I missed it

[JohnnySavage]

People across the country reported seeing strange lights in the sky last night.

A resident in Martinsburg, West Virginia, took the photo above - of an aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights. Residents closer by in Potomac, Maryland also reported seeing the phenomenon.

Fishermen, gold miners, and others who live close to the Artic Circle see the aurora borealis regularly, but a sighting this far south is extremely rare.

The aurora borealis occurs when electrically charged particles released by the sun's solar flares blast across space and interact with the Earth's geomagnetic field.

It was visible Monday night because of an especially powerful solar flare.

The extraordinary activity on the sun is still active, but News4's Tom Kierein says that it's impossible to predict whether we'll have another sighting Tuesday night. A clear sky and waning moon helped make the aurora borealis more visible.

Seeing the aurora borealis is on my bucket list, and here I could have seen it last night. If I can get a text alert for a thunderstorm, why can't I get a text alert for the aurora?

 

[Johnny_Ray_Wilson]

UFOs are joining the Occupy movement.

 

[4est_4est_Gump]

The sun has nothing to do with global warming.



NOTHING!

 

[Adsila]

I've seen many in my life.

 

[JohnnySavage]

I would repost the picture from the Martinsburg resident, but he's from W.Va. and I think he left the lens cap on.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Speaking of cold places, I printed out a job application from Raytheon Polar Services. I wanted to take a shift working at the South Pole. There's really nothing I'm qualified for though. I could cook... maybe.

 

[SkAoUt]

Saw them last night but I'm a wee bit farther north than you.

 

[KRCummings]

I did not see them last night but I've seen them in Alaska and Europe. Kinda weird when you're not used to it.

 

[KRCummings]

Speaking of cold places, I printed out a job application from Raytheon Polar Services. I wanted to take a shift working at the South Pole. There's really nothing I'm qualified for though. I could cook... maybe.

Man, I don't think I could stay there. I took a cruise there a few years ago and it was neat but staying more than a couple days? No thanks.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Man, I don't think I could stay there. I took a cruise there a few years ago and it was neat but staying more than a couple days? No thanks.

I hate the cold, but like to complain. It's a perfect place for me.

 

[Shagly]

People across the country reported seeing strange lights in the sky last night.

A resident in Martinsburg, West Virginia, took the photo above - of an aurora borealis, also called the Northern Lights. Residents closer by in Potomac, Maryland also reported seeing the phenomenon.

Fishermen, gold miners, and others who live close to the Artic Circle see the aurora borealis regularly, but a sighting this far south is extremely rare.

The aurora borealis occurs when electrically charged particles released by the sun's solar flares blast across space and interact with the Earth's geomagnetic field.

It was visible Monday night because of an especially powerful solar flare.

The extraordinary activity on the sun is still active, but News4's Tom Kierein says that it's impossible to predict whether we'll have another sighting Tuesday night. A clear sky and waning moon helped make the aurora borealis more visible.

Seeing the aurora borealis is on my bucket list, and here I could have seen it last night. If I can get a text alert for a thunderstorm, why can't I get a text alert for the aurora?

I check for them last night but there were too many clouds around.

 

[KRCummings]

I hate the cold, but like to complain. It's a perfect place for me.

Their summer was about the same temps as our winter. Maybe just a couple degrees warmer. No way would I make it through a winter.

 

[trysail]

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/24/big-cme-hits-earth-low-latitude-auroras-possible/

AURORAS IN THE USA: A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth on Oct. 24th at approximately 1800 UT (2:00 pm EDT). The impact strongly compressed Earth's magnetic field, directly exposing geosynchronous satellites to solar wind plasma, and sparked an intense geomagnetic storm. As night fell over North America, auroras spilled across the Canadian border into the contiguous United States.

"Wow, wow, wow! These were the best Northern Lights I've seen since 2004," says Shawn Malone, who took this picture from the shores of Lake Superior in Michigan:

http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/images2011/24oct11/shawn-malone3_strip.jpg​

"The auroras filled the sky in every direction--even to the south," he says.

