the Aurora Borealis

[Bill O]

Yes, without the sun there would be no Aurora, amongst other things.

My best show was on Mount Washington in early November 2005. Veils and pillars covering the entire sky. Purple, pink and greens flickering on and off like a strobe light. It went on all night and I could see them out the basement window in the obs.

My first time was during that record breaking solar flare in October (2003 I think) where I could see some faint pillars in heavily light polluted coastal CT. This solar storm was so strong people in FL could see the Aurora.

My advice to you is to learn all that you can about the Northern Lights. You'll understand how they work and where/when you are most likely to see them. The next thing you know you will find yourself in the right place at the right time and you'll get an amazing show.

[Patrad Fischroy]

From Space weather .com;

"AURORA WATCH: Northern fall has begun with a vibrant flourish of green--that
is, green Northern Lights. A solar wind stream hit Earth on Sept. 21st sparking
an intense, three-day display of polar auroras. Get ready for more: Another
solar wind stream is due on Sept. 27th or 28th. Updates and a gallery of
spectacular photos may be found at http://spaceweather.com . "

[Patrad Fischroy]

Space Weather News for Nov. 25th
http://spaceweather.com

ISS TOOLBAG: A backpack-sized tool bag inadvertently dropped from the
International Space Station last week is orbiting Earth and has been sighted
from the ground. The tool bag is surprisingly bright, about 6th or 7th
magnitude, which makes it an easy target for binoculars or a small telescope.
Today's edition of http://spaceweather.com offers observing tips, sighting
reports and a movie of the bag in orbit.

AURORA WATCH: High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras tonight
and tomorrow. Earth is entering a solar wind stream and this could trigger
geomagnetic storms around the Arctic Circle.

[Bill O]

Part of me wants to call BS on that story. It seems more like an infectious email from your mother-in-law than reality. Did you know that most people in China believe you can see the Great Wall from the moon? Making out the continents is hard enough from that distance, let alone a 50 foot wide wall obscured by haze.

[Patrad Fischroy]

The source is pretty reliable, but it does seem to be a stretch. The interesting thing will be when it re-enters the atmosphere, that grease should give a different color fireball.

[Bill O]

The source is pretty reliable, but it does seem to be a stretch. The interesting thing will be when it re-enters the atmosphere, that grease should give a different color fireball.

I accept that a small group of people are able to find and track that debris, but what happens is that every piece of space debris seen by anybody ends up being that tool bag.

[Patrad Fischroy]

That's OK, I hear they are losing toolbags left and right up there

[Brad]

Maybe there is a tag on the handle . . .