BajaNomad - Northern Lights

Northern Lights

bajadave1 - 12-14-2006 at 02:47 AM

I was wondering if anyone has ever seen the northern lights in Baja. I've seen them at Latitude 40 N. Very pretty & interesting.

Does anyone know how far south the effect can be seen?

Also will the aluminum foil work better on top of my safety hat?

:lol:

Dave

Bruce R Leech - 12-14-2006 at 07:10 AM

I don't want to be around for the soler event that would bring the northern lights to Baja :lol:

Cypress - 12-14-2006 at 09:02 AM

Saw 'em down in Mississippi once.

tunaeater - 12-14-2006 at 10:55 AM

I seen them in San Felipe one night. We were wondering if it was the Pacifico beer or maybe the firewood that was causing us to see these. The tide was out and the orange sky reflected out in the tide flats. It was an awesome sight for sure.

David K - 12-14-2006 at 11:17 AM

YES, while camping with friends on Shell Island... Freaked us out! It was in 1980 or '81... Red glowing... We had no idea it was the A.B., a space shuttle was up and we wondered if it was an atmospheric experiment...?

DanO - 12-14-2006 at 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajadave1

Also will the aluminum foil work better on top of my safety hat?

:lol:

Absolutely.

Karyn Ivie - 12-14-2006 at 04:52 PM

They rippled green with a wonderous sheen,
they fluttered out like a fan;
They spread the blaze of rose-pink rays
never yet seen of man.
They writhed like a brood of angry snakes,
hissing and sulphur pale;
Then swift they changed to a dragon vast,
lashing a cloven tale.
...............From `The Ballad of the Northern Lights' by Robert Service

I hope to see them tonight from Northeastern Colorado

Bruce R Leech - 12-14-2006 at 07:29 PM

Karyn can you see them there in Colorado :?:

astrobaja - 12-14-2006 at 07:48 PM

Dave,

Its pretty unusual to see them as far south as Baja but it does happen now and again when the solar event is large and energetic enough. Like the coronal mass ejection of the other day, its basically a big flare on the sun that gets detached and the charged particles hurtle towards us. Usually one to 2 days later the particles collide with the Earths magnetic field and we get an auroral display. Check out this website the level is pegged tonight so its a possiblity far southerners could see something!

http://sec.noaa.gov/pmap/

Not for us here in the great white north its cloudy yet again in Ontario! :no:

--good luck

Astro

astrobaja - 12-14-2006 at 07:49 PM

Heres a pic Itook back in 03 of a moderate aurora

--Astro

auroraMay21_03.jpg - 24kB

astrobaja - 12-14-2006 at 07:56 PM

Hi all,

Another good link which showsd a small animated clip of the Solar event form the soho observatory:

http://www.spaceweather.com/

Astro

Karyn Ivie - 12-14-2006 at 09:31 PM

Yes, they are here, I just saw them on the news. Haven't been able to see them at my house yet, but I have been waiting for the xmas lights to go out so it is darker. The ppictures on the news showed green gold and yellow, and they were fairly high in the sky. You might be able to see them in Baja, just get a clear unobstructed view of the North Sky.

btbaja9 - 12-14-2006 at 10:05 PM

I know it's crazy. Yes, I have seen them once in Baja. I lived in Alaska for 10 years and couldn't mistake 'em. weak though. I have always been afraid to tell... yes, you can see them there, no moon though.
BYE...