Re: AstroAlert: Middle Latitude Auroral Activity Warning Issued
Unless you're absolutely 'jonesing' to see any auroral activity, the Park City apparition was a yawner. Having seen the "big one", subtle glows won't get me out of bed on a work night. Remember that time exposures will make images look a LOT more dramatic than what the unaided eye will see, though structure will tend to blur and disappear in the image. About 15 years ago, I also saw an amazing display of pillars and curtains from Big Mountain. It was a distant 2nd to the "big one", but still pretty impressive and just as rare. I would advise any beginners on the list to not expect a "Steven Spielburg" aurora from Utah, for most alerts. The really incredible ones are few and far between. That said, however, if you don't go out and look at all, you'll never see anything. Tough choice.
Here's a picture on spaceweather.com from Sept. 10 taken in Park City.
http://spaceweather.com/aurora/images2005/11sep05/Jolley1.jpg __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
--- Chuck Hards <chuckhards@yahoo.com> wrote:
I would advise any beginners on the list to not expect a "Steven Spielburg" aurora from Utah, for most alerts. The really incredible ones are few and
far between.
Very true, we don't get the curtains directly overhead. Nonetheless -
About 15 years ago, I also saw an amazing display of pillars and curtains from Big Mountain. It was a distant 2nd to the "big one", but still pretty impressive and just as rare.
You mean like this - CME 10/23/2004 Little Mtn. << http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/observed/CME200410/CME486_0...
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Or maybe looking through your binoculars and seeing 30 degree glowing spheres appearing and disappearing every 30 seconds like this - CME 2005/05/15 Little Mtn. << http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/observed/CME200505/20050515...
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Having seen the "big one", subtle glows won't get me out of bed on a work night.
Jaded, just jaded, old man. Your're probably just too tired from all that exercise you've been doing. -:)
Unless you're absolutely 'jonesing' to see any auroral activity, the Park City apparition was a yawner.
Well, I guess I must need that "fix" of watching a high-energy physics experiment going on over your head. It always seems to fascinate me. And if you are a lurker and you or your children have never seen an aurora and aren't planning to fly to Alaska in the near future - learning how to "chase" aurora in Utah is well-worth the time. It's one of those things that should be on your "gotta do before I die" list. - Canopus56(Kurt) P.S. - Observing report with more pic links 5/15/2005 http://members.csolutions.net/fisherka/astronote/observed/CME200505/CME20050... __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
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Chuck Hards