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Alberta_Rose Sep 10th 2011 7:34 am

Northern Lights?
 
Did you see them last night? Around 11pm Mountain Time.

Awesome! :thumbsup:

We've just passed our sixth Canniversary and it's the first time I've seen them! :wub:

Flossie and Jim Sep 10th 2011 7:58 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 
From Calgary?

Stupid question time: How do you know when they are going to appear or is it just lucky timing?

snowcandy Sep 10th 2011 7:59 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 
Hi, I saw some photos on the Weather Network at lunchtime...they look amazing. Whereabouts are you Alberta Rose? Not sure if we can see them here in Airdrie.

Piff Poff Sep 10th 2011 9:11 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 
I will post some photos later. It's the first time we saw them too, we were half asleep, I said to OH, I'll just see if I can see anything but I'm going to bed. Looked out the back door and saw what looked a bit like a faint rainbow. I said I can see them - poor OH was snoring on the couch, we jumped in the car and went to where it was a bit darker. AMAZING! I'll see what the forecast is tonight too...

Alberta_Rose Sep 10th 2011 9:45 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 

Originally Posted by Flossie and Jim (Post 9612493)
From Calgary?

Stupid question time: How do you know when they are going to appear or is it just lucky timing?


Originally Posted by snowcandy (Post 9612495)
Hi, I saw some photos on the Weather Network at lunchtime...they look amazing. Whereabouts are you Alberta Rose? Not sure if we can see them here in Airdrie.

Yes we saw them from Calgary, and they extended about 1/3 or more of the sky in the N-N/E direction.

We didn't know about them, but my son happened to go out to drive g/f home at that time, and they saw them.

I was amazed at how bright they were, given the light pollution from the city, and a really bright moon last night too.

My son said they were due to a high intensity solar flare, and that there is due to be an even higher one on Sunday ... so we'll be out looking tomorrow night.

There are forecasts available .... http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/2011/09/11

Alberta_Rose Sep 10th 2011 10:02 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 
Time-wise ... I just read that the best time to see them is around midnight local time, and allowing for daylight saving time, I guess that's why we saw them around 11.00pm. They'd disappeared by about 11.15 though ... :(

4d32ftw Sep 10th 2011 12:00 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 
yep we saw them from kamloops, was very suprised to see them from here :thumbsup:

BEVS Sep 10th 2011 12:10 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 

Originally Posted by Piff Poff (Post 9612554)
I will post some photos later.

Oo. Please do. I'd love to see them.

Piff Poff Sep 10th 2011 12:17 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 
3 Attachment(s)

Originally Posted by Alberta_Rose (Post 9612627)
Time-wise ... I just read that the best time to see them is around midnight local time, and allowing for daylight saving time, I guess that's why we saw them around 11.00pm. They'd disappeared by about 11.15 though ... :(

We didn't think about the daylight savings, we watched from 1130pm to about 1230am. The intensity level for last night was a 5 (I get email alerts from the link when it's that high), tonight is a 3 and Sunday is a 4 (all out of 9). The pics are not fantastic, but the idea is there;)

snowcandy Sep 10th 2011 3:39 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 
Thanks for the info Alberta Rose, will be looking out tomorrow night.

We were driving back to Airdrie from Cross Iron Mills last night when our youngest, who is completely colour blind, remarked that the sky was a funny colour. Didn't give it much thought as the sunset has been so pretty last night, it must have been the start of the lights.

Saw our first bear 2 weeeks ago, would be amazing to see these too, fingers crossed!

snorkmaiden Sep 11th 2011 3:27 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 
We saw them up here in Edmonton. I get the email alerts from Aurora Watch, and I always look out when I get them, but I've only seen the green wavy curtains from a a bit of a distance before.

In our yard on Friday night, we started to see the green appear, and then suddenly, a curtain appeared in the sky over our house, as we were looking directly up in to it, it seemed like the aurora was bursting open.

It was like a special effect from a movie where the alien ship arrives through a vortex :D It was so amazing it was totally overwhelming. The colours were moving so fast, I've never seen anything like it.

I was so glad I'd dragged the whole family out on to the deck when I first saw the aurora appearing, as I don't think they could possibly appreciate what I was talking about unless they'd been there, it was pretty mind blowing.

Alberta_Rose Sep 11th 2011 6:29 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 

Originally Posted by snorkmaiden (Post 9614013)
We saw them up here in Edmonton. I get the email alerts from Aurora Watch, and I always look out when I get them, but I've only seen the green wavy curtains from a a bit of a distance before.

In our yard on Friday night, we started to see the green appear, and then suddenly, a curtain appeared in the sky over our house, as we were looking directly up in to it, it seemed like the aurora was bursting open.

It was like a special effect from a movie where the alien ship arrives through a vortex :D It was so amazing it was totally overwhelming. The colours were moving so fast, I've never seen anything like it.

I was so glad I'd dragged the whole family out on to the deck when I first saw the aurora appearing, as I don't think they could possibly appreciate what I was talking about unless they'd been there, it was pretty mind blowing.

Did you get all different colours? ... we only saw green, and we didn't have time to drive beyond the city to look at them in the relative darkness. Must've been awesome up in Edmonton.

I've heard that the Elk Island National Park to the east of Edmonton is THE place for aurora watching!

mandymoochops Sep 11th 2011 12:41 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 
aw poo didn't see them last night but have on a couple of occassions here before (just north of Stettler) - and like you Rose, only the green.

Very pretty though

snorkmaiden Sep 11th 2011 5:44 pm

Re: Northern Lights?
 

Originally Posted by Alberta_Rose (Post 9614232)
Did you get all different colours? ... we only saw green, and we didn't have time to drive beyond the city to look at them in the relative darkness. Must've been awesome up in Edmonton.

I've heard that the Elk Island National Park to the east of Edmonton is THE place for aurora watching!

We saw all shades of green, and this weird grey colour, it was all moving so fast, it was hard to pin down the colours. (plus my brain was deciding it was all too much to process as I was so blown away)

We live on the edge of town, and it was amazing, but right out away from the city it must have been outstanding.

Piff Poff Sep 12th 2011 1:23 am

Re: Northern Lights?
 

Originally Posted by Alberta_Rose (Post 9614232)
Did you get all different colours? ... we only saw green, and we didn't have time to drive beyond the city to look at them in the relative darkness. Must've been awesome up in Edmonton.

I've heard that the Elk Island National Park to the east of Edmonton is THE place for aurora watching!

We saw a couple of tinges of a pinky reddy colour, but only for a second or two, they were mainly green as in my pics though. Too cloudy last night for anything.


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