Photographs of the aurora borealis can't really convey what it's like to be sitting in the woods, staring at a black, perfectly normal sky and suddenly begin to see quivering green tracers slither across it. The photos are proof that we're not just all tripping balls up here in the northerly latitudes, but if what you really want is the experience—or something resembling it—the Canadian Space Agency can help.
Their AuroraMax Live project* turns a camera on the skies above Yellowknife, Northwest Territories and sends the resulting images direct to your portal on the Intertubes. Right now, I'm looking at it, and all I see is an inky, star-speckled night, ringed by a few trees. But, frankly, not seeing auroras on demand is part of the experience. If you want to improve your chances of catching them, try checking around midnight, Mountain Time, or you can read the aurora forecasts. (Live filming starts at 10:00 p.m., Mountain, and video from the previous night replays starting at 10:00 am.)
If you want to be a lousy cheater, there's also a sped up montage from the previous night that you can view on the AuroraMax Gallery page.
The webcam will be active for five years, centered around 2013, when the current 11-year cycle of sunspot activity is expected to reach it's peak.
Via Wired, and Submitterated by Jen
*Maybe this is my lack of sleep talking, but I find the loop of nighttime forest sounds that plays on the home page of this site really rather soothing. It's missing a loon, though.
Gav of The Slow Mo Guys demonstrates the visually amazing moment where 2000° thermite lands in a tank of 20° water.
Aerogel, the synthetic material made of about 1% microporous silica and 99% air, has extremely low density, extremely low thermal conductivity, and extremely low chances of turning out OK when made in a home lab. It took YouTuber NileRed many months of trial and error.
Scientists “accidentally created” a spiky-snouted hybrid of the Russian sturgeons and American paddlefish, which we are assured “shouldn’t have been possible.” Hungarian scientists announced in May in the journal Genes that they had accidentally created a hybrid of the two endangered species, which they have dubbed the “sturddlefish.” There are about 100 of the hybrids […]
When you used to walk through any office you would likely spot a few bobbleheads. These wobbly figurines are great fun to have around, although most celebrate people we will never meet. For something a little more personal, try Handmade Custom Bobbleheads. These mini caricatures are sculpted and painted by skilled artisans, based on any photo […]
Most people enjoy having items on their desks that convey a taste of who they are and what they’re about to visitors. Under those circumstances, could there possibly be a greater flex to show off all of your galactic ambitions than having the entire solar system on exhibit right on your desktop? Even if you […]
This may sound a bit odd coming from such a tech-heavy haven as Boing Boing, but…have you ever thought about gardening? Don’t laugh. The groundedness and feeling of accomplishment that comes from growing something that you planted is powerful, particularly in our current situation. There’s a natural beauty in watching another living thing find purchase […]
