Northern Lights

[dangergirl]

Has anyone seen the northern lights in New England and if so where is the best place for viewing and where can you find out about how to see them?

 

[Tom Rankin]

Has anyone seen the northern lights in New England and if so where is the best place for viewing and where can you find out about how to see them?

Check out http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/

This can help you decide if it's worth looking for them on a given night.

Generally, you need a dark northern sky view...

 

[DougPaul]

Has anyone seen the northern lights in New England and if so where is the best place for viewing and where can you find out about how to see them?

Yes I have. From the North Conway area.

Generally, the farther north the better. Clear skies also help (no smog and light pollution).

Doug

 

[Amicus]

We have had a few spectacular displays in Freedom, in central NH. We're on a pond, and a canoe or kayak in the middle was the best vantage. I don't look for these so have no doubt missed many, but the last I saw was at least five years ago - filled the sky with technicolor flashes.

 

[jniehof]

As far north as possible (within New England--although one of the ironies of the aurora is that the really big storms push the auroral oval south, so the people who see them regularly won't necessarily see the big displays), as dark as possible, eyes as dark-adapted as possible, moonless night. Keep an eye on SpaceWeather for possible displays. We generally get a (very) rough idea 2-3 days in advance of big events.

Oh, and not right now...this has been a really deep, really prolonged solar minimum. Maybe in 5 years or so?

 

[dangergirl]

Thanks for all the info! I have some research to do!

 

[roadtripper]

I've seen a couple pictures from the summit of Mt. Washington showing the northern lights. I thought it looked more impressive that one might think for this area.

 

[Fisher Cat]

Get up into the Great North Woods. Lake Umbagog isn't too bad. When I was in my teens one night we were out hornpoutin' (not on Lake Umbagog) when the northern lights were ablaze. They were so intense we could actually hear them crackle. It was almost like someone was fryin' bacon in another room. Like, the kitchen, I suppose.

 

[NewHampshire]

Forestgnome has a rather stunning shot of the Northern Lights with Mt. Chocorua as the balcked out background.

Brian

 

[Kevin Judy and Emma]

In the right circumstances you do not need to be that far north. I have seen spectacular displays here in southern NH on at least 2 occasions. Yes, they are few and far between, but it is possible.

KDT

 

[DougPaul]

The frequency of Northern Lights depends upon the Sun's sunspot activity, which has been extremely low for the past couple of years. The next increase (toward the next max--it is an 11 year cycle) has been expected for at least a year, but seems to be taking its time getteing started...

Doug

 

[gaiagirl]

The only 2 places where I've seen really remarkable displays were both in Southern NH. First time was in Hancock, in SW New Hampshire when I was in grad school and the next time was at the Audubon preserve in Auburn right outside of Manchester.

 

[WildPeaks]

Only once. It was back in the mid 80's right here in Westford MA.
I couldn't believe how spectacular it was. The green & purple patches were very bright, and covered almost the whole sky.
I had a stiff neck the next day from looking up waaaay too long. But it was worth it. I kept on thinking of God himself painting the night sky.
Never saw it like that again, except for a couple of very faint showings.

 

[Jake]

Lk Champlain

I've seen them on numerous ocassions over the past 25 or 30 years from our camp on Lake Champlain, Essex Co. NY. Most often in the late summer thru late fall. Of course I'm not up there much in the winter.

 

[WildPeaks]

I've seen them on numerous ocassions over the past 25 or 30 years from our camp on Lake Champlain, Essex Co. NY. Most often in the late summer thru late fall. Of course I'm not up there much in the winter.

It was in the summer that time as well.
Funny. I had always thought the winter was the time to see them with more polar ice to reflect the solar flares.

 

[erugs]

I've only seen them twice. The first time was coming back from a weekend sail on the Schooner Summertime in the fall. We were leaving Buck's Harbor, heading for Route 1. I was thrilled and awed. The second time was heading up Route 95 in southern Maine on a summer's evening. The sky was so brilliant that I thought for a moment that perhaps Portland was on fire! I was stunned by the brilliance and sorry I was traveling alone that night. I tried calling a few friends/family but reached no one.

 

[DougPaul]

It was in the summer that time as well.
Funny. I had always thought the winter was the time to see them with more polar ice to reflect the solar flares.

According to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora_(astronomy), the northern lights occur most commonly from Sept to Oct and Mar to Apr.

The light is produced high above the earth and what you see is the direct light so polar ice would have little effect.

Doug

 

[brianW]

There is a cool picture of Monadnock with the northern lights at the Monadnock Park store. It was taken from the summit of Gap I believe in the fall of 04 or 05. Do not know who took it.

I rember the display very good and had my daughters outside in their pj's watching them.

 

[TCD]

The last really good display I saw was about 15 years ago. Saw it right from my driveway in Glens Falls, not even very far North. Monster, shifting columns of color just blasted through the city lights and haze. Lasted quite a while. That must have been a particularly strong display to be seen from here under those conditions.