Anybody gonna try to see northern lights tonight?

[ilikegunspdx]

Latest forecast is saying they might be visible around 2am. But it's only a forecast. If u happen to stay up late take a look before you go to bed if u are in northern areas. Prediction is for kp index of 7 which means if u are yellow line or northward you have a chance of seeing them. But thats only a prediction and it may not get to 7 tonight. Probably will have to be away from city lights to see them. See light pollution map here

3 hour forecast here. Look at bar to the far right to see most current forecast. Keep in mind its only a forecast and tells you if you have chance to see them not will u see them.

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[ilikegunspdx]

11pm update of the 3 hour forecast shows kp index at only 3. So likely not happening tonight (Needs to be around 7).

 

[Xaevian]

No dice at my place.

 

[gryghin]

Thanks for sharing this. We drove out to the gorge... it was crowded. Drive back to the Westside.

 

[parallax]

will try tonight , with night vision, maybe that will help.
I was on the H.F. radio yesterday talking to alot of people. new york, texas, michigan, hawaii, mexico..conditions were amazing, The solar flare was supposed to disrupt H.F. from 3-30 MHZ , so i dont know why its so good right now. maybe we are into the solar cycle now, I haven't checked the schedule. If a solar flare of an adequate size were to hit the earth just right,, Ya game changer. would put us all into a world of hurt.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Thanks for sharing this. We drove out to the gorge... it was crowded. Drive back to the Westside.

Good info on traffic thx.

It looks to me like the 3 day forecast should be used only as a "heads up" to check the 3 hour forecast. The 3 hour forecast seems to be the one to watch and if it's high then you have a chance within the next few hours.

I noticed that the photos published for PDX area in 2013 and Oct 12 2021 the 3 hour forecast was in the red for several 3 hour segments in a row. Fe here are the kp numbers for oct 12, 2021 when the photo was taken that's in the local news:

And here are the kp numbers for 2013 with the date circled in green for the gorge photo in local news at that time:

Her is the link for 3 hour forecast again for reference (it's currently showing kp of 5).

Planetary K-index | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

www.swpc.noaa.gov

 

[SrMachoSolo]

I considered it... seeing the northern lights is on my bucket list.

I also enjoy astrophotography, and would have loved a chance to shoot it. Here's a favorite shot from the Geminids a couple years ago.


-Robert

 

[ilikegunspdx]

I considered it... seeing the northern lights is on my bucket list.

I also enjoy astrophotography, and would have loved a chance to shoot it. Here's a favorite shot from the Geminids a couple years ago.
View attachment 1062360

-Robert

Cool shot! Is that many exposures combined? What software do u use to combine exposures?

I have almost no experience with astro photography but like to photo wildlife and poeple sometimes. FYI I found this guide about how to shoot the northern lights I was going to use it the other night but the storm was too weak:

How to Photograph Northern Lights – Best Settings and Tips

Best settings to photograph the Northern Lights: Aperture f/2.8, ISO 3200-8000, Shutter speed 1-12 seconds. Capture the Aurora like a PRO!

capturetheatlas.com

My big issue I ran into when trying to shoot that comet last year was the wind moving the camera. So this year I bought a used heavy duty surveying tripod for like $40 on Craigslist so I will give that a try. Ridiculously heavy but it should be more sturdy than a $1000 photography tripod I would think and I use so rarely the heavy weight is no big deal.

 

[PaulF]

Cool shot! Is that many exposures combined? What software do u use to combine exposures?

I have almost no experience with astro photography but like to photo wildlife and poeple sometimes. FYI I found this guide about how to shoot the northern lights I was going to use it the other night but the storm was too weak:

How to Photograph Northern Lights – Best Settings and Tips

Best settings to photograph the Northern Lights: Aperture f/2.8, ISO 3200-8000, Shutter speed 1-12 seconds. Capture the Aurora like a PRO!

capturetheatlas.com

My big issue I ran into when trying to shoot that comet last year was the wind moving the camera. So this year I bought a used heavy duty surveying tripod for like $40 on Craigslist so I will give that a try. Ridiculously heavy but it should be more sturdy than a $1000 photography tripod I would think and I use so rarely the heavy weight is no big deal.

$1,000 tripod?

Do you know how much ammo you could buy for $1,000?

 

[gryghin]

$1,000 tripod?

Do you know how much ammo you could buy for $1,000?

