Aurora Borealis
 

Anybody seen the Northern Lights in real life? Where did you go to witness the event? I heard Fairbanks, Alaska is a good place either in March or late September/early October.

Any suggestions and experiences welcomed.

I have seen teh Aurora Borealis on a DL LAX-ANC flight, about 10 PM ADT. It was incredible and kept coming in and out. The FA's didn't believe me until one sat down next to me and watched them. I was the only person in first class on that flight (a 757). It was an awesome flight about 6 six years ago. I wish I could do it again.

I have seen them frequently on the left side of the aircraft SFO/Europe in the winter. In alaska, I haven't been so lucky, although right after takeoff, Ive seen them a few times. Last year, there was a huge display on the ground (ANC). It was very cloudy, but they were illuminating the clouds quite brightly. There's an aurora forecast webpage for Alaska.
http://dac3.pfrr.alaska.edu/~pfrr/AURORA/INDEX.HTM

Saw them on a visit Quebec City a few years ago... I'd always heard of them, but never seen them...

Totally amazing!

KevinB

I've seen the Aurora several times in the Seattle area. I would think that it could be seen on occasion in New York.

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Years ago as a child in Michigan, we observed them all the time in the winter. Has the phenomenon decreased? I thought it was easy to see from all over the northern sections of the States.

The higher the latitude (North or South) the better chances of seeing the Arora. Once I saw the Arora Borealis while camping in the Grand Canyon, about 36 degrees North latitude, a very unusual event.

In the old days when Royal Viking Line was still around, and my husband sailed on one of the ships, there used to be a very popular cruise where the ship would sail up to the North Cape of Norway and see the Aurora Borealis. Ever since he told me about that I have been longing to see it. Maybe one day...

11 years ago I saw them when I was in college in Maine. The northern part of the sky was red and green and blue and undulating. Very cool. Earlier this winter, I saw them again on a night flight (obviously) from Hartford to Chicago. The pilot told us that those of us on the right side of the plane might be able to see them. After holding my head to the window for a minute or two, shielding the cabin light out and letting my eyes adjust to the dark, I could see the Northern Lights faintly. I believe that the Northern Lights wax and wain in intensity in 11 year cycles -- something to do with the sun. So this year (or maybe last year or next year) likely is the high point of this cycle. See them now or wait a decade.

seawolf,
The prime consideration is weather. Is it cloudy or not. When we get clear nights up here (in the winter clear nights mean cold temps too) there is usually a pretty good chance to see them. Fairbanks has a lot more clear nights than we do in Juneau plus Fairbanks is within the prime auroral activity area. Therefore you will consistently see the lights more often there. As for an 11 year cycle can't say that I've ever heard that or that it corresponds to my experience of here. I have heard that roughly every 10 years or so there seems to be a period of high auroral activity that is visible in lower latitudes.
Less opportunity to see the lights in the summer especially in Fairbanks as there is less night and that night isn't particularly dark. I have seen the lights in the summer in Juneau every few years. Again the big determining factor is a clear night.
jerry

You know what, I might have been getting the 11 year cycle confused with the sun's sunspot cycle. I'm know the sun has an 11 year cycle relating to something. Whether it's sun spots or the radiation of higher levels of something or other (ions or something) that interact with the earth's Van Allen Belt, I'm not sure. Or maybe sunspots are related to aurora borealis activity. I'm not sure. But I do know that I saw them 11 years ago and this year -- both in very southerly locations -- Maine and northern N.Y.

With a little poking around, you can find the website of an outfitter in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada, who specializes in personal snowmobile tours to glimpse the Northern Lights.

Supposedly you want to await news of a solar flare. It takes 24-48 hrs to reach the earth (and hence increases chances of an aurora).

Check this for forecasts: http://www.sel.noaa.gov/SWN/

[This message has been edited by terenz (edited 03-11-2001).]

For the last 3 years (thats how long we have lived here) we have seen the Lights on some clear summer nights right here in Winnipeg. The ones I have seen have all been green undulating light in the sky.

Stewart