Northern Lights

Viktor said:
Mmm...I think that might be just too far for me....it's a long drive to Durness and I wouldn't have a clue about sailings to Shetland, where to embark, or times of available sailings....I think I would have to go to Shetland with the intention of staying for at least a week, so the round trip would be a fortnight....big gamble to hope that a flare goes off that would be good enough to give a good display in time for me to get there, or hope one occurs while I'm there.....but it's a thought....would need a source of LPG in Shetland....wouldn't like to be using petrol continually too.

I'll consider it though if I can get more information about travelling and where to park up.
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At risk of being controversial (sorry to any Shetland islanders reading this) IMHO (and I've never been, so I may be VERY wrong) there are only 2 reasons to visit Shetland in the winter - the lights of Arora Borealis and the fire of Up Helly Aa - an amazing spectacle and traditional winter "viking" festival, any day now.
The usual way to Lerwick by boat is about 12 hours from Aberdeen. It is a LONG way, even from here, and not a journey for the feint hearted, if there is any wind at all.
If you are coming over, Viktor, stick to the mainland, and only come if the skies are going to be clear for days on end. East is normally best, So Wick or Thurso might be better if you are thinking of the north coast, but there are plenty of good wild spots facing north, and if there really is a chance of something good we may be able to join you.
Judging by the last week, what I have read on other sites, and my own experiences, a lot of it is chance - being in the right place at the right time with the right weather conditions.
 
X-FLARE: Departing sunspot 1402 unleashed an X2-class solar flare today, Jan. 27th, at 18:37 UT

The explosion also produced a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME): Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say the cloud raced away from the sun at 2500 km/s or 5.6 million mph. The CME is not heading toward Earth, although it is too soon to rule out some kind of glancing blow on Jan. 28-29.

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
 
magbrin said:
At risk of being controversial (sorry to any Shetland islanders reading this) IMHO (and I've never been, so I may be VERY wrong) there are only 2 reasons to visit Shetland in the winter - the lights of Arora Borealis and the fire of Up Helly Aa - an amazing spectacle and traditional winter "viking" festival, any day now.
The usual way to Lerwick by boat is about 12 hours from Aberdeen. It is a LONG way, even from here, and not a journey for the feint hearted, if there is any wind at all.
If you are coming over, Viktor, stick to the mainland, and only come if the skies are going to be clear for days on end. East is normally best, So Wick or Thurso might be better if you are thinking of the north coast, but there are plenty of good wild spots facing north, and if there really is a chance of something good we may be able to join you.
Judging by the last week, what I have read on other sites, and my own experiences, a lot of it is chance - being in the right place at the right time with the right weather conditions.
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I'm considering it...but in all honesty I would only come over under the weather conditions you have mentioned....and I'd tackle the boat journey but only if I was going to make a holiday out of it on Shetland for a week or so as well....if I decide to come over I'll post on here and we can PM any meet......meanwhile I'll watch for a couple of big flares a day apart aimed directly at Earth and clear skies forecast for 2 - 3 days in advance!
 
bigmillie said:
X-FLARE: Departing sunspot 1402 unleashed an X2-class solar flare today, Jan. 27th, at 18:37 UT

The explosion also produced a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME): Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say the cloud raced away from the sun at 2500 km/s or 5.6 million mph. The CME is not heading toward Earth, although it is too soon to rule out some kind of glancing blow on Jan. 28-29.

SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
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Update: Work by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab shows that the CME will just miss Earth when its edge passes by our planet on Jan. 30-31.
 
CHANCE OF AURORAS: NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on Jan. 30th in response to a possible glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection (CME). The CME is from last Friday's off-center X-flare. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.
 
How far north?? I think it will be clear tonight --- and what about the next two - we are planning to go out in the van for the nest couple of nights - any chance?
 
I'm going up the coast here at home as the sky may be clear, but this is a weaker possibility than Jan 23rd which was visible down as far as Northumberland (although minor).
 
Viktor said:
I'm going up the coast here at home as the sky may be clear, but this is a weaker possibility than Jan 23rd which was visible down as far as Northumberland (although minor).
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On the 23rd it was visible as far south as Saltburn by the Sea, which is about 5 miles south of Redcar on Teeside, and now in county of North Yorkshire (formerly county of Cleveland but that no longer exists), so well south of Northumberland. And I've seen the aurora spectacularly in Penrith about 10 years ago, so you may be in with a chance. Tan Hill is south of Penrith and probably about the same latitude (or is it longitude? I always get mixed up) as Teeside and they had a good view from Tan Hill last week. Good luck.
 
Well there's still plenty of Sunspot activity to come...this particular solar activity period doesn't reach it's maximum until 2013...so with luck and this period being the most active in 50 years....hopefully this time round at some point we'll all have a few good chances to see the Aurora.
 
THE CME THAT MISSED: As expected, a CME from last Friday's X-flare missed Earth on Jan. 30th. NOAA forecasters have downgraded the chances of strong polar geomagnetic storms during the next 24 hours to 1%
 
The lights

Hi Magbrin

Northern Lights do you mean Blackpool ?

Snowbirds.:yeahthat:



magbrin said:
In case anyone is out and about (away from light pollution) tonight, and the sky is clear, I believe there is a good chance of seeing the Northern Lights. Not sure how far south they would be visible but we will be on the look out - our forecast is good for the evening though not so good later on.
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