Northern Lights (Auroras)

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 9:11 am

I got an e-mail from my dad, he says there has been crazy solar activity and we might see the northern lights over the next two nights.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SPACE WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER IN BOULDER COLORADO ANNOUNCED A HIGH PROBABILITY OF A SIGNIFICANT GEOMAGNETIC STORM OCCURRING THURSDAY FEBRUARY 17 THROUGH SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 20.

GEOMAGNETIC STORMS USUALLY LAST 24 TO 48 HOURS… BUT SOME MAY LAST FOR MANY DAYS. GROUND TO AIR… SHIP TO SHORE… SHORTWAVE BROADCAST… AND AMATEUR RADIO ARE VULNERABLE TO DISRUPTION DURING GEOMAGNETIC STORMS. NAVIGATION SYSTEMS LIKE GPS CAN ALSO BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED. IMPACTS IN ALASKA COULD BE MODERATE WITH THIS EVENT.

If the weather conditions improve, I'll take a late night drive to get away from the city and check this out.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:12 am

There was an amazing photo of the northern lights from the other night on spaceweather.com the other day.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 17, 2011 10:23 am

Here is a story about the flare
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110217/sc ... 0217095946

Post by **Brad** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 12:21 pm

From http://www.spaceweather.com

www.spaceweather.com wrote:STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: For the third day in a row, active sunspot 1261 has unleashed a significant M-class solar flare. The latest blast at 0357 UT on August 4th registered M9.3 on the Richter Scale of Flares, almost crossing the threshold into X-territory (X-flares are the most powerful kind). The number of energetic protons around Earth has jumped nearly 100-fold as a result of this event.

The eruption propelled a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. Click on the image to view a movie of the expanding cloud recorded by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory:

Moving at an estimated speed of 1950 km/s, this CME is expected to sweep up two earlier CMEs already en route. Analysts at the GSFC Space Weather Lab say the combined cloud should reach Earth on August 5th at 13:55 UT plus or minus 7 hours: "The impact on Earth is likely to be major. The estimated maximum geomagnetic activity index level Kp is 7 (Kp ranges from 0 - 9). The flanks of the CME may also impact STEREO A, Mars and Mercury/MESSENGER." High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Thu Aug 04, 2011 2:42 pm

Good time to be at Nebraska Star Party (unfortunately, I am not this year). We had a great auroral display a couple of years ago.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Aug 06, 2011 11:25 am

Starting to see Aurora photos roll in on Facebook. Looks like there was quite the show last night!

Post by **Brad** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:15 pm

Apparently Auroras were visible in Lincoln just after 8 tonight. Also a story on Space weather.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Oct 24, 2011 8:49 pm

Brad wrote:Apparently Auroras were visible in Lincoln just after 8 tonight. Also a story on Space weather.

Just saw a photo of the lights visible in Kansas!

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:25 am

Here are couple local photographers images from last night

Tyler Burg - http://www.tonightssky.org

Mike Hollingshead - http://www.extremeinstability.com

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:36 am

I'm pretty sure that's how zombies got started.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:43 am

Big E wrote:I'm pretty sure that's how zombies got started.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Oct 26, 2011 10:28 am

Amazing Video from Kansas!

Mike Hollingshead’s (Blair, NE) Aurora account:
http://www.extremeinstability.com/2011-10-24.htm

Tyler Burg’s (Lincoln, NE) Account:
http://tonightssky.org/accounts/102411.html

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:18 pm

[youtube][/youtube]

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 7:30 pm

That's so bitchin :thumb:

S33 · Post by **S33** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:21 pm

So is this something I can see simply by stepping out onto my back patio? (faces North) I've never seen the northern lights before, but wouldn't mind getting a glimpse.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 8:51 pm

The short answer is "kinda". You would need to get out of the city lights most likely, unless you live on the northern edge of town. The nothern lights only make their way down this far south when the flare is strong enough (think x-class)

Light (haha) reading on the subject...
http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html

Post by **Brad** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 12:48 pm

Northern Lights possible tonight if the clouds clear off.

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-n ... y/21859595

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Wed Jan 08, 2014 1:57 pm

People still apparently haven't discovered screen capture software as of 2013.

[BBvideo 560,340][/BBvideo]

Post by **Brad** » Fri Sep 12, 2014 8:33 am

I'm sure everyone has seen the 7.9 Trillion Social media posts about the Northern Lights, but if you missed it, we have decent odds of seeing them tonight. However they are like tornadoes and some days when its a "sure thing" they never happen.

Two other problems, how fast the clouds clear and also we do have an almost full moon.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:03 pm

FYI, you may see Northern Lights tonight if you are north of town in a really dark area. The CME hit about 9pm Central Time tonight and so far Norther Lights have been seen as close as Minnesota.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 8:55 am

Brad wrote: Mon Oct 11, 2021 10:03 pm FYI, you may see Northern Lights tonight if you are north of town in a really dark area. The CME hit about 9pm Central Time tonight and so far Norther Lights have been seen as close as Minnesota.

