Northern Lights May Ignite in Northern U.S.

[dave1251]

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/northern-lights-viewing-condit/33834457


"Stargazers could be in for a rare display Friday night as an Earth-directed solar flare ignites the northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, in the United States. As a result of the flare's direction and strength, the dazzling light display could reach as far south as Maryland in the East and down over Nebraska farther west."

The members that live in the Northern U.S. and Canada may have a rare chance to see the aurora borealis.

 

[zpinch]

i see the auroras all the time where I live... Canada, away from light pollution.

we live in a plasma universe. there is actually electric currents occuring all the time in earth's magnetosphere, the aurora's are merely the currents surpassing a threshold point from dark discharge mode, into glow mode.... and if hypothetically the currents increased enough again, it would switch over to "arc" mode. When i say switch, i mean just that, the transition between modes is very abrupt.

 

[CharBaby]

I have only seen it once. It was amazing and I'd love to see this again!

 

[ronbo]

Saw them once in Buffalo, NY years ago when I was near the Niagara River and yes, they were amazing.

 

[R80RS]

I've seen the aurora borealis several times in my life, but I've never heard the phrase "ignite" used to describe the start of the phenomenon. It's not as if someone drops a match or anything.....

Too bad we have overcast and rain forecast locally for tonight.

 

[leeharvey418]

Originally Posted By: R80RS
I've seen the aurora borealis several times in my life, but I've never heard the phrase "ignite" used to describe the start of the phenomenon. It's not as if someone drops a match or anything...


No, but the physical mechanism that creates the light isn't all that different than a flame... it's just an electrical current rather than a chemical reaction that's causing the electron excitation and subsequent photon release.

 

[leeharvey418]

Originally Posted By: ronbo
Saw them once in Buffalo, NY years ago when I was near the Niagara River and yes, they were amazing.

Oh, they're real... and they're spectacular!

 

[eljefino]

As someone who works in TV and as I'm dependent on satellites not going screwy, half of me is

 

[leeharvey418]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
As someone who works in TV and as I'm dependent on satellites not going screwy, half of me is

As someone who likes having reliable electric power at my house, half of me is

 

[jrustles]

CMEs directed at earth kind of make me imagine the sun is giving the planet a huge thumbs up of charged particles

The Sun: "This one's looking at you kid"

*roasting, screaming and zapping noises from earth*
The Sun: "Ohohohohohooho OOooooh mercy, not again! Whoops."

*note sun illustration is wearing sun glasses to protect his eyes from his own, and his peers rays

 

[JHZR2]

Ive seen these in Quebec and its a great thing to see. We have a decent amount of light pollution, but I know some dark places. We will have to try to get a look.

 

[Quattro Pete]

The map says I'm in a poor visibility area. Darn!

 

[Garak]

Quattro Pete, up even in the central part of this province, the northern lights can be nightly viewing.

 

[ClutchDisc]

I'm in the poor visibility area and it's overcast here.. not seeing anything over here.

 

[Vikas]

Wasted 3 hours driving to find them yesterday night with elderly parents :-(

 

[CourierDriver]

I just shot off 4 roman candles, does that count....

 

[Shannow]

I've seen the southern lights only once when I was a kid.

Out rabbit shooting with Dad and Uncle, crisp winter's night, a strange green glow to the south, not much, but there.

It's on my bucket list/s to see one or the other of them close(r) up.