Northern Lights.........

Dave Mac wrote:Going up the Niederau two man chairlift, (as it was then), in the 70's. As we set off, the whole of the sky ahead turned green, and throughout our ride, we were treated to a multi-coloured sensational light show. As we got off the top, the sky cleared.

Fireworks Dave, Fireworks.
Or the UFO that brought you here looking for you.....

RoseR wrote:..........Has any-one seen them. I was gutted not to have seen them a couple of weeks ago. I sort of imagined that evry time it got a lot colder, I would be able to see them.........not the case. Any suggestions?

I was lucky enough during my time in the Navy to go north inside the Arctic Circle and we stopped over in Narvik. Saw the Northern Lights then. Very surreal and almost unreal kind of greeny wavy flame like light. Very difficult to describe and even TV film doesn't quite show them to the full.

I remember watching a programme just before Christmas in which Joanna Lumley went to Norway in search of the Northern Lights - apparently it had been a childhood dream of hers after seeing an illustration of the Southern Lights in a book about a penguin.

The footage was spectacular, though I'm sure even this didn't do it justice. I'd love to be able to see them for real.

About ten years ago, I was up in Northern Minnesota for a kayak event. A lot of kayakers were camping out in the car park of the centre. Friday evening a group of us had been at a bar and I was driving back along side the river to the centre. I remember remarking about the odd fog that seemed to hover above us. We pulled into the car park and as we got out of the van, I heard someone exclaim wow.

We had expected to see some shooting stars as this was peak night of the Perseid meteors in an executional year for it. What we saw was amazing. To the north were shimmering and rippling spires of light. they extended vertically from the tree tops upto about sixty degrees.

Above us and extending even to the south about twenty degrees, were throbbing clouds of light. Different patches seeming to switch on and off every few seconds. The colours were mostly mottled pinks and I think some blues.

As these clouds of light extinguished, it was possible to see the stars through the dark patches. Every few minutes, a meteor would flash through these dark gaps.

If you think that this sight would have almost surreal, then the southern ski made it totally surreal. Across the southern horizon was a huge cloud to cloud thunderstorm, as we sometimes get in the Midwest US. Lightning lit up the southern ski.

I shifted from a camp chair to a sleeping mat to relieve the ache in my neck as we sat for about two hours soaking in this once in a lifetime scene.

Apparently the Northern lights had been exceptional that night and was mentioned on the news next day. To have caught three fantastic natural phenomenon all at the same time, was a once in a lifetime event. Very tired for the races next day, but worth it.

Trencher

Sounds spectacular Trencher, I just want to see them if only the once. Maybe next year.

Lucky enough to have seen them twice. 1st time in Norway in Mar 92 right up in the artic circle in Harstaad.
2nd time was even better in Apr 96 in Fairbanks, Alaska; again inside the artic circle.
It was a totally jaw dropping moment. Driving along in a people carrier with 6 other RAF blokes. Just stopped the car and everyone of us was just looking upwards totally speachless for about 15 mins. Absolutely amazing!!
The sky was almost every colour in the rainbow. The whole sky was moving. Fantastic.
Not bragging but have also seen the Southern lights down in the Falklands. Not as spectacular but still beautiful.

If you ever see them in Bournmouth, panic - the end of the world in neigh. :shock:

Mr_Cellophane wrote:If you ever see them in Bournmouth, panic - the end of the world in neigh. :shock:

Giddy up