having only just (4 weeks) "officially" got into astronomy and now spending serious time outside, i have been viewing as a member of the public.
- First memories, sad but lovely, I was about 11 or 12. My aunty in South Africa, I had written her a poem when i was 5 or so when she came out to visit us. I had written "Aunty Nora, she is pretty as an aurora." Having never seen a live aurora, only read or seen pictures, on the night she died from a car accident, my dad had got the phone call late at night and as he looked out, he saw an awesome aurora. He got me out of bed and showed me.
- Must have been mid 80's, mum and dads house backs onto a golf course, so the trees cover from horizon up to say 60 or 70 degrees. ONe night there were waves of red and orange and white rippling above at the zenith.
- Mid 80's again, our shack is on the east coast of tasmania, very dark as there is no power, very flat to the horizon as ocean on the east and small hills north west and south. There is a small headland and i was walking back from there late, and there was green waves down to the south, say 60 - 90 degrees wdie and say from 0 to 60 degrees high.
Just recently say 9 months ago, news reports had been saying of increased solar activity. My 5 yr old daugther heard about it and insists that i check every night and if i see one, i must wake he up. I have been checking, none to be seen yet, but I have promised her. Her interest is what prompted me to get going with a scope for her, but that quickly became a 10" dob. Funny how things work!
I will keep looking and as my imaging skill progress, i promise to share any sightings with forum members.
My daughter wants to put in a smiley....
