Aurora Prospects 2012

gothwalk

Narsil wrote: »

We're going to Tromso on the 16th March and I was wondering if there is any way of knowing if the prospects for the Aurora are going to be good or if there is a good website to keep an eye on? Staying until the 20th so hoping to get at least one good night!

I was in Tromso last week (and other places up the Norwegian coast) and we had three good nights' viewing. I reckon that if the sky is clear (and even with partial cloud), you've a pretty decent chance of seeing SOMEthing at that latitude - forecasts varied from "weak" to "strong", but even on the "weak" nights, we saw lights.

Also, this was the site we were using for predictions:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Europe/2012/03/05

Narsil

gothwalk wrote: »

I was in Tromso last week (and other places up the Norwegian coast) and we had three good nights' viewing. I reckon that if the sky is clear (and even with partial cloud), you've a pretty decent chance of seeing SOMEthing at that latitude - forecasts varied from "weak" to "strong", but even on the "weak" nights, we saw lights.

Also, this was the site we were using for predictions:

http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Europe/2012/03/05

Hi gothwalk, thanks a mill for that:)

Have you any tips in general about Tromso or any excursions you did? We're hoping to do dogsledding one night and a minibus tour another night.
We're going self catering so bringing loads of rice and Dolmio stir ins;)

Thanks!

gothwalk

Narsil wrote: »

Have you any tips in general about Tromso or any excursions you did? We're hoping to do dogsledding one night and a minibus tour another night.

The Cathedral looked pretty fantastic, although we weren't actually in it at any time - just looking across at it. I spent most of the time there just wandering around. Our second time through the city (coming back south) was in the middle of the night, so we didn't see as much of it as we otherwise would have. I did, I have to say, really like the place.

Narsil wrote: »

We're going self catering so bringing loads of rice and Dolmio stir ins;)

That's good thinking; when they say Norway is expensive, they're not kidding. We found the Kiwi and Rema 1000 supermarkets to be somewhat reasonable, pricewise.

Narsil

gothwalk wrote: »

The Cathedral looked pretty fantastic, although we weren't actually in it at any time - just looking across at it. I spent most of the time there just wandering around. Our second time through the city (coming back south) was in the middle of the night, so we didn't see as much of it as we otherwise would have. I did, I have to say, really like the place.



That's good thinking; when they say Norway is expensive, they're not kidding. We found the Kiwi and Rema 1000 supermarkets to be somewhat reasonable, pricewise.

Thanks for that!:)

Yeah I'm looking forward to just being in such a different place and wandering around so should be fun!

muckish

Sunspot Region 1429 has come out to play. In the past day or so there has been 3 M-class and 1 X-class flares already from 1429. They might deliver a glancing blow to Earth but will most likely miss us at this stage. But as the sunspot region rotates to face the Earth things could get interesting. Keep an eye on the various space weather websites (and boards.ie of course!) as there could be a higher probability of mid-latitude Northern Lights displays.

Iancar29

Have a feeling this BEAST still holds some more X class potential! , one to keep an eye on indeed!

lolie

Another M1 flare an hour or 2 ago. Should be a solar wind stream as well later in the week so here's hoping.
Lookin at met.ie the skies may not be to clear.

Nearly forgot, Bbc2 tonight at 9pm - 10, Horizon: Solar Storms - The Threat To Planet Earth.

eskimocat

Got my Aurora warning email today, for a possibility of seeing it later tonight. Yeah, checked out the cloud cover and it seems to be fairly likely to obscure any chance of seeing the aurora. Still looking up for a gap in the clouds tonight!

muckish

Sunspot region 1429 has crackled with another M class flare! This region is growing into a very active beast. Going to make the nights ahead very interesting indeed. Clear skies please!

Iancar29

And Boom!! We have a X5.1 flare!!!
Peaked at 00.35 , shall look forward to the morning to see the track and sat. Imaging of it!
Doubt it is directed at us still though . Glancing blow probably . Wish i could be going to Abisko again! Ha

lolie

Its gettin fairly close so i'd say bit more than a glancing blow. Just need the weather to play ball.

Iancar29

KP - 6 + Right now!.. Too bad its daytime! haha

That wont last long id imagine.

lolie

Kp 6.67 for at least next half hour and skies mostly clear so head out and look north.

sparrowcar

Anyone see anything?

cludo

Can't see anything due to clouds

Auldloon

Clear skies in NE Scotland but nothing visible.

eskimocat

The moon is very bright tonight so that is probably obscuring any chance of seeing anything.

Mountainsandh

I went off for a drive about 2 hours ago, stayed out for an hour or so. I'm in South East. Cloud to the North and the moon was rising fast, with such a glare that within half an hour, I wouldn't have seen anything anyway.
I did get my first pic of the moon !

moon cropped by mountainsandheather, on Flickr

Bit new to all this - but from this, Friday's prospects looks good for the middle of the country?

Sponge Bob

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0308/breaking1.html

This is probably the strongest such event in nearly six years, and is likely to be more intense than a similar storm in late January, said Joseph Kunches, a space weather specialist at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

US weather experts say the storm will hit Earth between 06.00am and 10.00am (Irish time).

ednwireland

couldnt see anything last night even when the skies were clear (ive seen darker daytime up here recently) great pic of the moon though

ch750536

Well I dreamt I saw the lights last night but then I also dreamt while I was watching the clouds turned into the marshmellow man & pikachu and had a battle so I suppose I shouldn't read it as a preminition...

Iancar29

WE have IMPACT!



Geomagnetic storming should soon commence. * check outside*... Yep.. daytime.. ah sure ... next time aye?........ * Cries in silence*

* goes sits in corner wrapped in Tin Foil *

Iancar29

WHAT A LEAP!... KP 5 .... will it get to 8??????????

simonrooneyzaga

A question for those in the know...

Is there ANY chance of seeing the NLights in Dublin tonight?

If so, where would the best place to see them be?

Iancar29

simonrooneyzaga wrote: »

A question for those in the know...

Is there ANY chance of seeing the NLights in Dublin tonight?

If so, where would the best place to see them be?

Hey There pal ,

with broken cloud being an issue tonight AND the full moon its going to be hard for any viewings.

Firstly , get out of dublin. Im from Finglas myself , need to be somewhere away form all the lights , up high preferably .
You need a view of the Northern horizon .

Secondly , the storm hasnt yet reached its full potential yet as the IMF has to tip southwards for it to be really effective . KP- 5 / 6 at the moment , to see it from region it needs to go higher, 7/8 even ...

Thirdly . As mentioned the moon is gonna glare everything so its gonna be hard to see the faint wispy green glow. A Camera with a good long exposure pointed to the north will be the best bet.


Hope thats helps pal .

flaviu

@Iancar29, got any tips as to where the best place would be, on the north side, with low light pollution and high altitude on a 30 km radius from Finglas?

sparrowcar

flaviu wrote: »

@Iancar29, got any tips as to where the best place would be, on the north side, with low light pollution and high altitude on a 30 km radius from Finglas?

Naul hill

http://www.mountain-forecast.com/peaks/Naul-Hills

Iancar29

flaviu wrote: »

@Iancar29, got any tips as to where the best place would be, on the north side, with low light pollution and high altitude on a 30 km radius from Finglas?

Just looked at google earth there. The best place i can find is up around Drumree area... ( Take the M3 then the R147 ) . Then look around there a good viewing point north. Google earth shows it at 320 - 350 ft above sea level around there. Best i could find pal.

dirtyghettokid

what's the best time to go out and look? i live up by the naul myself, but there's still a good bit of light pollution from dublin this way (& some from balbriggan)