Aurora tonight!!!(22 Jan)

For those of you in Northumberland or points north thereof get out and study your northern horizon. The forecast is for extreme lights - they have already been seen in Northumberland I'm told.

Thanks for the info Gwyn. Unfortunately, I noticed it too late. There were good views in South East Northumberland. Seen a pic from Cresswell, and some even better ones from a bit further north at Embleton

Looks like another chance on Tuesday night - there has been a huge burst of plasma from the sun this morning which should reach earth tomorrow night. It may even be visible further south too!

http://spaceweather.com/

Astounding photos there of last nights storm too.

There was a very prominent green auroral arc last night from here in Kelso, not as good as back in March but still very nice to see.

I had the K5 out last night intending to take some shots but it was one of these nights where I just felt totaly uninspired. Seemed everywhere I went there was something ruining the composition...a street lamp/lamps, power/phone lines, a house with security lights blazing.
The final straw was a farmer on a quad bike that seeme hell bent on frying my retinas and blistering my car body paintwork with a 1000watt spotlight lamping for foxes!

Cloud due in tonight/morning so could be scuppered again, sometimes Murphy just has the upper hand.

Hope others have better luck.

Mike

Try again tomorrow night Mike - that is when today's flare is due to hit.
I hope you get some clear skies.

I wonder if Bjorn up in Tromsø got some good shots last night?
There is a stunning one on the spaceweather site.

Gwyn

Yes Tue/Wed looking good if the clouds stay away!

What was strange about last nights aurora was lack of colour and stronger vertical rays considering how prominent the arc was.

Mike

Did you get a photo Mike?

The first time I saw them last year they were white to the naked eye but green on the photo - I was told that is normal. They are always more colourful on photos than to the naked eye. The second time they were green, but much greener on the photo.

I shall be keeping an eye on the weather tomorrow night and the forecasts and may head off to see if I can see them too.

I hoping we'll be really lucky and have a good display in March when we are in Norway.

No, didn't fire the shutter Gwyn...there will be stronger displays, sometimes just good to watch.

The eyes can usually pick out the green ionized oxygen layer, sometimes red in more active displays but the Bluer more ultraviolet wavelengths of ionized nitrogen can appear white to the naked eye....found towards the top of the vertical rays.

Good luck with your observations!

Mike

What sort of time is best. We thought we might see them last night on the Isle of Skye but no luck.

Chunky - the time varies sadly. If you check http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/3 you can see what the forecast is, and the hour map on the side is pretty accurate (when it is running that is!)
In Norway we saw them around 9pm to about midnight (CET), but it can be quite a bit later.
The forecast for tonight is again a 5 so you should see them up there in Skye - probably not overhead like Bjørn had them Sunday but on the horizon.

I said in my earlier post Bjørn was in Tromsø, but of course he is in Trondheim - a lot further south.

Mike - When I saw them last year then camera was on a tripod next to me with the remote doing all the work. I got to watch them and photograph them. Others on the boat though I was silly using the tripod because of the vibration from the boat - but they only saw the lights through a viewfinder, and still didn't get good photos.

Edit: If it was dark now they would be visible right down to Birmingham. It looks like we may miss the peak due to lack of darkness

I went out in the hope that I might see something, but nothing.
I knew I ws being optimistic, but hey-ho! WOrth a try.

Doesn't look as good as when Birkenheads on fire.....
seen from the Liverpool side of the Mersey!

Looks like the whole of UK cloudy tonight ...might as well zipp up those camera bags...again!

Mike

Buggeration. I was determined to see the Northern Lights tonight.
Gwyn, Thanks for the link I've had a very informative half an hour or so, and bookmarked the sitr.
I will keep looking tonight, just in case.

I use this UK website to check activity. link Nothing is cooking tonight by the look of the chart, but the big solar flare we're due arrives Wednesday, so there might be activity later this week.