Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights

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GerryD

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Gerald Davies
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TO any tp's living in Scotland or anyone else who knows the answer, when is the best time to see the Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights? And where to see it with out leaving mainland Britain?

Cheers
 
Living in Inverness, I've never seen them. They're on the list though :)
 
I'm a member of Aurora watch at Lancaster university.

They send me an email every time that the lights are visible in the UK, and the best place to see them.

They are often visible as far south as London.

http://www.dcs.lancs.ac.uk/iono/aurorawatch/
 
The should be getting better over the next year or two. We are moving towards a period of maximum solar activity, and we are just moving out of a period of minimum. This is something I really want to see.
 
It's visible from Finnish Lapland too! Pack your woolens and thermal undies though! Brrr!

Have a butchers:

Clicky Here
 
I saw them from northern Skye one early September. I was so excited I told the hostel owner who said "Aye yees, I saw them just now when I put out the dawg ..."

Made me think they're not uncommon up there. I read somewhere late summer is a good time. :)

I was on the Lancs University mailing list but haven't had anything from them for ages. Is it still active?
 
There's a book called "THE AURORA - An introduction for Observers and Photographers" by Jim Henderson and John MacNicol.

JH is the photographer and he lives in Aberdeenshire. Most of the pics are taken there. They should be equally visible in Inverness. I think in UK the further north the better; I've seen them twice in Wales.

Sometimes when you get a good display "down south" it makes the national news, and you think "why was I sitting there doing whatever when that was happening up there above me.....:bonk:"
 
dougdarter said:
I'm a member of Aurora watch at Lancaster university.

They send me an email every time that the lights are visible in the UK, and the best place to see them.

They are often visible as far south as London.

http://www.dcs.lancs.ac.uk/iono/aurorawatch/
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This is the same site I use to monitor the activity. The problem with relying their emails is that it doesn't always give you enough time to get to a good spot. But by monitoring the activity you should be able to see where and when the lights might happen.

I live in Gateshead and have managed to capture the lights on 2 occasions just west of Newcastle purely by monitoring the dcs lancs site.

As has already been mentioned we are just coming out of a solar minimum and heading towards maximum so you wont get much activity for a little while but it will improve.

Here's a link to the pictures I got :)
http://www.chunshine.biz/Northern%20Lights/album/index.html
 
I used to subscribe to their email service but the mails always seemed to arrive a day late which was a bit pointless though probably not their fault.
 
Nice link to the Finnish website there. Thanks whoever it was (forgotten already! Sorry)

I thought the Aurora was more coloured, I didn't realise it was so green. Something I would love to see one day, not necessarily photograph, but just to experience. My sister lives on the top end of Skye and she often sees them. I was going to say September too - also when the best sunsets occur up there!
 
Lensflare said:
I thought the Aurora was more coloured, I didn't realise it was so green.
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The commonest colour down here apparently is a very pale green. It's so pale it appears to be almost white.

Photographs of the aurora tend to saturate the colours because of the long exposures needed.:)
 
Cheers all for your replies, I'd forgotten about this thread :$. Looks like its a case of some late nights while up in Scotland and a little bit of luck. I don't know how far north I'll be going but Skye seems to be a popular place to see the aurora from and good is a good place for togging anyway, so this might be a detour on the trip :)

chewyuk said:
You been watching local hero on 4 Films :)
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Whats a TV, not got one in the caravanGoing round uk for a while Chewy.

dougdarter said:
I'm a member of Aurora watch at Lancaster university.

They send me an email every time that the lights are visible in the UK, and the best place to see them.

They are often visible as far south as London.

http://www.dcs.lancs.ac.uk/iono/aurorawatch/
Click to expand...

Cheers, Already signed up :thumbs:

Steep said:
Living in Inverness, I've never seen them. They're on the list though :)
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Hopefully we'll b in luck this September :)

jgs001 said:
The should be getting better over the next year or two. We are moving towards a period of maximum solar activity, and we are just moving out of a period of minimum. This is something I really want to see.
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I've wanted to see them for years to, hopefully I'll get a chance soon

Tomas Whitehouse said:
It's visible from Finnish Lapland too! Pack your woolens and thermal undies though! Brrr!

Have a butchers:

Clicky Here
Click to expand...

Cheers Tomas, checked ot already. Sry Finlands a little far away :(

stan the man said:
i don't think gerald has a TV in his caravan to watch any programmes :lol:

not oop there already are ya gerald :eek:
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Spot on stand about the tv, not missing it either, and won't be oop there for a few more weeks.
 
I think midwinter is best for the aurora with the long nights and clear seeing. I got this one a few years ago over my house.


aurora.jpg
 
thanks eyeofskye, nice picture. Its good to see that the lights could appear at any time :)
 
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