Aurora borealis (Circle: horse, pictures, winter)

[User 2]

Originally Posted by Rance

I was north of Fairbanks in the military back in the 80's. We were up on a hill top in the middle of the night. There was an awesome green band slithering back and forth like a snake. It looked close enough to touch. We would yell and it seemed like the thing reacted. And when we just sat there in total silence...I swear you could hear it crackling!

You were 'yelling' at the northern lights?

....are you sure you didn't hear cackling......

[Glitch]

Originally Posted by Rance

I was north of Fairbanks in the military back in the 80's. We were up on a hill top in the middle of the night. There was an awesome green band slithering back and forth like a snake. It looked close enough to touch. We would yell and it seemed like the thing reacted. And when we just sat there in total silence...I swear you could hear it crackling!

I have no doubt that you heard the northernlights. I've heard too many reports from other people to casually dismiss such accounts. They have all pretty much described the same situation: In a remote location in the bush, away from any road, village, town, or city; in the middle or late winter; lots of northernlight activity; and extremely quiet.

It appears to be a very rare occurance, when conditions are just right. While I have not heard the crackling you describe, I hope I will one day.

[CosmicWizard]

In 1972, I lived in an old log cabin at the base of FlatTop Mtn, immediately adjacent to the gate into Chugach State Park. I can remember numerous occasions walking in to my cabin from O'Malley road and enjoying the splendor of those magical lights. Like Rance said, I could hear em crackle. I imagine that old log cabin is long gone and the whole area is built up with McMansions by now. Most of the roads up there were gravel / muddy roads back then. My God, it's been 35 years since I lived in Alaska!

blessings....Franco

[rotorhead]

Perhaps the best way to see the northern lights is to have a colicky baby.

That'll garauntee that you'll be up and about a LOT in the middle of the night, when the rest of the world is sleeping right through all those auroral displays. Of course, you're gonna be a bit busy most of the time and you don't really get outside much, but you'll certainly get plenty of chances to be looking out the windows at all hours of the night.

[ASpilot2be]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

Perhaps the best way to see the northern lights is to have a colicky baby.

That'll garauntee that you'll be up and about a LOT in the middle of the night, when the rest of the world is sleeping right through all those auroral displays. Of course, you're gonna be a bit busy most of the time and you don't really get outside much, but you'll certainly get plenty of chances to be looking out the windows at all hours of the night.

Did you see the Northern Lights over Santa Claus the other night? I had just finished a life threatening night of sledding about midnight and saw them

[Dusty Rhodes]

Originally Posted by Rance

I was north of Fairbanks in the military back in the 80's. We were up on a hill top in the middle of the night. There was an awesome green band slithering back and forth like a snake. It looked close enough to touch. We would yell and it seemed like the thing reacted. And when we just sat there in total silence...I swear you could hear it crackling!

Just my luck, I am deaf to high frequency sound, another side-effect of a throughly mis-spent youth, too many explosions, too much gunfire. This does have an up side, I hear crickets, all the time, I hear crickets. It is a relaxing sound, I sleep well,and if I toss and turn with severe insomnia, it may take me almost 30 seconds to drift off.

[warptman]

(yelling) HEY DUSTY, THEY MAKE NOISE LIKE RICE CRISPY TREATS! My ears ring constantly, too. I can still hear high pitch things though. Don't know how long that'll last though.

[Xa'at]

I don't think it's a high pitched sound, is it?

[Arcticthaw]

Originally Posted by Xa'at

I don't think it's a high pitched sound, is it?

Xa'at, is your hearing going too, and at such a young age. Poor thing.

[Xa'at]

I've never heard the Northern Lights, so I wouldn't know what it sounds like. But from descriptions, it doesn't sound like a high pitched noise...