Sunset that doesn’t really set (almost, but not).
@pmarin When I was there in the summer the sun set about midnight and rose about 4am. In the winter it set about 3pm and rose about 10am. I much preferred more light than dark, given a choice. Of course you saw more northern lights in the winter because of that and usually being in bed prior to midnight.
@heartny@kittykat9180 yes we saw it in NC (with the camera) until i turned on the camera i was wondering what’s all the hype about the aurora borealis?
First was during the G5 storm last May, second was during the G4 storm last October. Both in the US south.
I highly recommend keeping an eye on the solar activity forecast; I think we’re past the absolute peak but still not far off from the most intense period of this solar cycle (~11 years).
Exactly a year ago today! When the solar flares made it visible all the way down here in CO. Like @heartny, I could only see it through my cell phone camera.
Poll question is not well-defined.
You mean “seen it in person” as opposed to “only seen pictures of it” as opposed to “never laid eyes on it in any form including any form of storage and/or data retrieval”?
Yes, last September while stopping for a night at a camp ground in Glendive, MT.
I was sitting on the tailgate of the truck talking to a friend and a looked past him into the sky to see it as it started. It lasted about 6 minutes and we watched it move across the sky.
Absolutely amazing to see.
A few times when we lived up in Minnesota. They were spectacular. We could see some of them down here last year during the solar flares. And yes, they were more spectacular viewed through the camera on your phone.
With some of the cheap Iceland trips being offered that is definitely our bucket list…
I saw aurora borealis on March 5, 1989 in the Boston area. This was during the peak of a sunspot cycle which, I think, was one of the highest peaks ever seen until then. The solar flare on that date, possibly the strongest one ever recorded, had wide ranging effects including a blackout in Quebec, disruption to radio communications, loss of control of some satellites, and disruption to some systems on board the space shuttle. The aurora could be seen as far south as US southern states. I didn’t get any photos, unfortunately, and after seeing so many photos of auroras over the years, I can’t remember just what the March 5th one looked like. Stupid me decided to sleep instead of getting up for the aurora in the Boston area last fall.
@pmarin Been there, done that. (the flight, not seeing the aurora) Both were business trips and the company paid for a business class seat. I start getting restless closing in on the six-hour mark and I have a hard time sleeping on planes, so those Australia flights were quite grueling for me. Worth it, though, to see such a beautiful country and meet such nice people. I’d like to go to New Zealand next, but I can’t imagine the long flight in economy class and I can’t imagine paying the price for a busines-class ticket. Oh well. Maybe some day… if I win the lottery.
This past December I checked seeing the aurora borealis off my bucket list. I flew out to Alaska with a friend we were lucky to have seen it 3 times during our trip.
It was absolutely beautiful and surreal. The first night my mind couldn’t make sense of it so the phone did the work. It just looked like there was a light shining from behind the clouds. The next night I could understand what I was seeing and even perceive a bit of the green.
@lordbowen One night North of the Artic Circle, I went to sleep in our camper, woke up the next morning and my wife was still reading a book. I asked if it ever got dark or if she needed a light, and no, the Sun was still there just low on the horizon. Alaska, some of the greatest places I’ve ever seen. But no Northern lights that time of year.
Not an easy trip if you are driving and if you are not up for adventure. I was 1/2 my age so more adventurous, but would do it again in the right vehicle.
@pmarin It sounds a bit like a strong electrical hum. If you’ve ever stood under a big power line, it’s like that. Humming, an occasional sizzle, and definitely an electrical charge feeling in the air. Can get very intense depending on conditions.
@ironcheftoni
SWMBO and I keep looking at package trips to Iceland which are incredibly reasonable and include Northern lights viewing as one of the expeditions.
Only on TV. Have you heard them?
@yakkoTDI
Not sure the Aurora Borealis makes any discernible noise…
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@chienfou @yakkoTDI i have heard it crackles
@catthegreat @chienfou
@catthegreat @chienfou @yakkoTDI Fascinating! Don’t yoik the northern lights!
A—Aurora Borealis? At this time of year! At this time of day. In this part of the country! Localized entirely within your kitchen?!?
@thismyusername
@narfcake @thismyusername How on earth did you manage to find this clip?
@Kidsandliz @thismyusername
Search.
That said, I should have just skipped a step and do this:
/youtube Simpsons aurora borealis
@Kidsandliz @narfcake @thismyusername
/youtube Monty Python you’re no fun anymore
It’s on my Bucket list to see the live.
I used to work in NW Ontario (about a 2 week canoe paddle to James Bay - and I have been there, amongst other places, by canoe). We saw some pretty spectacular ones there both summer and winter. One night we were doing an all night paddle (headed north up Lake Nipigon) with the students (while rafted up for safety) and our way was lit by the green version of that, over most of the sky, all night. It was pretty amazing to canoe and watch it change and dance around for hours. No photos as that was pre-cell phone and my camera was packed away in the waterproof bag for safety.
@Kidsandliz Sounds like a great journey. When I was North of the arctic circle it was getting to be Summer. No hope, really, of seeing “Northern Lights,” Because memory of seeing a Sunset that doesn’t really set (almost, but not).
