Have you seen the Aurora Borealis or the northen lights?

Question

This is something I must do someday in my life. Can you tell me where you saw it, how it was or where is the best place to watch it happen?

Answer 1

You have to come north, to Canada or Alaska.
I live in Manitoba, one hour north of Winnipeg. We can see the Northern lights every winter. Sometimes in the summer, too, but less so because the daylight hours are so much longer.

The can be all colours; mostly green, and I have seen red and even purple. It looks like sheets of liquid paint free-form flowing across the sky. It stretches from one horizen to the other, and they can seem to take up the whole sky. My Grams says if you whistle they will dance for you. I don't know if it's true, but I whistle to them every time I see them and think of her.

Definitely see them - the Inuit elders are saying they are changing, and it is probably because of climate change. It's hard to imagine that something so beautiful might disappear forever, but that's the human legacy to itself, isn't it?

Answer 2

I saw the northern lights while driving way up north in Alaska, at first I thought it was a big truck lights then I realized we were the only ones out there, and I was looking from the top of a mountain road. We were North of Fairbanks. Took a while for us to determine it was the NORTHERN LIGHTS. It was like looking at the Milky Way with lot of light behind it and then it would all swirl around. It was Christmas time, I think, and roads were solid ice, so we were moving very slow and the site was something else.

Answer 3

I worked once in a settlement near a Small community in Northern Canada and seeing the Aurora was a daily occurrence. I live in Ottawa now and occasionally we get to see the Northern lights , average 4 times a year. It is very beautiful and there is no truth to the claim that it makes sounds.

Answer 4

properly, the others provided the "further information", so i assumed I would desire to provide an answer to the main effective question. Norway is better than Iceland, as Iceland is on the incorrect variety for optimal aurora. From Tromsø, Norway and northwards is the best section interior the international to % out it. frequently, the best time of twelve months is early interior the twelve months, yet in february 2013, the yank and ecu area companies have expected solar Spot top (previously it grow to be expected for December 2012, which led to the "end of the international"-human beings to freak out), which will recommend bigger image voltaic activity, and subsequently aurora, all of 2012. The later you bypass interior the twelve months, the better (yet bloody chillier) the Aurora Borealis would be. the best time would for sure be February 2013, yet that ought to be insanity (think of each non-shielded electric powered equipment interior the international short-circuiting at as quickly as, the worst case subject. you do not prefer to be caught interior the Arctic areas of Norway in February without working radio or potential of transport). I additionally propose you to not fly everywhere in February, purely to be on the risk-free area. If the worst case subject hits, and astronomers at the instant are not waiting to predict previously it is purely too overdue, any airplane that may not waiting to land interior 8 minutes, will would desire to attempt an emergency landing. maximum probable, the 2013 image voltaic Flare is genuinely not solid and characteristic plenty effect, yet better being risk-free than sorry, eh?

Answer 5

When Jim & I were doing a lot of astronomical observing 35 miles northeast of Seattle in the mtns, we'd see the Aurora quite a bit(Jim named his daughter, Aurora). Then one day he told me that the sun revolves on its axis once every 25 days(at the sun's equator). & because the earth revolves about 8% of its orbit about the sun in that time, you can add 8% to 25days & get 27days. Well, what does that get you? That means that the same point of the sun is pointing at the earth every 27 days or so. Therefore, if that "sun point" created an aurora in our atmosphere 27days before, then you might see aurora again 27 days later if that solar disturbance is still disturbing. So we coordinated our observing times to 27days after seeing aurora, and our percentage of seeing aurora doubled or tripled above random chance. So if you ever see aurora once, try to see it 27 days later hopefully on dark, cloudless nights away from cities to improve your chances of seeing it again. Right now, solar activity is near minimum, but will start to increase till its maximum about 5 years from now. But unpredictable disturbances can trigger aurora anytime. So look & look again...& keep the 27 day sun rotation in mind.

Answer 6

A few times. Once, when I was touring in Canada. More recently, I was flying from Tennessee to Michigan in my Cessna at 11,500 feet. It was a beautiful clear night, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Also, if you are flying from the US to Europe in the winter, try to get a window seat on the left side of the plane; you may get lucky.

Answer 7

I saw it while driving across the top of the U.S. in Montana. It was incredible and eerie at the same time. I had taken a break at a rest area to stretch and looked up and saw it. You really should see it some day.

Answer 8

Oh my. The Northern Lights are spectacular. I remember driving home from work one evening (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada) and the northern lights were ablaze. I pulled over and lay on the trunk of my car and watched the dance. Did you know that you can hear it too as it dances?

Answer 9

I saw it about 30 years ago on Long Island, New York... a very rare occurance but the most beautiful thing you could imagine.

Answer 10

I saw it in Yellowknife in Canada's North West Territories. Yes it is spectacular, but u don't have to go that far north to see them. You just need a spectacularly clear night in rural northern Canada. Take me with you.