They were seen in Iowa.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:23 pm

Post by **Brad** » Tue Oct 12, 2021 9:14 pm

Big E wrote: Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:23 pm

LOL

Post by **Brad** » Thu Oct 28, 2021 2:26 pm

The sun had a large eruption today, they are calling it a "Major X1 Flare". Still early but it sounds like there is a good chance to see northern lights this weekend.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Oct 31, 2021 12:55 am

Nothing Here yet. I went out tonight before the clouds rolled in.

Clouds Video:

Post by **Brad** » Wed Nov 03, 2021 9:12 pm

I'm guessing if you were north of Omaha in a clear area you might see the lights tonight or right now?

Post by **Brad** » Thu Mar 31, 2022 10:29 am

Evan Ludes (Omaha Native) was able to catch the Northern Lights last night in South Dakota. Too bad we had the clouds here...

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Fri May 10, 2024 11:42 am

Not really weather per se, but does anyone have any insights on the aurora being visible for us tonight?

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Fri May 10, 2024 11:54 am

NWS Omaha has tweeted out a fair amount. tl;dr, between 10p-4a tonight you should be able to see them if you head out of town to darker skies.

Busguy2010 · Post by **Busguy2010** » Fri May 10, 2024 11:54 am

iamjacobm wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 11:42 am Not really weather per se, but does anyone have any insights on the aurora being visible for us tonight?

None other than it's supposed to be visible as far south as Alabama, and the clouds clear out around 10. So if you were to drive out to the country, you might see them.

U R my Helix · Post by **U R my Helix** » Fri May 10, 2024 1:33 pm

almighty_tuna wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 11:54 am NWS Omaha has tweeted out a fair amount. tl;dr, between 10p-4a tonight you should be able to see them if you head out of town to darker skies.

I have fallen for this "drive out of town to see them" in the past. Nope, nada, nothing. Fool me once as they say .... Ok maby just one more time.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri May 10, 2024 2:00 pm

Used to be epic seeing them when I lived in MN. Several times I've had them directly over head and VERY vibrant. Amazing to see how they swirl around...

Post by **BRoss** » Fri May 10, 2024 2:27 pm

stormchaser wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 2:00 pm Used to be epic seeing them when I lived in MN. Several times I've had them directly over head and VERY vibrant. Amazing to see how they swirl around...

It's something I've always wanted to see. I just wish I didn't have to drive in the middle of the night to potentially see them on the horizon.

Post by **nebugeater** » Fri May 10, 2024 2:42 pm

I spent six Weeks on the Greenland Ice Cap right at the Arctic Circle in 1988. The first four weeks were 24 hours of daylight. The last two or so weeks, the sun started to set, so by the time I got off the ice, there was a little over 2.5 HR of darkness. The aurora / northern lights that I saw there during some of the last two weeks were unmatchable by anything else I have ever seen.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri May 10, 2024 3:04 pm

nebugeater wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 2:42 pm I spent six Weeks on the Greenland Ice Cap right at the Arctic Circle in 1988. The first four weeks were 24 hours of daylight. The last two or so weeks, the sun started to set, so by the time I got off the ice, there was a little over 2.5 HR of darkness. The aurora / northern lights that I saw there during some of the last two weeks were unmatchable by anything else I have ever seen.

I bet they were amazing!

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri May 10, 2024 3:58 pm

For anyone wondering, the scattered cloud cover is expected to burn off by around 7 PM this evening - or in plenty of time to see the northern lights assuming they will be visible (which they should be).

Below is an animation showing the cloud cover (in blue) from now into the overnight and it being gone in our area well before sunset.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Fri May 10, 2024 6:42 pm

'Very rare' solar storm could make northern lights visible in Nebraska, Iowa this weekend

Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? In this part of the country? Can you see it?

Post by **BRoss** » Fri May 10, 2024 7:09 pm

Coyote wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 6:42 pm Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? In this part of the country? Can you see it?

No.

Post by **BRoss** » Fri May 10, 2024 7:19 pm

Does anyone think it would be worth it to go towards the north end of highway 31 around highway 30?

According to Dark Site Finder, it's still the 5th brightest (orange - which isn't great) with yellow just a bit further north.

stormchaser · Post by **stormchaser** » Fri May 10, 2024 7:55 pm

BRoss wrote: Fri May 10, 2024 7:19 pm Does anyone think it would be worth it to go towards the north end of highway 31 around highway 30?

According to Dark Site Finder, it's still the 5th brightest (orange - which isn't great) with yellow just a bit further north.

I’d maybe head east into southwest IA for the least light pollution you’ll probably find somewhat close to here (depending on how far you want to go) based on this anyway - https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/#zoo ... kiOjg1fQ==