CharlesW

Up here near Aberdeen the Northern Lights are putting on a big show tonight.
They have been on the go for the past hour. The whole sky is lit up from right overhead to the northern horizon.

yoza

Enjoy.

Northern Lights always brightens up my evening...

Buzzer

Can you photograph it?

If so, i'd like to see some pics if you can?

Edcase

*chuckle*

yoza

http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/sowhatsit...ges/t_fig6.jpg

So called 'Northern Lights' because its grown in "peoples" lofts in the North using artificial UV lights......

Buzzer

FPMSL

J4CKO

iTrader: (1)

Yes a photograph please, I have never seen the Aurora and want to see it in person so to speak at some point, was meant to be going to Lapland but it doesnt look like its going to happen.

Simon C

Second the pic request. I've only seen it once. Now I live just north of london, and with the amount of lights round here I've got no chance.

davegtt

What exactly am I looking for? I always thought the lights were say 5 or 6 dancing around actually moving as if they looked like UFO's? just had a nosey out the bedroom window looking for something and there is a very clear night and shed loads of stars as such, all seem to be static but flashing from silver to red etc, dunno if its just my eyes, gonna get the misses to have a look and double check, take it they just stars but they all seem to be glittering abnormally if you will

mart360

I live on the south coast

crystal clear skies at the mo,

unfortunatly nothing visible though

shame

mart

hedgehog

it looks like the worst (best) of the storm has abated.

The lights often look like a subtle veil of coloured light, or even like a white shaft of light reaching across the sky, almost like city lights reflecting off a cloud.

The stars changing colour is quite normal and is caused by our atmosphere, though it can be a very nice effect. It is particularily marked in stars that are bright and close to the horizon. It is not, however, a function of the northern lights.

Some parts of the extreme north may still be having a display but at present, unless it picks up again, it looks like it is over for the night, and perhaps until 2010 or after. The interplanetary magnetic field has just tilted north so that is likely to put an end to all hopes of more lights this evening.

stevem2k

mmmm No3 on the google image search....

CharlesW

Here are some pictures from the last few days.

http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/g...ov04_page3.htm

harvey

iTrader: (48)

There are some of these weeds out of control in my garden.

mj

right on the money *apparently* it's one of the easiest varieties to grow.

hedgehog

For those interested in the real stuff in the sky caused by secret bad rays from the sun...

There was another moment of high excitement on the sun early this morning which might arrive with us tonight, though more likely it will arrive during the day on Thursday. Anyhow, if it is high energy it might make it tonight so worth keeping a watch if you are interested.

Geezer

This will give you an up to date coverage of the Aurora. At present, the UK is still covered aurora coverage

Geezer

TonyG

Had a look last night (from Nottingham). Was a lovely clear night, spoilt only by the 500W 'security' light on the neighbour to my right, and the 2x200W lights on the neighbour to my left. Could just about pick up the ten or so brightest visible stars through all this annoying dazzle/glare
I am thinking of buying an air gun for nights such as these...

Power Junkie

iTrader: (1)

Is it likely to happen again tonight? it would be worth a drive out of town??

Geezer

Forecast from 9 Nov.....

Issued Nov 9 2004

Solar activity
Solar activity is expected to be moderate to high. Region 696 is expected to produce M-class flares, and X-class flares are possible.

Earth's magnetic field
The geomagnetic field is expected to be at unsettled to major storm conditions on 10-11 November. A CME shock associated with the M8 flare observed today should arrive on 11 November. Activity should subside to quiet to active levels on 12 November.



So, possibly worth a trip out of town if it's clear then.

Geezer

davegtt

doesnt make much sence that, saying it'll be worth a look on the 12th or it'll stop on the 12th?

Geezer

I took it as returning to normal, or less than normal, but I could be wrong. However, the important bit is that it should be strong again tonight and tomorrow.

Geezer

Hong Kong Phooey

Got a fantastic view of these last Sunday night - from 34,000ft on board a flight heading Northwards.
Pilot dimmed the cabin lights and the whole sky out front lit up like a big green rainbow

Leslie

There was another solar flare just recently which will cause further auroral activity for a while. Could well be visible in the north of the country again tonight. It has been causing radio blackouts as well so all us radio hams are hoping it will go away soon!
The south coast is just out of the auroral zone and it is most unlikely that it will be visible in the south of the country.

Les

mart360

yeah tell me about it!!!!!

drove out to a local hill, sat there for 40 mins and what did i see.........

clouds... clouds...........and more clouds






pity you couldnt have posted a bit sooner!!!!!!

LOl

Mart

Power Junkie

iTrader: (1)

I went out last night and saw clouds.
Gonna try again later
It's also a good excuse to go for a night drive

Leslie

Sorry for the clouds Mart, better luck tonight.

Les

hedgehog

It is very hard to judge how it is going to go tonight. Last night (Wed) was not a great night and it is unlikely that lights were seen across the UK on a general scale. The previous night should have produced lights across all of the country but only for a very short time around 2200.

There is the possibility of some action tonight but the sunspot was a bit "around the side" of the sun and so the ejection wasn't directed right at us. Under such circumstances it is hard to tell where it will go and it is likely to deliver only a glancing blow, if any at all.

Glancing blows can often be pretty unimpressive events and tricky to predict, sometimes the ejection misses altogether, so I probably wouldn't go driving for miles in the hope that it might produce something exciting tonight. On the other hand things are still somewhat unsettled so there is always a small chance.

Once this current period of activity is over it is likely that things will calm down again and due to the current sunspot cycle it is likely that we may not have another period like this for 6 - 8 years. Research shows that the falling edge of the cycle is often more active than the leading edge and as we are heading for a minimum in about 2006 we should enter a very quiet period indeed.