Henry Rifle Forums

Just wondering how many of our far north dwelling members see the Aroura Borealis and how often? If so, do you have any pics? RR, redthighs, NCG, Coop etc.? A few more possibly...Mags, Hatch, brm and I'm sure I'm missing some..maybe 220 sees the southern lights down there?
I find it to be amazing and beautiful.

Sometimes, but we're actually too close to the metro areas with all their lights.
When I was a kid here they would get so bright it was almost like a full moon every night.

Saw them once in the past 30 yrs this far south. 45.5' North.

We get them once in a while. Sorry no pics to share. They are cool.

RanchRoper wrote: ↑

Sun Jan 29, 2023 9:39 pm

We get them once in a while. Sorry no pics to share. They are cool.

Thanks RR. I was thinking you might be the most likely to see them.

We get them fairly often, but very rarely a big display. Mostly just some glimmering and much of the time you have to know what to look for, very subtle. We use a site that tells us when to expect the lights in our area at https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/auro ... e-forecast

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:51 am

We get them fairly often, but very rarely a big display. Mostly just some glimmering and much of the time you have to know what to look for, very subtle. We use a site that tells us when to expect the lights in our area at https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/auro ... e-forecast

Thank You for the link. Those are very interesting charts. If my memory serves me correctly, I think I have seen, as you say, subtle visible traces of the lights, maybe once or twice, when we used to vacation up in northern Michigan. It is truly, as the link states, an amazing display of " Space Weather ".

North Country Gal wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 10:51 am

We get them fairly often, but very rarely a big display. Mostly just some glimmering and much of the time you have to know what to look for, very subtle. We use a site that tells us when to expect the lights in our area at https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/auro ... e-forecast

Thanks for posting the link. I’m told I can see them if I climb the tower on Timms Hill. One summer I was climbing Mount Baker and could see hundreds of miles into Canada. It was a very active night and it was quite the display.

Tim's Hill would be an awesome place to observe, not just for the northern lights, but also stars on a dark, clear night.

We see them faintly from time to time and when a good sighting is forecast the local news will let us know. Seems like it’s always in the middle of the night and I’m too lazy to take a look. Many years ago we were moored at the south end of Lake Coeur d’alene in Idaho and we caught a real intense bright showing. It was fantastic!

I've only seen them from the front window of an airplane. We were flying the northern route across the pond at night. They are impressive.

clovishound wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:22 pm

I've only seen them from the front window of an airplane. We were flying the northern route across the pond at night. They are impressive.

My previous job had me flying a lot, but I was never lucky enough to see them from the air. I did fly several red eyes too.

Hatchdog wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:58 pm

We see them faintly from time to time and when a good sighting is forecast the local news will let us know. Seems like it’s always in the middle of the night and I’m too lazy to take a look. Many years ago we were moored at the south end of Lake Coeur d’alene in Idaho and we caught a real intense bright showing. It was fantastic!

Wow, sounds great. Especially from the water. Must have been a wide-open sky from that vantage point.

markiver54 wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 4:45 pm

Hatchdog wrote: ↑

Mon Jan 30, 2023 3:58 pm

We see them faintly from time to time and when a good sighting is forecast the local news will let us know. Seems like it’s always in the middle of the night and I’m too lazy to take a look. Many years ago we were moored at the south end of Lake Coeur d’alene in Idaho and we caught a real intense bright showing. It was fantastic!

Wow, sounds great. Especially from the water. Must have been a wide-open sky from that vantage point.

It was and it was also very dark. The green shimmer was really wide and deep. Feel fortunate to have seen it that way.

I’ve seen them only once. I’m at 49*N so not terribly far north. They are amazing to see. Hatch, if you get the forecast again, let me know? I try not to watch the “news” very often. There is seldom anything of value.

Redthies wrote: ↑

Wed Feb 01, 2023 1:55 am

I’ve seen them only once. I’m at 49*N so not terribly far north. They are amazing to see. Hatch, if you get the forecast again, let me know? I try not to watch the “news” very often. There is seldom anything of value.

Will do! It’s usually in the summer.

Going to check after reading the chances of seeing them are high tonight. Back in the mid 70s in Minneapolis I was driving home after closing our family bar I was amazed at the display. The entire sky was bright green and in motion, highly visible even in the city. Called my Dad when I got home (3am so he was grumpy) and he was as taken with the scene as I was.
I don't expect anything but some flickering in the north but it is worth checking out. If you don't look you might miss something extraordinary.

Thanks for the heads up Ernie. Just wish we could see it from down here...enjoy!

Total overcast then rain so no chance.

When I worked midnights, I saw them occasionally. A very cool phenomenon.