The Northern lights

[kido14]

**Goodness gracious! This is my fourth time trying to post this thread, due to my stupid back button on the mouse that I keep accidently pressing! RAERHRGH. Okay I'm ready to try again, sorry**

 

 

 

What are the Northern Lights? According to http://www.northern-lights.no/ :

 

Northern lights is the name of a light phenomenon often seen in the northern regions. The lights have been around since Earth formed an atmosphere -the dinosaurs saw it, early humans saw it and our descendants will se it. The scientific name for the phenomenon is ÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ãâ¦Ã¢â¬ÅAurora BorealisÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬ÃâÃ

[runesmithie]

I've seen the Northern Lights (or some form) and I've never really been that far north :P

 

 

 

On rare occasions you can see them as far south as kansas, not as spectacular as seeing them in Alaska or somewhere up there I bet, but it was still really cool.

[Oy_the_Great]

Yep, aurera borealis, that's the sweet stuff. Aren't those particles of electric stuff from space that for some reason get that beautiful colour because of the magnetic fields in the north and the south of our planet? I believe it was something like that.

[kido14]

:shock: You could see them from Kansas? Did they fill the sky, or could you just kind of see them off from the distance, and was it cool?

 

 

 

Yep, aurera borealis, that's the sweet stuff. Aren't those particles of electric stuff from space that for some reason get that beautiful colour because of the magnetic fields in the north and the south of our planet? I believe it was something like that.

 

 

 

Something like that ;) Weird stuff too.

[knives669]

I've seen them once. A LOOONG time ago. :D

[Lionheart_0]

seen them a couple times up north, like Algonquine park (srry can spell it).

[fitzztif]

 

 

 

that one is awesome

[ford_rule]

ive seen the southern lights, and i live in southern tasmania(lowest state in australia) being an amateur astronomer and general sky gazing buff i was blown away by it, although it was very faint because of the distance it really was a spectacle considering my location.

[Pigstein]

I've seen them twice =). They are amazing!

 

 

 

They are one of the plus sides of living in Finland :)

[Mercifull]

Its so amazingly incredible i sit up at night sometimes and imagine what it will be like, picture do not do it justive. Thats what i want to go to north west lapland this year. Unfortauntly i think money contrains means i wont be able to :cry:

[Necromagus]

I'd really like to see them for myself one day, but it's been about thirty years since they were last seen in Holland :(

[How2PK]

I'd really like to see them for myself one day, but it's been about thirty years since they were last seen in Holland :(

 

 

 

I didn't even know they appeared in Holland. I'd love to see them once, and I'm sure I'll see them once. :)

[whee_wee_wee]

I've got to say they are beautiful..

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry about getting off topic =s.

 

 

 

Well, at least yu're in the right forum. :lol:

[Mercifull]

I've seen them twice =). They are amazing!

 

 

 

They are one of the plus sides of living in Finland :)

Where is the best places to go to see it and what time of year? Im determined to go, even if its on my own :(

[Phil]

I've seen a form of them once, not exactly Aurora Borealis though, I can't remember the name it had (it made the local news)

 

I would love to see the Aurora Borealis one day though. I'm sure I will at some point :)

 

Although apparently you can sometimes get a good view of it from the Highlands and north, here.

[trapical]

They appear about every other winter down here in Wisconsin, which isn't exactly artic. Here they take up about 1/4 of the sky and are fairly bright, you easily walk outside with no need of a flashlight or anything since they light up the ground about 10x as good as a full moon.

 

 

 

Pictures really once give you glimpse of it, realize that they aren't just still pictures in the sky like a moon or the stars. They seem alive, glowing and dimming, ebbing, moving side to side, slowly changing colors... really amazing. Only problem is they appear on the coldest nights down here so you can't stand outside for more then a few minutes until you're freezing :/

[Bubsa]

Definately on my list of things to do before I die is see the Northern Lights. It's amazing how nature creates things like this.

[kido14]

:shock: Woah! Nice find fitz! It kind of looks kind of like a flag

 

 

 

Trapical-- You should bring a sleeping bag and some blankets outside and lay outside and watch, I'm sure you wouldn't get too cold.

 

 

 

Does anyone know if it can be predicted when the lights are going to be visible?

[jackalope14]

Here in Minnesota we can see them sometimes but they arnt as cool as those pictures because we arnt far enough north.

 

It is cool every time I see them even though they arnt as bright as the pictures.

[Bmw]

seen them a couple times up north, like Algonquine park (srry can spell it).

 

 

 

Algonquin Park :wink: That place is awesome...natural wildlife reserve! Have you been on the midnight wolf feeding? Crrrazy stuff. So nice up there :P

 

 

 

I've never seen the lights myself, or if I have, it's never been anything like that, but I guess it's because I live in a big city :x I'd love to see em one day tho, probably will go up north on a trip soon enough :!:

[Besty]

I saw them briefly when I was in Alaska for a few days. I was quite young at the time, so I don't really remember them that much. I'd love to go back, and see them again.