Best Spots to see Aurora Borealis

**CountrySquire** · March-08-12, 11:57 AM

Supposed to be some good northern lights this evening. Where's the best place to go see them around here without having to burn too much gas getting there?

**MikeM** · March-08-12, 12:03 PM

Macomb County, near Lake St Clair, or maybe the Edison corridor, or the Clinton River or Red Run "valley".

http://cleardarksky.com/c/Detroitkey.html?1

**rb336** · March-08-12, 12:15 PM

I'd like to catch the first plane to Iceland

**JBMcB** · March-08-12, 12:38 PM

Cranbrook is in a valley and, when open to the public at night, is a great place to see the sky. The institute of science is usually open late on Fridays, and their observatory is open to the public. Sometimes a local astronomy club is there as well, letting anyone use their smaller telescopes. Not sure if the increased solar activity will still be going on tomorrow, but it might be worth a shot.

**Johnnny5** · March-08-12, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by CountrySquire

Supposed to be some good northern lights this evening. Where's the best place to go see them around here without having to burn too much gas getting there?

Depends on how much gas is "too much", but it may be worth the drive up into the Thumb if you really want to see them well. I have seen the Nothern Lights several times over Saginaw Bay and from the Grindstone City area. There's not a lot of man made light sources up that way to interfere. We are going to be having a Full Moon this evening, so I'm not sure how that will affect everything.

**Detroitnerd** · March-08-12, 02:17 PM

The sky over Lake St. Clair is unusually dark. Always better stargazing at the tip of Belle Isle...

**DetroitPlanner** · March-08-12, 02:22 PM

Go to Munising or Au Train in Da UP eh?

bartock · March-08-12, 04:42 PM

It depends on how hot she is.

**Traxus** · March-08-12, 05:41 PM

Anyone have an inkling as to what time we should start looking?

**MikeM** · March-08-12, 05:53 PM

Astronomical twilight ends at just after 8 PM, so anytime after that. You realize that just because there's been a solar storm doesn't mean there will be an aurora tonight?

http://helios.swpc.noaa.gov/ovation/

**canuck** · March-08-12, 06:24 PM

Who's Aurora Borealis? The greek Angelina Jolie?

**Traxus** · March-08-12, 06:55 PM

Is there some kind of rain dance we can perform to liken our possiblity?

**eonaway** · March-08-12, 07:25 PM

St Clair is good and dark, but you’ll be looking more east, I think. Still- I’d go there if I lived closer. But I’m going to head up into the thumb just a bit- away from big lights like strip mall parking lots, etc. The farther you can see unobstructed to the northern horizon, the better you’re chances.

**gazhekwe** · March-08-12, 07:51 PM

A rain dance would give you clouds, not what you want.

**CountrySquire** · March-09-12, 08:58 AM

No northern lights, sky was clear too. Disappointing. Regarding the dance and northern lights it was thought by the Ojibway that the Northern Lights were actually the ghostly forms of dead ancestors dancing in the sky.

**Dent** · March-09-12, 02:23 PM

I recall seeing the Northern Lights while camping back in the mid-70's around Manistee County. It was something I will never forget, looking out over the lake in the early hours of the morning and seeing curtains of light fill the sky.I didn't get any photos sadly, but this is something everyone should see at least once in their life. I think they were visible in Detroit too, way, way back when I was a little kid in the early 60's.I would love to have the experience again, this time with my own kids.