How do you go to aurora borealis?

Answer 1

Where the northern lights are depends on the position on an oval on the top of the earth. This oval moves through the day and night due to magnetic sentres in the earth. Most northern light research is done in Norway, and this is probably the best place to see it. But it can also be spotted in places like Alaska and norhern Russia.

The next norther light high is expected to be in 2013. So if one visits northern Norway one cold and clear winter night in 2013, you will mosy likely see it.

Answer 2

The "where" is generally (here in March 2012) anyplace north of latitude 50 degrees north, and the "when" is "most nights". Auroras are sometimes difficult to predict, because they are an effect of the interaction of the Earth's magnetic field and the "solar wind" from the Sun. Charged particles from the Sun crash into the Earth's magnetic field in the high, thin air of the ionosphere to form God's own neon light show.

You can check out spaceweather.com to see an up-to-date forecast of potential auroras, and a lovely gallery of aurora photos.

More generally, the auroras are more likely during the higher part of the 11-year sunspot cycle, and are MUCH more likely shortly after a large solar flare or coronal mass ejection (CME). We're currently in year 3 of this cycle, and we expect it to peak probably in mid-2013. There have been a number of fairly large flares, and CMEs that were Earth-directed.

Answer 3

Fall seems to be the best season, but the northern lights (or Aurora Borealis) are more dependent on the Sun's 11-year solar cycle. Right now (November 2008) the Sun is at the Solar Minimum, at the least active part of the cycle. Significant solar activity is rare, and few auroras are visible, except occasionally in the Arctic regions.

Answer 4

I don't know what you are looking for, but the reason a fluorescent tube lights is not unlike how the atmosphere lights. A disconnected tube, given a static charge, will glow. If you have one of the old tube TV sets, the kind that gets static electricity on the screen when you turn it off, you can often light a bulb by holding the metal prongs near the TV set's screen.

Answer 5

One very good way to predict the aurora borealis is using the cycles, like the 11 year cycle which makes an increase in the number of sunspots on the sun. Another cycle is the 27 day cycle with the solar wind. The KP-index numbers are a big thing, they tell you weather you will have a high or low chance of seeing the aurora borealis.

Answer 6

The Northern Lights are determined by activity on the sun that creates outbursts that send electrically charged particles towards the Earth. When they hit the atmosphere they create the Northern Lights and Southern Lights. It is easier to see them in winter because of the long dark nights, but they can be seen at any time of the year, but especially when there is a higher level of activity on the sun.

Answer 7

The aurora borealis are the "northern lights", which are like a giant natural neon light in the sky. They are caused by geomagnetic storms when a solar flare launches a "coronal mass ejection" toward the Earth.

Auroras are typically seen in more northern latitudes such as Canada or the northern tier of states in the USA, or in northern Europe (Norway, Sweden or Finland). However, during more severe magnetic storms, auroras have been seen as far south as Italy or Florida.

Geomagnetic storms and auroras are difficult to predict, so it's a matter of luck seeing them during a short visit up north.

You can see the aurora gallery at www. [See related Links]

Answer 8

Northern lights happen all year long. They used to be unpredictable, but now we can measure the solar winds from the sun, and since these winds create the NL, we can determine when the best times for viewing them are.

They are easiest to see at night closer to the north pole. Don't expect to always see curtain like lights, because most sightings look like greenish clouds.

Answer 9

Yes, sometimes. The Northern Lights were last visible in Washington state last Monday, on June 18, 2012.

The northern lights, also known as the aurora borealis, are caused by the interaction of charged particles from the Sun with the Earth's magnetic field. You can think of it as God's own neon lights in the sky; the basic principle is similar. While auroras are normally thought of as limited to polar regions, periods of high solar flare activity sometimes push auroras south into the middle latitudes.

During the "Carrington Event" solar storm of 1859, auroras were visible as far south as Florida and Cuba!

Answer 10

In the northern latitudes (around the north magnetic pole). The Related Links section has a link to a page about the northern lights showing where it tends to occur. There is a southern version (aurora australis) as well, but it's generally only visible from Antarctica. At times of high activity it's possible to see it a greater distance from the poles but it's relatively rare.