CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

"Serious Aurora Warning"

(33 posts)
  • Started 11 years ago by Wilmington's Cow
  • Latest reply from EddieD

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  1. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    There are a few places I keep an eye on aurora warnings, so I was genned up even before Stargazing Live confirmed it (Hah! Take that Prof Cox!).

    Some serious activity hit our atmosphere at something like 8 this morning, which could lead to some aurora activity that is visible as far south as Manchester tonight and tomorrow night. Which means there's a good chance of a light show in Edinburgh (or more likely a little outside). AND, for once, the sky is forecast to be clear.

    I'm planning on heading out to the bridge over the Dalkeith bypass at the top of the hill and trying for an ambitious photo with the lights of Edinburgh, the aurora above, and some car light trails in the foreground... There were a couple of stunning images last year of the aurora over Arthur's Seat.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  2. dg145
    Member

    What time is likely to be the best for this tonight?

    Posted 11 years ago #

  3. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    The darker the better, and pretty much in the middle of the dark period, as (this was explained on Stargazing last night) the magetic field shifts on the light and dark sides of the earth, and the aurora oval reaches further south during the night. So if sunset is about 4pm, and sunride about 8am, then I'd imagine the best time would be about midnight.

    Probably just a faint green glow (which long exposures on the camera can make look more dramatic); but possibly something more visible (even through the light pollution of the city).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  4. EddieD
    Member

    If you want to know anything about aurorae in the UK, go to

    http://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/

    I've seen many, thanks to these guys (they send me texts and emails), and the more hits they get, the longer the site will remain...

    Nothing too noticeable at the moment though

    Posted 11 years ago #

  5. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Yep, that's probably the best site for the UK.

    There's a guy on Twitter that's good to follow as well, something like @Astrogazer, I should dig out the proper name.

    And there's a FB page by a guy in Glendale on Skye who is out almost every night looking for, and getting, some fab photos.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  6. Coxy
    Member

    I've got the Solar Monitor app on the iphone:
    https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/solar-monitor/id335189604?mt=8

    Makes a nice noise to let you know when there's been a flare too.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  7. Coxy
    Member

    http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/pmapN.html

    kp index is 6 at the mo. Usually needs to be a 7 to be visible from central Scotland. You can see from the map that the most activity is away from the direction of the sun, so midnight is usually best.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  8. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Ooh, interesting, thanks for that Coxy.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  9. minus six
    Member

    best recent aurora

    http://spaceweathergallery.com/index.php?title=aurora&title2=lights

    Posted 11 years ago #

  10. minus six
    Member

    My top tip for aurora spotting

    Get a return flight with Norwegian airlines from Edinburgh to Kiruna (about £110 each way) tuesday or thursdays.

    Then get train from Kiruna to Abisko National Park (takes an hour, £14)

    And bob's yer uncle.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  11. Coxy
    Member

    Here's a good link to a live webcam in lapland:
    http://www.auroraskystation.com/live-camera/9/

    Posted 11 years ago #

  12. Charterhall
    Member

    I'll try to remember to look out tonight. But midnight is far too past my bedtime !

    Posted 11 years ago #

  13. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Have to admit the aurora are one of the main reasons I want to visit Tromso (as well as Svalbard, though that's also for the polar bears).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  14. minus six
    Member

    @wc

    For Tromso, since you drive you are best hiring your own transport and heading out to Kvaløya in the evenings, or inland to the Skibotn valley. The campsite in Tromso is £15 per night.

    Been to Svalbard twice. You need to hire a pistol if you're going a-wandering out of Longyearbyen.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  15. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    Thanks for the heads-up @WC. I missed last night's episode but my wife said that Chris Hadfield described space-walking through an aurora so I must watch it on iPlayer.

    Dara O'Brian seems a bit less shouty this year.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  16. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    "Been to Svalbard twice" Is it worth it? It's quite high on my 'list'.

    Chris Hadfield just comes across as the nicest, wisest man every time I see him on television. The chap from Apollo 11 was brilliant value as well - definitely worth the iPlayer time.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  17. minus six
    Member

    It depends on when you go, and what you plan to do.

    You won't see walruses on the coastline unless you go to the north of Spitsbergen, so that's either by kayak or boat.

    Polar bears you might come across if you are hiking about on the glacier behind Longyearbyen, or the valleys. Or on the coastline up above 80 degress north, as with the walruses.

    But lets face it, do you really want to? As exciting as it sounds, I'm kinda glad I never bumped into one.

    http://www.spitsbergentravel.com/Start/Equipment/Weapon-rental/

    http://www.visitnorway.com/uk/Where-to-go-uk/North/Svalbard/What-to-do-on-Svalbard/

    Posted 11 years ago #

  18. minus six
    Member

    Tromso all-sky camera

    http://polaris.nipr.ac.jp/~acaurora/aurora/Tromso/

    Posted 11 years ago #

  19. allebong
    Member

    Going to head up Corstorphine Hill in a wee bit to try for some photos. It's the closest moderately dark place to me. Bonaly would be better but I think I lack the energy for the climb up there.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  20. amir
    Member

    Just been out on the road near Cousland but saw nowt

    Posted 11 years ago #

  21. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Reports of activity building, but no aurora yet. I'm holding out till 11ish before heading out (unless the reports of sightings start streaming in).

    Posted 11 years ago #

  22. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    @VirtualAstro is the guy on Twitter to follow.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  23. Cyclingmollie
    Member

    We also went up to Cousland and saw nothing. Good stargazing though.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  24. PS
    Member

    Without wanting to piss on anyone's chips, I'd just say that a couple of guys I follow on Twitter are getting depressed about low KPs tonight. When one said "KP's dropped" I thought he had the inside line on the England cricket team, but it turned out he was talking about the predicted planetary geomagnetic activity index.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  25. allebong
    Member

    piss on anyone's chips

    Well this expression is news to me if nothing else!

    From a preliminary lean out my bedroom window I am able to see very little beside the glare from a nearby lamp-post. Not sure if I really have the motivation to go out now. Tomorrow evening I'll be down in Dumfries + Galloway at a place with a proper countryside dark sky so hopefully it'll last till then.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  26. wingpig
    Member

    My nearest accessible unpolluted-to-the-north place is probably the bit of shore just off Marine Esplanade. Shall probably trundle out after Charlie Brooker at 22:00.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  27. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Yeah, looking more unlikely tonight. The forecast was for the two nights, so fingers still crossed!

    Posted 11 years ago #

  28. Arellcat
    Moderator

    Just been out taking some astro photos for an hour or so. No aurorae, but I did manage some good (for me) shots of the Orion Nebula and the Andromeda galaxy.

    Posted 11 years ago #

  29. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    Allegedly activity will be high enough in 50 minutes for the aurora to be seen in Scotland...

    Posted 11 years ago #

  30. cb
    Member

    So, did anyone see anything?

    Posted 11 years ago #

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