Covid prices?... 500 rds

Bwahaha

 

[ilikegunspdx]

$1,000 tripod?

Do you know how much ammo you could buy for $1,000?

I've been told by several old schoolers that at a minimum u need a $1000 tripod and $600 gimbal in order to shoot wildlife (that's before any $ on camera and lens). It's total hogwash imo. I have shot wildlife for years with no tripod at all and my pics are arguably better than those same people who said this BS (I mean for wildlife, can't speak for astro where it seems like a stable tripod may be critical). Myths that are based on old technology are passed on and die hard even though technology or manufacturing may have changed in the meantime. There is a similar one about gun scopes.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

Heads up if by some miracle ur area has clear weather. The kp index is 7 right now!

 

[Xaevian]

Dang it, been cloudy all day.


Edited to add, mostly cloudy per my weather app.

 

[teflon6string]

We've gone out looking a few times over the past few years when things about solar GM storms appear in the news. Never saw them yet in Oregon or Washington. Like SrMachoSolo, seeing them is a bucket list item for Mrs. Teflon and me. So we'll probably end up taking a trip to Antarctica to catch southern lights and penguins. Double Whammy!!

 

[SonicBlue03]

If you've not seen them and you're not going to find yourself ever in states that see them on the regular, consider making the effort. Some of my coolest memories of Alaska were walking down the gravel driveway out to the main road and watching the lights dance over downtown Peters Creek.

 

[Ferryman]

I have a black light poster featuring Nazareth's Hair of the Dog album I got back in the 70's. Gonna find me some wacky tobacky and call it good enough....

 

[ilikegunspdx]

We've gone out looking a few times over the past few years when things about solar GM storms appear in the news. Never saw them yet in Oregon or Washington. Like SrMachoSolo, seeing them is a bucket list item for Mrs. Teflon and me. So we'll probably end up taking a trip to Antarctica to catch southern lights and penguins. Double Whammy!!

From all that I have read ignore the news except as a reminder to check the 3 hour forecast for the days around that time.

Sounds to me that only things that matters as far as a chance to see them are (1) k index # - see above posts, (2) weather, (3) how dark viewing area is - see above link for light pollution map, also I suppose this includes how bright moon is.

As a case in point the news and even NOAA 3 day forecast predicted a strong event the day this thread was started but the 3 hour forecast never showed it (because it didn't arrive as strong as they expected).

So the 3 hour forecast is the main tool imo. K = 9 (very rare) u are in like Flynn, k =7 you have a chance. Low k value = ignore. (Adjust for where u live according to the map posted above)

 

[teflon6string]

From all that I have read ignore the news except as a reminder to check the 3 hour forecast for the days around that time.

Sounds to me that only things that matters as far as a chance to see them are (1) k index # - see above posts, (2) weather, (3) how dark viewing area is - see above link for light pollution map, also I suppose this includes how bright moon is.

As a case in point the news and even NOAA 3 day forecast predicted a strong event the day this thread was started but the 3 hour forecast never showed it (because it didn't arrive as strong as they expected).

So the 3 hour forecast is the main tool imo. K = 9 (very rare) u are in like Flynn, k =7 you have a chance. Low k value = ignore. (Adjust for where u live according to the map posted above)

It was hardly a big deal to venture outside and look north in the dark (something we do routinely from the back deck several times a year). We just didn't want to wake up on the morning after a gorgeous clear night and find out we'd missed the Aurora Borealis event of the century. It was a beautiful night, and we enjoyed all the stars using binoculars, specifically the Milky Way. Regardless of how credible the "news"/NOAA source might seem to be (or not), we will continue to enjoy gazing at the heavens when there is the slightest chance we might see something unique.

 

[ilikegunspdx]

It was hardly a big deal to venture outside and look north in the dark (something we do routinely from the back deck several times a year). We just didn't want to wake up on the morning after a gorgeous clear night and find out we'd missed the Aurora Borealis event of the century. It was a beautiful night, and we enjoyed all the stars using binoculars, specifically the Milky Way. Regardless of how credible the "news"/NOAA source might seem to be (or not), we will continue to enjoy gazing at the heavens when there is the slightest chance we might see something unique.

It's too bad there was rain last night. The k index was 7 for quite along time. Back down to 2 now unfortunately.

 

[Xaevian]

It cleared up quite a bit around me, but still with some northerly cloud cover around 12am, but still didn't see anything.