Have you seen and Aurora Borealis?

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #1 01-02-2011, 10:51 PM

I leave on the 4th of March for a bucket list trip to Fairbanks in North Alaska. It's about a 12 hour train ride from Anchorage for a 4 night fingers crossed view. I have done my homework to pick the best time of the year and making sure no moon is in the sky. I have never seen an Aurora and really want to see one in my lifetime. (running out). After alot of study to find one of the best places to view this event and this place kept comming up. Can't Wait..

Even purchasing a small Vixen scope in San Fran on my way so I can view some Nothern Delights. Just a little worried about the ave -20c temps (Coooold)

I just wanted to read others stories af thier Veiwing of an Aurora. I would really like to hear from anybody that might have seen it from Fairbanks.

Mardy

leon · #2 01-02-2011, 10:56 PM

I wish Martin, it would be a sight to be remembered for ever, hope all goes well for you.

Leon

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #3 01-02-2011, 11:27 PM

Never been to Fairbanks, but I've seen it/them loads of times from northern Canada and as far south as Winnipeg.
The TV stations up there used to say whether it would be a good night for the "Lights". Perhaps they still do.
They're just like a curtain of light moving across the sky. Normally pale green, they often appear muti-coloured as well, with blues, violets and reds interspersed.
This was before digicams, and I never thought to drag a camera out at night anyway, so all I have is vivid memories.
They ARE spectacular, even more so when the Sun is frisky, so fingers crossed.
Enjoy the trip.

Peter

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #4 02-02-2011, 12:01 AM

Sorry Martin, I've never been out of Australia.

But I have seen Aurora Australis.
Twice in my childhood, once as a teenager and once as an adult.

The adult time was only 2 years ago from here in Snake Valley (seen by 3 of us on a club night - me, Bryan [Lowai], and 1 other) and was really faint and unimpressive, but still exciting.

The other 3 times in my young years were actually seen from the far western suburbs of Sydney! (which is amazing in itself)
The two times in my childhood were pointed out by my Dad and were pink and green.

The one in my teens was very pale green.
I was awestruck for all 3.

I really hope you get to see some spectacular Auroras.
They really stay imprinted on your memory

astroron (Ron) · #5 02-02-2011, 12:47 AM

I saw a red Aurora over Brisbane from my home in Burpengary in 1989 but just thought it was the glow from a big fire

until the next morning when I found out it was an Aurora

I was kicking my self for not getting a photo

I saw them in the UK when I was on exesizes up in the north of England with the British army.
Cheers

PN PM · #6 02-02-2011, 09:01 AM

Martin,
Wow, Adelaide to Fairbanks--how nice! What do you mean -20C? It might be quite a bit colder! Lol, just trying to scare you (or prepare you.)

I really hope you get to see them. I lived in northern Saskatchewan (Canada) for two years during an auroral peak and it was fantastic. (Although, they did tend to "ruin" many an observing session because they throw off so much light; and at times, the sky almost looked like the sun was coming up.) There are so many different types of aurorae, and as Peter said, different colours as well. I would love to see the Aurorae Australis some day. Or, anything in the southern hemisphere.

Good idea to buy a telescope in S.F.. At 64 degrees latitude, the norhern stuff will be high in the sky and the moon will be out of your way for a few days. And at least you'll have a good number of hours of darkness--unlike July in Fairbanks.

Hope you have a really good trip!

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: Auroral Forms

SkyViking (Rolf) · #7 02-02-2011, 09:42 AM

Sounds like a great trip! I've seen auroras from Denmark which were quite spectacular, especially because there were some clouds in front which showed off the scale of it. It really made it clear that the auroras were 100's of kms behind and above the clouds to the north and massive in size. Awesome spectacle.
I've been to Fairbanks in '99, bicycled up from Anchorage through the endless boreal forests which was a spectacular experience, the country is just beautiful up there. This was in the summer though, with the sun barely setting over night and with 25 degree temps and lots (as in LOTS!) of mozzies.

