northern lights? (Bangor, Gorham, Old Town: movies, camping, living in)

[ekh32]

I heard you can see the northern lights here in Maine. Anyone have any ideas where and when you can see them. I am assuming I would have to go further north than Old Town .

[Maineah]

The Northern Lights are a product of solar activity. Since late 2006 sunspot activity has been at a 400 year low. The Aurora Borealis has stayed far to the north due to a lack of energy influx form the sun. Look on the SOHO website for a full explanation. They have a flux meter that measures prominences, solar wind, etc. when the partical count is high the Northern Lights drop down from the polar regions and are visible here in Maine. You do not have to be way up north to see them. When there is enough energy they will easily cover the whole state.

[chaosX5]

Wow!!!!!!!!!I can't wait to see that! The Northern Lights have been on my "to see list", didn't know you could see them in Maine. ANOTHER reason why I love Maine............

[ProdigalLobster]

I saw them as a kid, in the area from Bangor to Lincoln. Certainly not an every day thing, & they were sometimes faint, but definitely a magical sight.

[Elcarim]

Originally Posted by chaosX5

Wow!!!!!!!!!I can't wait to see that! The Northern Lights have been on my "to see list", didn't know you could see them in Maine. ANOTHER reason why I love Maine............

Ditto!! I've been looking forward to that spectacular sight for as long as I've been getting to know Maine.

[tcrackly]

Problem is you need to be far enough from any city lights. We used to be able to see the Northern Lights from our deck in Berwick. Not as grand as from further points north, but impressive, just the same.

[Maineah]

One October, probably around 2004 we saw them from our hunting/camping base in the North Woods on the St. John River about 70 miles west of Ashland. They were absolutely spectacular! I have seen them around here numerous times but nothing like that time. Look up Northern Lights on Google and check out the images of curtains of emerald green light shimmering and undulating in an mysterious rhythm. That was exactly what we saw. It was awe inspiring. We stood in the middle of Moody Bridge and watched the show for hours! Occasionaly we see them here as a curtain of light or spires arching across the sky. I have even seen them red and yellow in fall of 2005. They were bright enough to read a book and lasted several hours.

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/pmap/gif/pmapN.gif

[arzachena]

Originally Posted by ProdigalLobster

I saw them as a kid, in the area from Bangor to Lincoln. Certainly not an every day thing, & they were sometimes faint, but definitely a magical sight.

Ditto
I remember seeing them as a kid living in Belfast.

[Rachael84]

When I was going to USM a few years ago, I saw them on the way to the movies. I forgot what town we were going to, but it was about 10 miles from Gorham. On the way I saw this crazy pink color in the sky when the sun had set hours ago (It was about 8pm in the winter). I got out and I was like, "what on earth is all that pink in the sky?" and my local friends told me the northern lights. I had heard of them but never saw them. Never knew much about it until I saw them that time. I hear it sometimes happens in Maine. Never happens here in downstate NY. It was really beautiful to see

[juststoppinby]

I remember one winter I would guess it was in the late 70's. My cousin and I heard that the Northern Lights were to be spectacular one particular evening. We snowmobiled to some blueberry fields shut the snowmobiles off, sat back and waited. Unbelievable! It was a sight I will never forget.