hpucker99 Loc: Anchorage, Alaska

Here is the link to the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks aurora forecast web site

https://www.gi.alaska.edu/monitors/aurora-forecast

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

This is a good website for anyone interested in photographing the auroras. Thanks for posting that.

ralfstinson Loc: SF Bay Area

1. The Aurora happens well above earth weather and depends on the solar activity, the resultant solar 'wind' and how it interacts with the earth's magnetic field.
2. The predictions are great, but for people living/working in the lower 48, if you don't have connections/reservations, getting a good prediction is hard to act on.
3. The moon can be predicted. Daylight (or long arctic nights) can be predicted. Months in advance, weather can be estimated (number of clear nights). Do your research carefully remember that travel agency/companies will be biased.
4. Rethinking chasing the aurora: I don't think that works, but going to where there is clear skies may be a workable situation.
5. Wherever you go, you will want backup activities to fill your photographic day if the Lights don't dance.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

Just another side note: be aware that if you go far enough north you won't see any aurora. The aurora is an oval centered (roughly) on the magnetic pole. In the center of the oval, no aurora.

johneb21945

Believe it or not, when we had all the seminars on the auroras, we were told that there are always auroras. But you are correct in that the degree / intensity they appear is relative to the sunspot activity. That intensity is what translates into the colors you might see. Light intensity would generally mean a light green etc. Also, when looking for them, remember to look directly overhead, as they can appear anywhere in the sky. We had a number of people who would look only at the horizon area. Again, you need patience though.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

The colors are from atomic transitions, so they are constant. There are several different colors from different altitudes. Green is probably the main color and comes from atomic oxygen at around 90-100 km altitude. Occasionally you will see red from a different atomic oxygen transition at higher altitudes or a kind of purple from nitrogen at a slightly lower altitude.

Although the colors are constant, your eye will see variation depending on the brightness. Color vision is somewhat less sensitive than monochrome vision so dim lights will probably appear washed out, or maybe light green as you describe it.

Also, there are not always auroras. As noted, the incidence of auroral activity is dependent on solar activity. On the other hand, nightglow is there pretty much all the time. However, nightglow is very dim and usually below visual threshold. It is produced by ion-neutral and electron-neutral reactions with the atmospheric components, and is only partially influenced by solar activity. Nightglow does not generate the same sorts of forms you see in aurora because it's not created by the solar wind interacting with the earth's magnetic field.

Where in the sky the aurora will appear will depend strongly on your latitude. At northern hemisphere mid latitudes (e.g. northern USA) the aurora will be mostly on the northern horizon. Around the auroral oval, aurora can appear pretty much anywhere. Closer to the pole, any aurora you see will probably be on the southern horizon (northern horizon at the south pole)

ralfstinson Loc: SF Bay Area

Good info. Thank you. The auroral oval mostly circles the magnetic pole and gets larger (moves away from the magnetic pole) when the auroral activity gets more intense. So if you are in Fairbanks, minor displays will generally be north of you, moderate strong displays overhead and very strong displays south of you. I have found that Fairbanks in March near a new moon to be a good bet for Aurora watching. The weather is not too cold, usually clear skies, easy to get to with good lodging and available daytime activities such as dog sledding, ice carving competition, dog sled races, hot outdoor spa, etc. There are other good locations - do your research well. (Temp, nr. clear nights per month, lodging, etc)