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #8 02-02-2011, 10:08 AM

Thanks all for your posts so far. I don't want to carry too much stuff as I have other places to go after. But I am not sure if my HD video Camera will take shots of it or not. I have read that they are not sensitive enough to capture it. I can take pictures as well, but not on bulb. I could take the DSLR that would take pictures but its large to carry around. Not sure if any others have taken video with good results.The net claims that it can't be done. I do handle the cold better than the heat, but yes Lynn I am a little worried about this level of cold.

PN PM · #9 02-02-2011, 11:04 AM

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This might sound old-fashioned, but you might consider buying an old used mechanical film camera. Canon made smaller, lighter models and they are terrific for cold environments as there are no batteries. (Don't let anyone tell you that the film will break in the cold--it hasn't happened to me yet!)

Although 1600 ISO is obsolete, I still use 400 speed slide film and push it to 800 or 1600 if need be.

You can't be there without a camera!

Waxing_Gibbous (Peter) · #10 03-02-2011, 01:25 AM

A digicam (video or still) should pick them up with no problems. As Lynn points out, they can be very bright.
Try to get one with good low-light sensitivity and resolution. You could even go for an old Hi-8 video. They were superb at low-light capture.

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #11 03-02-2011, 10:57 AM

Thanks Peter. I think I might go down that line. I have a Sony Hi Def Handycam with still picture capture on SD card as well as Hard Drive Recording. It is nice and small and takes great quality video. Low light seems to be pretty good and it also has IR. I just don't want to carry too much stuff as I will have a telescope as well. I have a few internal flights in the USA and you can't carry much baggage without Excess charges. So many different reports on what you can get images with. I am still not fully sure whats best. Knowing me, at the end I will grab the Video Cam and the DSLR and every other camera know to man.

I was also thinking of getting a cheap 35mm slr to take the pictures and then just leave it behind... It can all start doing your head in

Thanks
Mardy

BlackWidow (Mardy) · #12 04-04-2011, 08:02 PM

Well I have returned from my trip to North Alaska. What a trip it was and I just want to get back thier as fast as I can. I have to say that this was one of the best things I have done and seen in my lifetime and feel very happy to have been able to make this trip.

I did get to see an Aurora and what a site it was. We only had some light views from Anchorage, but got a good sighting when we were high in the Arctic Circle near a placed called Chenna. I have posted some pics that I took myself. I am not happy with the quality of them and found that I had the ISO too high and I think the very low temps also gave me noise troubles. Seems odd as we all want cold to cool our CCD's however I think the night I was out it was around -36c and it was difficult to do the simple things. I Had trouble packing up my tripod as it had frozen, and my electronic shutter cable was stiff like a coat hanger. My breath was freezing my scarf and my eyelashes had ice on them. I stayed out about 1 1/2 hours and was treated with an impressive display. They are so bright and dance all around you, no need for LSD up here. It was so fantastic to see nature just doing it's thing! The world really is a fantastic place with so many fantastic things to see and enjoy.

I was not that happy with my pics as they looked really good in the Camera display, but not so when I put them on my computer. Anyway at least I got some record of what I saw, and I wanted to share them with you. I hope you like looking at them. If you ever get the chance to do this yourself, grab on to it with both hands. You will have the time of you life! Alaska is fantastic in every way.

I was able to put my icecream in my bag and eat on it all day without fear of it melting (true story)..

I am happy to answer any questions should you be wanting to do the same as I have...

Regards
Mardy

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #13 04-04-2011, 08:18 PM

Wow!

Lovely Mardy!!!

They still look impressive to me, and they bring back happy childhood memories

Thank you

Bassnut (Fred) · #14 04-04-2011, 08:28 PM

Norway seems the go http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap110328.html

MrB (Simon) · #15 04-04-2011, 08:29 PM

That is awesome.
Would love to do this myself someday.
Thanks for sharing!

I have seen Australis from Perth, probably the same '89 event that Ron saw from Brisbane.
I was just 14 and was not real happy about being dragged out of bed by his over-enthused mother in the wee hours of the morning to look at a dull hazy pinky-red patch in the sky.. so unfortunately I don't have a great memory of the event.