I saw the Northern Lights for the first time last night, all boozed up walking home from a bar in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Had to lean up against a telephone pole, light up a smoke, and just enjoy the show.
It was beautiful, yet bizarre- seeing nature at her finest with the drone of the steel plant in the background.
When did you see the Lights for the first time?
-istp
Aurora Borealis
Moderators: sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, North Shore, I WAS Birddog
Sleeping under the stars at Lion's Head Provincial park when I was 16 or so... It was early fall and we decided we'd skip putting up the tent, just rolled out our sleeping mats and hopped into our sleeping bags... I was just dozing off when one of the guys said he thought he saw some weird clouds overhead... lo and behold the Northern lights... I think we watched for a good hour. It was only white and green, but man... just beautiful
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Panama Jack
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For me it was doing a flight over Maine and New Brunswick. To our left we saw the whole sky light up green-- at first we thought it was cloud, then I commented to my Capt. that I thought it was the Northern Lights. We turned down all the lights in the cockpit-- the lightshow was incredibly intense and a wonderful life experience-- it made for a very memorable flight.
“If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. If it stops moving, subsidize it.”
-President Ronald Reagan
-President Ronald Reagan
I spent my summers in Northern Ontario as a kid, so I can't remember the first time that I saw them. the most memorable time was a mid-winter night, actually in Eastern Ontario.
There was a sheet of colours starting at the northern horizon, and covering two thirds of the visible sky, and it had shades of red and orange that I've never before (or since) seen in the northern lights.
Given the amount of time that I have spent (and still spend) working after dark in remote northern regions, it seems preposterous that the most spectacular display I've ever seen was just north of the 45th parallel!
There was a sheet of colours starting at the northern horizon, and covering two thirds of the visible sky, and it had shades of red and orange that I've never before (or since) seen in the northern lights.
Given the amount of time that I have spent (and still spend) working after dark in remote northern regions, it seems preposterous that the most spectacular display I've ever seen was just north of the 45th parallel!
Please don't tell my mother that I work in the Oilpatch...she still thinks that I'm the piano player at a whorehouse.
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groundtoflightdeck
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just curious
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Down on the Nova Scotia I would occasionally see them growing up. Mostly dancing sheets of vertically lined lights, light blue in color, along the northern horizon. Flying here in Ontario the last few years I would occasionally see them at night when up in Northern portions.
The best I ever saw, I was in University, tree planting north of Sioux Lookout for a summer job. It was like George Lucas special effects. Like some massive set of hand was contstantly air brushing the sky. The lights streatched up above the whole sky, changing shapes and mutiple colors for hours. One of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.
The best I ever saw, I was in University, tree planting north of Sioux Lookout for a summer job. It was like George Lucas special effects. Like some massive set of hand was contstantly air brushing the sky. The lights streatched up above the whole sky, changing shapes and mutiple colors for hours. One of the most amazing sights I have ever seen.
I was driving back home to Lloydminster from Calgary on Hwy 36 north of Viking. It was about 9pm - dead of winter and I hadn't seen another moving vehicle for about half an hour (which, at the time, was pretty freaky for a southern ontario kid). The sky started to become a little brighter, my heart started to race, and I was pretty sure the mothership was about to beam me up. I shut down the car, went outside, and stood in awe of the Northern Lights, in the silence and the darkness.
The best experience I've had with the Northern lights was on a Dauphin to Lloydminster trip in a 310. Fairly bright night - moonlit with scattered cloud, with the northern lights doing their thing. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, there's a pin-prick of light. This pin-prick gets brighter, and larger - at this point I'm thinking it's a 200 hour trainee from Cold Lake riding a Hawk (by the fingernails), or worse, launching something at us! The light suddenly streaked across the sky. A shooting star, full moon, and northern lights at the same time - doesn't get any better than that.
kmac
The best experience I've had with the Northern lights was on a Dauphin to Lloydminster trip in a 310. Fairly bright night - moonlit with scattered cloud, with the northern lights doing their thing. Suddenly out of the corner of my eye, there's a pin-prick of light. This pin-prick gets brighter, and larger - at this point I'm thinking it's a 200 hour trainee from Cold Lake riding a Hawk (by the fingernails), or worse, launching something at us! The light suddenly streaked across the sky. A shooting star, full moon, and northern lights at the same time - doesn't get any better than that.
kmac
I was coming home from a bar in Tobermory, Ontario. Just as I hopped out of the car there was this white halo dancing around me. Then it changed to flickering green and red. A little spooky at the time. Thought I was just about to get abducted by aliens. Maybe it was one too many shooter's. Then my driver let me down and said "Hey, the aurora's out tonight". Seen it many times now since spending time in the arctic and still looks cool every time I see it.
It's better to break ground and head into the wind than to break wind and head into the ground.
Hey istp. Are you from the Sault or just working there? I grew up in the Sault and now live just outside of Calgary. I too first saw the Aurora in Sault Ste. Marie and was amazed by it. I have since seen it many times out here as well as when I tree planted in northen BC. Still amazes me to this day.
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I'd Rather Be Flying
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Night flying between Fort Smith, Fort Chipeywan, and Fort McMurray....beautiful! Although watching the sky dance in southern Alberta and British Columbia can be an awe inspiring sight also.
Anyone who hasn't seen the northern lights is missing out.
Anyone who hasn't seen the northern lights is missing out.
"Come down, your head is in the sky, feet on the ground...come down."
I have read where that tourists from Japan and Korea will spent thousands of dollars to fly into Yellowkinfe and other places in winter just to see the northern lights. Something we, who have seen them lots, take for granted.
The average pilot, despite the somewhat swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring.
These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
These feelings just don't involve anyone else.
istp:
"Flatter than the praries, except around Winnepeg"???
I'll give you that Winnipeg is pretty flat, but have you ever been to southern Saskatchewan? There's a "slant" highway that runs from Moose Jaw to Estevan - about 350km, as I recall. It has ONE set of curves, and no hills.
That country could teach pool tables a thing or two about flat.
"Flatter than the praries, except around Winnepeg"???
I'll give you that Winnipeg is pretty flat, but have you ever been to southern Saskatchewan? There's a "slant" highway that runs from Moose Jaw to Estevan - about 350km, as I recall. It has ONE set of curves, and no hills.
That country could teach pool tables a thing or two about flat.
Please don't tell my mother that I work in the Oilpatch...she still thinks that I'm the piano player at a whorehouse.
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just curious
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ScudRunner
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You hanvt seen nothing like the show put on way north up in Inuvik and places way north of 68. Blue Red Green Yellows and like a massive curtains any direction you look. Most impressive. I flew once down from way up their perfectly clear night all the way to Edmonton just sat back turn all the lights off in the cockpit and watched the show with nothing more than the glow of the turbos off my right and left with the ocasional town would creep by in the black Abyss.
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cockpit_cowboy
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Last edited by cockpit_cowboy on Sat May 14, 2005 9:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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corn-shoot
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Yea I heard that same rumour about "a child who is conceived under the northern lights will have great fortune in life". Try explaining that to all of my bastard kids in YXL. I always wanted to make babies under the northern lights because at least then I'd have something pretty to look at.