Indeed, the display spread all the way down to Arkansas. "When I saw the alert, I ran outside and immediately saw red auroras," reports Brian Emfinger from the city of Ozark. "Within a few minutes the auroras went crazy! Unbelievable!"

Auroras were seen or photographed in more than half of all US states including Alabama, Wisconsin, New Mexico, Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Nebraska, Kentucky, North Carolina, Indiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Montana, Ohio, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Washington, Minnesota, Maine, Michigan, Oregon, Arkansas and California. Many observers, especially in the deep south, commented on the pure red color of the lights they saw. These rare all-red auroras sometimes appear during intense geomagnetic storms. They occur some 300 to 500 km above Earth's surface and are not yet fully understood.

The storm is subsiding now. Nevertheless, high-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras as Earth's magnetic field continues to reverberate from the CME impact.

http://wattsupwiththat.com/2011/10/24/big-cme-hits-earth-low-latitude-auroras-possible/
http://www.spaceweather.com/

 

[MonaLittle]

People across the country reported seeing strange lights in the sky last night.

The aurora borealis occurs when electrically charged particles released by the sun's solar flares blast across space and interact with the Earth's geomagnetic field.

It was visible Monday night because of an especially powerful solar flare.

The extraordinary activity on the sun is still active, but News4's Tom Kierein says that it's impossible to predict whether we'll have another sighting Tuesday night. A clear sky and waning moon helped make the aurora borealis more visible.

Seeing the aurora borealis is on my bucket list, and here I could have seen it last night. If I can get a text alert for a thunderstorm, why can't I get a text alert for the aurora?

I saw them while in Europe but was not aware of last night. Not sure if I could have seen them here anyway.

Speaking of cold places, I printed out a job application from Raytheon Polar Services. I wanted to take a shift working at the South Pole. There's really nothing I'm qualified for though. I could cook... maybe.

o0o0o sounds like fun! I'll go with you. Sign me up

 

[JohnnySavage]

I saw them while in Europe but was not aware of last night. Not sure if I could have seen them here anyway.



o0o0o sounds like fun! I'll go with you. Sign me up

Can you cook? They seem to want mostly scientists and mechanical people. Which is pretty unfair, if you ask me.

My uncle worked there, and for Raytheon, for a few years.

 

[MonaLittle]

Can you cook? They seem to want mostly scientists and mechanical people. Which is pretty unfair, if you ask me.

My uncle worked there, and for Raytheon, for a few years.

Uhm, I think you know I can cook.

 

[KRCummings]

Can you cook? They seem to want mostly scientists and mechanical people. Which is pretty unfair, if you ask me.

My uncle worked there, and for Raytheon, for a few years.

I have heard that if you can supply weed they'll find a spot for you.

 

[JohnnySavage]

Uhm, I think you know I can cook.

Ok, I'll put your name on the application as well. It'll be a two-for-one deal.

 

[QueenLevitra]

It's a beautiful phenomenon. I've witnessed it several times in Ontario and Michigan.

 

[CaptainKirk]

Saw this last night while on a lunch break from work; natural light shows are always the best.

Beautiful sight; wished I had a camera with me. Don't know how well it would've worked, though; taking pictures at night is difficult, so I'm told.

 

[Disgustipated]

Speaking of cold places, I printed out a job application from Raytheon Polar Services. I wanted to take a shift working at the South Pole. There's really nothing I'm qualified for though. I could cook... maybe.

No one likes microwaved eggs, asshole.

 

[trysail]

A whole gallery of spectacular images:
http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01oct11.htm

http://spaceweather.com/aurora/images2011/24oct11/Frank-Olsen3_med.jpg
​

 

[unregistered]

 

[trysail]

I don't think you'll ever see a trysail and a johnny at the same party.

I dunno about that. Ya just never know.