Spectacluarly brilliant aurora

A brilliant crimson-red Class IV aurora is in progress as seen from
southeastern NY. At 00:00UT fully 80% of the sky is covered with auroral light
and there is a long whitish band that extends east-west within 10*-15* of the
SOUTHERN horizon. Display seems to go back and forth from rayed and structured
to simiply a strong but diffuse glow at about 15 minute intervals.

JB

"JBortle" wrote in message
...
A brilliant crimson-red Class IV aurora is in progress as seen from
southeastern NY. At 00:00UT fully 80% of the sky is covered with auroral
light
and there is a long whitish band that extends east-west within 10*-15* of
the
SOUTHERN horizon. Display seems to go back and forth from rayed and
structured
to simiply a strong but diffuse glow at about 15 minute intervals.

Hi John,

I recognize the advanced observer... speaking of classes ;-)
Can you remind us the auroras classes ?
A URL is also good.
I knew them in the past but today I do not more remember at all the
classification
Do it refer to the sun/moon position or brightness ?

Thanks
Thierry
http://www.astrosurf.com/lombry


JB

Are your classes identical to these "phases" ? :
http://www.natureshift.org/oldsite/n...ora/phases.htm

Thierry

Hi John,

I recognize the advanced observer... speaking of classes ;-)
Can you remind us the auroras classes ?
A URL is also good.
I knew them in the past but today I do not more remember at all the
classification
Do it refer to the sun/moon position or brightness ?

Thanks
Thierry

Auroral Brightness Classification:

I Very faint, just discernible

II Like (full)moon lit cirrus clouds

III Like (full)moon lit cumulus clouds

IV much brighter than class III, able to cast obvious shadows

(Class V - my own addition to the listing: as bright as mid twilight - saw
this only once, back in '89, when I could write and read my notes by the
auroral light!)

In article ,
(JBortle) wrote:



Auroral Brightness Classification:

I Very faint, just discernible

II Like (full)moon lit cirrus clouds

III Like (full)moon lit cumulus clouds

IV much brighter than class III, able to cast obvious shadows

(Class V - my own addition to the listing: as bright as mid twilight - saw
this only once, back in '89, when I could write and read my notes by the
auroral light!)

John,

In the summer of 1958, while a kid living in Syracuse, NY, we saw an
auroral display that was bright enough to be easily visible in the
center of town, and behind bright streetlights. It certainly was one of
your CLASS V auroras. It lasted several hours, covered most of the sky,
and was rapidly pulsating between huge red curtains and long yellow
streaks. My dad packed everyone into the car and we observed it from a
dark sky. I'll never forget it because it still ranks up there as one
of my all-time favorite nights of observing.

The one in 1989 as seen from Binghamton, NY was almost as beautiful.

Best Regards,
Rich

JBortle wrote:

A brilliant crimson-red Class IV aurora is in progress as seen from
southeastern NY. At 00:00UT fully 80% of the sky is covered with auroral light
and there is a long whitish band that extends east-west within 10*-15* of the
SOUTHERN horizon. Display seems to go back and forth from rayed and structured
to simiply a strong but diffuse glow at about 15 minute intervals.

JB

About the best I could see at a couple of different times from just
north of DC was a diffuse reddish glow, extending to maybe 15 to 20
degrees. The only reason I could tell it from the light pollution
is that I went out later and there appeared to be less light pollution,
and a less reddish tint to what there was. Oh well, better than most
aurora this far south, near a city.

Regards,
Russell

Just NW of DC in Darnestown, MD, the aurora was spectacular.

Bright red diffuse glow in the NW to NE, and for a short period to nearly
the Zenith.

Bright white "searchlight" rays extending from the North to the Zenith.
(these did not last very long)

Blue-green cloud like structures were evident, even as far South as
Ophiucus.

At one moment, the sky around Pleiades was bathed in a diffuse brilliant
red-orange light with blue diffuse "clouds" near the open cluster. The sky
to the NNW was so bright, it almost looked like early daylight.


"R. Martin" wrote:
About the best I could see at a couple of different times from just
north of DC was a diffuse reddish glow, extending to maybe 15 to 20
degrees. The only reason I could tell it from the light pollution
is that I went out later and there appeared to be less light pollution,
and a less reddish tint to what there was. Oh well, better than most
aurora this far south, near a city.

Down here in Southern Maryland... by Naval Air Station Pax River, we
were out last night having our running club holiday run and the entire
sky from the NW to NE was a redish glow. Then it started streaking
and move more to the NE, then a big glob of green formed then the
entire thing started to fade away after a hours of so. Nice to see
this far South (~50-60 miles South of DC).

Cheers
Collin


"JJK" wrote in message ...
Just NW of DC in Darnestown, MD, the aurora was spectacular.

Bright red diffuse glow in the NW to NE, and for a short period to nearly
the Zenith.

Bright white "searchlight" rays extending from the North to the Zenith.
(these did not last very long)

Blue-green cloud like structures were evident, even as far South as
Ophiucus.

At one moment, the sky around Pleiades was bathed in a diffuse brilliant
red-orange light with blue diffuse "clouds" near the open cluster. The sky
to the NNW was so bright, it almost looked like early daylight.


"R. Martin" wrote:
About the best I could see at a couple of different times from just
north of DC was a diffuse reddish glow, extending to maybe 15 to 20
degrees. The only reason I could tell it from the light pollution
is that I went out later and there appeared to be less light pollution,
and a less reddish tint to what there was. Oh well, better than most
aurora this far south, near a city.

In NE Connecticut at 7:00 EST the aurora was bright red (probably
class III?) and extended from the northern horizon to about 15 degrees
south of the zenith. Simply incredible, I got my family outside and
brought out two of the neighbors to see it. My 8 year old was watching
with me as the display brightened and spread across the sky, and he
also saw his first meteor! All in all a great night.

"JJK" wrote in message ...
Just NW of DC in Darnestown, MD, the aurora was spectacular.

Bright red diffuse glow in the NW to NE, and for a short period to nearly
the Zenith.

Bright white "searchlight" rays extending from the North to the Zenith.
(these did not last very long)

Blue-green cloud like structures were evident, even as far South as
Ophiucus.

At one moment, the sky around Pleiades was bathed in a diffuse brilliant
red-orange light with blue diffuse "clouds" near the open cluster. The sky
to the NNW was so bright, it almost looked like early daylight.


Had the exact same experience in Long Island - 50 miles east of New
York City. Bright red light - white pillars of light from the Northern
horizon - all moving about. Lasted from 7-7:30 ET, then disappeared...

A very pleasant suprise - I expected to only see a reddish glow from
the north that came out only on long exposure photos...

Daniel Eig