Comments on: The Northern Lights meet the Mason-Dixon http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Fri, 24 May 2013 11:45:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: origilla http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1253432 origilla Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:53:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1253432 I'm in south-central Kansas and noticed a red haze glowing over what is sparsely inhabited farmland.  I couldn't figure out what it was.  Guess this answers that question.  Neato! I’m in south-central Kansas and noticed a red haze glowing over what is sparsely inhabited farmland.  I couldn’t figure out what it was.  Guess this answers that question.  Neato!

]]> By: Sparg Otyebat http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1253373 Sparg Otyebat Wed, 26 Oct 2011 13:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1253373 Best time I've seen the lights was the first time about 25 years ago.  Some buds and I were cruising the country roads of upstate NY in the Helderberg Mountains area, an area devoid of major light pollution.  We were drinking and dropped acid about 15 minutes before, then stopped in the middle of the road for a piss break.  I was leaning back, enjoying it when I saw the crimson in the sky.  "Man, this is good acid!"  My buddies laughed at me and explained to this southron about the aurorae.  I saw them again years later near St. Louis.  My nephew came and got me saying, "The sky's on fire!!" Best time I’ve seen the lights was the first time about 25 years ago.  Some buds and I were cruising the country roads of upstate NY in the Helderberg Mountains area, an area devoid of major light pollution.  We were drinking and dropped acid about 15 minutes before, then stopped in the middle of the road for a piss break.  I was leaning back, enjoying it when I saw the crimson in the sky.  “Man, this is good acid!”  My buddies laughed at me and explained to this southron about the aurorae.  I saw them again years later near St. Louis.  My nephew came and got me saying, “The sky’s on fire!!”

]]> By: rattypilgrim http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1253213 rattypilgrim Wed, 26 Oct 2011 05:52:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1253213 I've seen it several times during the 10 hour flight from SFO to CDG sitting on the north side of the plane  in mid October. The colors weren't as spectacular as these photos. It's more like a continuously melting length of curtains. Enough to keep you awake all night which is why I always choose a window seat. I’ve seen it several times during the 10 hour flight from SFO to CDG sitting on the north side of the plane  in mid October. The colors weren’t as spectacular as these photos. It’s more like a continuously melting length of curtains. Enough to keep you awake all night which is why I always choose a window seat.

]]> By: Spieguh http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1253007 Spieguh Tue, 25 Oct 2011 23:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1253007 To an extent, yes, since they're based on sun activity. The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a pretty good one: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast To an extent, yes, since they’re based on sun activity. The University of Alaska Fairbanks has a pretty good one: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast

]]> By: MrWoods http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252969 MrWoods Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:19:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252969 Are these things Predictable?  I've always wanted to see one, but I need to plan to escape the city ahead of time. Are these things Predictable?  I’ve always wanted to see one, but I need to plan to escape the city ahead of time.

]]> By: edselpdx http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252948 edselpdx Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252948 Best aurora I ever saw was in about 1987 while camping at Lost Maples in Central TX. Long before the intertubes and cellphones, so we had no idea what it was. We actually surmised that perhaps it was nuclear bombs destroying San Antonio. Didn't find out what it was until we emerged from the woods a few days later and someone asked us if we'd seen the aurora. Best aurora I ever saw was in about 1987 while camping at Lost Maples in Central TX. Long before the intertubes and cellphones, so we had no idea what it was. We actually surmised that perhaps it was nuclear bombs destroying San Antonio. Didn’t find out what it was until we emerged from the woods a few days later and someone asked us if we’d seen the aurora.

]]> By: TimRowledge http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252893 TimRowledge Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252893 T'ain't no aurora, it's them True Christians(™) being' raptured! T’ain’t no aurora, it’s them True Christians(™) being’ raptured!

]]> By: Private Private http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252833 Private Private Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252833 Best Northern Lights I've ever seen were in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada - which is very near north shore of Lake Erie and quite a bit further south than you would expect for an aurora. Full colour psychedelia spanning half the sky. Amazing. Second best - while skinny-dipping on Kits Beach in Vancouver, after the fireworks. The aurora came up over the North Shore Mountains and between that and some fantastic BC bud, I'm pretty sure I achieved enlightenment. Fuck, I miss Vancouver. Best Northern Lights I’ve ever seen were in St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada – which is very near north shore of Lake Erie and quite a bit further south than you would expect for an aurora. Full colour psychedelia spanning half the sky. Amazing.

Second best – while skinny-dipping on Kits Beach in Vancouver, after the fireworks. The aurora came up over the North Shore Mountains and between that and some fantastic BC bud, I’m pretty sure I achieved enlightenment. Fuck, I miss Vancouver.

]]> By: jmcgarry http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252803 jmcgarry Tue, 25 Oct 2011 20:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252803 I missed it by minutes. By the time I got to Twitter to see the news and outside it was too late. I missed it by minutes. By the time I got to Twitter to see the news and outside it was too late.

]]> By: Christopher http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252780 Christopher Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252780 According to the date of the one taken in Arkansas (Arkansas! Really!) it was taken just yesterday. So why didn't I, in Tennessee, get to see such a spectacular aurora? I'm sure there are several reasons. Oh well, I guess I just have to take off to the great white north. Not that I'd mind. I've often said that if someone grabbed me and said, "Would you like to fly off to Suriname right now?" I'd say, "Let me get my toothbrush." We'd probably be somewhere over Guatemala before I thought to ask, "By the way, who are you?" Unfortunately it's finding the time and money to indulge my wanderlust that's the problem. According to the date of the one taken in Arkansas (Arkansas! Really!) it was taken just yesterday. So why didn’t I, in Tennessee, get to see such a spectacular aurora? I’m sure there are several reasons. Oh well, I guess I just have to take off to the great white north. Not that I’d mind. I’ve often said that if someone grabbed me and said, “Would you like to fly off to Suriname right now?” I’d say, “Let me get my toothbrush.” We’d probably be somewhere over Guatemala before I thought to ask, “By the way, who are you?”

Unfortunately it’s finding the time and money to indulge my wanderlust that’s the problem.

]]> By: Spieguh http://boingboing.net/2011/10/25/the-northern-lights-meet-the-mason-dixon.html#comment-1252773 Spieguh Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:40:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=125924#comment-1252773 Curses! It was cloudy and raining all night in my little piece of Alaska. I'm far enough south in the state that we only get good displays a few times a year, and clouds, midnight sun or even a full moon cuts down even those few. Last night's display looks like it was amaziballs! This is from a display this past April: http://instantaneousinstances.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/aurora.jpg Curses! It was cloudy and raining all night in my little piece of Alaska. I’m far enough south in the state that we only get good displays a few times a year, and clouds, midnight sun or even a full moon cuts down even those few. Last night’s display looks like it was amaziballs!

This is from a display this past April: http://instantaneousinstances.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/aurora.jpg

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