Northern Lights

**yupislyr** · August-04-10, 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

I've seen them several times in the Thumb and in the U.P, but I highly doubt they'll be visible around the lights of the Detroit Metro area.

It's difficult, but not impossible. It depends on the strength of the storm that causes them.

Just last night my friend saw them from her home in Wixom, although there really wasn't much to be seen down here last night. If you've seen them before, you didn't miss much. You needed to be farther north to see a decent to good show last night.

I've personally seen them in Wixom on 3 or 4 occasions. I have pictures from one of them: http://yupislyr.com/aurora/aurora5.html

I've seen them through the bright lights of downtown Windsor. That was quite a powerful show though. Only a small area overhead was actually visible from deep inside the city. Once you got outside of the city lights though, almost the whole sky was full of them.

Tonight's possible show is forecast to be better than last night's.

**Jimaz** · August-04-10, 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

I think the trend will be more sightings in the next few years.

Yes, according to Wikipedia, the the next solar maximum is currently predicted to occur in May 2013 and to be one of the weakest cycles since 1928. The Sun goes through this cycle about once every 11 years. It's kind of bewildering to think that something as massive as the Sun has an oscillating behavior.

EastSider · August-04-10, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Jimaz

Yes, according to Wikipedia, the the next solar maximum is currently predicted to occur in May 2013 and to be one of the weakest cycles since 1928. The Sun goes through this cycle about once every 11 years. It's kind of bewildering to think that something as massive as the Sun has an oscillating behavior.

The 11-year cycle is only one the sun has. There are also 22, 80 and 180 year cycles.

**qweek** · August-10-10, 07:25 PM

Ok, so tonight we might see some aurora thanks to this nice m class solar eruption over the weekend. Check out this blast....

http://spaceweather.com/swpod2010/09...btpju18dtcghv7

This from http://spaceweather.com/

NCOMING CME: The solar eruption of August 7th might affect Earth after all. Newly-arriving data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory [[SOHO) show a CME heading our way with a significant Earth-directed component. Click on the image to launch a "difference movie" of the expanding cloud:
The impact of this lopsided CME probably won't trigger a major geomagnetic storm---but the SOHO data show it could be bigger than expected. High latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the cloud arrives probably on August 10th.

**gazhekwe** · August-10-10, 07:30 PM

I suppose it would be a good idea to come out at 3:30 a.m. again. It was beautiful that time of night. Hoepfully there won't be a lot of yard lights. Last time it was National Night Out and everybody had their lights on.

**qweek** · August-10-10, 07:34 PM

Again, I don't work until 11:00 a.m., this is nice I can watch the Perseid Meteor display again tonight! Float in the pool and watch the show. 3:30 am might be tough, I paid dearly for staying up until 3:00a.m. last week.

**gazhekwe** · August-10-10, 08:11 PM

My strategy is to go to bed and get up at 3:30, not to stay up all night. I don't want to be miserable all day. Of course, the show could be best at 2:30 in which case I will be SOL. It still is beautiful out at that time, so peaceful and loud with the bug symphony.

**qweek** · August-10-10, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by gazhekwe

My strategy is to go to bed and get up at 3:30, not to stay up all night. I don't want to be miserable all day. Of course, the show could be best at 2:30 in which case I will be SOL. It still is beautiful out at that time, so peaceful and loud with the bug symphony.

I tend to wake up around 3:48 a.m., maybe I should give your strategy a whirl this time. The likelihood of seeing anything tonight is slim any way. Tigers are bumming me out.

**Bigb23** · August-11-10, 12:22 PM

Jcole,
That was probably the same one too. As we don't see them down here that often. The problem was being so close to Selfridge and Mt. Clemens with the light pollution. The way I remember it, was that they were fast moving, and pieces would break off and shoot across the sky.
With all of the wilderness camping up north that I have done, the most I've seen in the night time sky up there, is the occasional satellite.

**Bigb23** · August-11-10, 02:49 PM

Hey Queek,
This is somewhat related, are you aware of this strange phenomenon ?

http://www.wimp.com/mysteryhexagon/

**qweek** · August-11-10, 08:39 PM

Thanks for posting that Bigb23, I have heard of the hexagon in the heavens, really amazing stuff. The universe is never boring, at least not to me! Looking to the sky soothes my soul.