Northern Lights

[porshiepoo]

Can anyone tell me when to expect the northern lights?
We've been for so long now and haven't managed to see them once. Is there a website or anything that tells you when to expect them?
Cheers!

[Doleve]

The nothern lights (or the name i am not going to atempt to spell!!)usually happen on clear nights(possibly in spring or autumn?).I think its caused by the moon reflecting the suns light when in a certain position,the further north you are the clearer they are. Anyone know about astrology to explain properly? BTW thats what i was told as a child!

[kas]

Tugmistress normally puts a warning up on this forum.

[porshiepoo]

[quote="Doleve"]The nothern lights (or the name i am not going to atempt to spell!!)

Aurora Borealis?
Thanks for that, we live in Lybster so hopefully we'll get a decent view, I'll just keep a check on this sight for any warnings.
thanks again

[Tugmistress]

I subscribe to NASA space weather and they email out 'amber' & 'red' alerts of when the sun activity is right and we are liable to see them. WIll post as and when i get alerts :D

[Doolally]

Try http://www.spaceweather.com/ it's a good site and is constantly updated with the suns activity which causes the aurora. Maybe even one this weekend yet!

[Geo]

I'm no expert but looked nito it a bit when I moved to Caithness. There have been some fantastic displays and you never get tired of seeing them. Late autum onwards into the winter seems to be the best time on cold, still, clear nights. It can be quite early in the evening too.

They are caused by solar activity such as sun spots. These are violent explosions on the surface of the sun. Sun spots and other solar activity radiate streams of particles into space and into the Earth’s ionosphere. These particles collide with air molecules in our ionosphere and get deflected and drawn to the Earth’s magnetic poles, (not unlike iron filings being drawn to a magnet). When the particles collide with air molecules they change their electric charge and glow, causing the aurorae borealis in the north and the aurorae australis in the south. The most common colour is green but you occasionally get greena nd red which is really special. Sun spot activity builds over an 11 year cycle so at its peak you will see more displays but you will still get to seem them most years.

There are some pictures on my website at the website below, (the one that says caithness in it). Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the small pictures to see a bigger version.

[Rheghead]

I have already seen a display of the northern lights a couple of weeks ago.

[badger]

Gee thanks Rheghead - you're nearly as bad as my family and neighbours who always tell me the day after I've missed it! "Did you see that wonderful display last night?" they say. "No good telliing me now - why didn't you phone me?" I reply. How is it they always happen to be looking out and I'm not? Living in hope.

[Geo]

You should mention to friends and family that if they see a display to phone you. We often get to see them because someone has phoned to let us know.

[Rheghead]

Gee thanks Rheghead - you're nearly as bad as my family and neighbours who always tell me the day after I've missed it! "Did you see that wonderful display last night?" they say. "No good telliing me now - why didn't you phone me?" I reply. How is it they always happen to be looking out and I'm not? Living in hope.

I take my dog out for a walk late every night so I get to see it quite often. So much so that I have renamed the Northern lights to the Aumorotha Boringalis. :lol:

sorry...

[fred]

Thanks for that, we live in Lybster so hopefully we'll get a decent view, I'll just keep a check on this sight for any warnings.
thanks again

Best to get away from the Lybster street lighting if you want a good view.

[marion]

Thanks for that, we live in Lybster so hopefully we'll get a decent view, I'll just keep a check on this sight for any warnings.
thanks again

Best to get away from the Lybster street lighting if you want a good view.

Very interesting posts here. I remember seeing Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights while in Northern Alaska. It was quite a brilliant specticle. I saw some interesting web sites on this phenomenom in the earlier postings. Hope all of you get to see this marvelous display.

[Mr P Cannop]

if you see the Northern Lights lets us all know about it please ?? also at any time at night

[porshiepoo]

Best to get away from the Lybster street lighting if you want a good view.[/quote]

Well we live just outside the village down a very long track with no lighting around - hopefully that should take of it.

I'm definately gonna keep a check on this sight though as it's something I really wanna see. As soon as i do I'll try to get to the puter and let people know, hopefully everyone else could do the same.
Maybe bill could put a bit on his front page when they're see or likely to be seen.