@pmarin When I was there in the summer the sun set about midnight and rose about 4am. In the winter it set about 3pm and rose about 10am. I much preferred more light than dark, given a choice. Of course you saw more northern lights in the winter because of that and usually being in bed prior to midnight.
Mostly my phone’s camera saw it and shared lovely photos with me last October. This is from Port Jefferson Harbor, NY.
@heartny oddly, Aurora Borealis is picked up better in a phone camera than the human eye.
@heartny @kittykat9180 yes we saw it in NC (with the camera) until i turned on the camera i was wondering what’s all the hype about the aurora borealis?
First was during the G5 storm last May, second was during the G4 storm last October. Both in the US south.
I highly recommend keeping an eye on the solar activity forecast; I think we’re past the absolute peak but still not far off from the most intense period of this solar cycle (~11 years).
Exactly a year ago today! When the solar flares made it visible all the way down here in CO. Like @heartny, I could only see it
through my cell phone camera.
@Kyeh where in colorado? i’m in parker!
@Kyeh same here
Poll question is not well-defined.
You mean “seen it in person” as opposed to “only seen pictures of it” as opposed to “never laid eyes on it in any form including any form of storage and/or data retrieval”?
@phendrick
Guess you’ll have to read between the lines.
I wish. Came close recently but cloudy…probably only chance I’d ever have to see them in Florida. (Freak weather)
@PooltoyWolf Isn’t it always freak weather when you’re in it?
Yes, last September while stopping for a night at a camp ground in Glendive, MT.
I was sitting on the tailgate of the truck talking to a friend and a looked past him into the sky to see it as it started. It lasted about 6 minutes and we watched it move across the sky.
Absolutely amazing to see.
A few times when we lived up in Minnesota. They were spectacular. We could see some of them down here last year during the solar flares. And yes, they were more spectacular viewed through the camera on your phone.
With some of the cheap Iceland trips being offered that is definitely our bucket list…
I saw aurora borealis on March 5, 1989 in the Boston area. This was during the peak of a sunspot cycle which, I think, was one of the highest peaks ever seen until then. The solar flare on that date, possibly the strongest one ever recorded, had wide ranging effects including a blackout in Quebec, disruption to radio communications, loss of control of some satellites, and disruption to some systems on board the space shuttle. The aurora could be seen as far south as US southern states. I didn’t get any photos, unfortunately, and after seeing so many photos of auroras over the years, I can’t remember just what the March 5th one looked like. Stupid me decided to sleep instead of getting up for the aurora in the Boston area last fall.
I saw it during that last big solar flare all the way from NorCal. Cool stuff.
Has anyone seen the aurora australias?
@manual No. Good plan though. Just got to deal with the 20+ hour flight.
@pmarin Been there, done that. (the flight, not seeing the aurora) Both were business trips and the company paid for a business class seat. I start getting restless closing in on the six-hour mark and I have a hard time sleeping on planes, so those Australia flights were quite grueling for me. Worth it, though, to see such a beautiful country and meet such nice people. I’d like to go to New Zealand next, but I can’t imagine the long flight in economy class and I can’t imagine paying the price for a busines-class ticket. Oh well. Maybe some day… if I win the lottery.
Last year, may 10th Michigan. Outside Detroit area
@Star2236 That looks almost like a spirit figure!
This past December I checked seeing the aurora borealis off my bucket list. I flew out to Alaska with a friend we were lucky to have seen it 3 times during our trip.
It was absolutely beautiful and surreal. The first night my mind couldn’t make sense of it so the phone did the work. It just looked like there was a light shining from behind the clouds. The next night I could understand what I was seeing and even perceive a bit of the green.
“Some hotels in Iceland offer an aurora wake-up call service. When the northern lights appear in the night sky, they’ll wake you to make sure don’t miss a once-in-a-lifetime viewing experience”
https://www.wired.com/story/northern-lights-wake-up-call-iceland-hotels/
Saw and heard it multiple times while living in Alaska. Different every time and always totally mesmerizing.
@lordbowen Lucky you… you say “heard it” – what is that like? I never experienced because I was there in Summer (late May).
@lordbowen One night North of the Artic Circle, I went to sleep in our camper, woke up the next morning and my wife was still reading a book. I asked if it ever got dark or if she needed a light, and no, the Sun was still there just low on the horizon. Alaska, some of the greatest places I’ve ever seen. But no Northern lights that time of year.
Not an easy trip if you are driving and if you are not up for adventure. I was 1/2 my age so more adventurous, but would do it again in the right vehicle.
@pmarin It sounds a bit like a strong electrical hum. If you’ve ever stood under a big power line, it’s like that. Humming, an occasional sizzle, and definitely an electrical charge feeling in the air. Can get very intense depending on conditions.
Not yet. But I will one day.
@milstarr Well if you do not see them this month you know who to blame.
I hope to next year. I have a cruise to Iceland booked for September
@ironcheftoni
SWMBO and I keep looking at package trips to Iceland which are incredibly reasonable and include Northern lights viewing as one of the expeditions.