Aurora discussion, please God let there be a cloudless sky


Photo by Chairman of the Buncrana Camera Club Adam Porter

Photo by Public Relations Officer of the Buncrana Camera Club Greg Clarke

We are the luckiest photographers in Ireland, living right up at the tip of Ireland has its advantages. This week we have been lucky to experience one of natures natural phenomans, "The Northern Lights". As long as the cloud stays away and your facing north and have camera and tripod with you, plus good friends it promies tobe a spectacular, magical event. Tonight and tomorrow night 24th ad 25th Jan 2012 we have a good chance of seeing something really special follow this link to see what it is all about youtu.be/FcfWsj9OnsI

Check out our field trip organizer which has aurora forecasts , weather forecasts and directions to where the BCC are headin to view the aurora

field trip organizer

Btw have made a gallery for posting your aurora photos into no worries posting them here either but just so as you know . Great pics too Cathal .



Aurora caused by X Class(X17.2 & X10) Solar Flares October 2003
Visible with the naked eye from right in middle of Buncrana.



Aurora Caused by M Class Solar Flare September 2011
Visible with camera only long exposure from banbas crown Malin head .

Largest solar flare in modern times was an X-class solar flare (an X18 later estimated as a X45 on November 4 , 2003)

There's a good chance we could see another x-class solar flare running up and after the peak of the solar activity in 2013 so keep an eye on the space weather on our field trip organizer .Also note that solar flares need to occur on one of the spots facing towards the earth for it to have maximum effect on the aurora .
After checking the LM solar and astrophysics lab website an x-class occured yesterday
32 gev_20120127_1737 2012/01/27 17:37:00 18:56:00 18:37:00 X1.7 N33W85 ( 1402 )

there's a possibility of aurora activity on Sunday/monday , weather forecast gives alot of cloud for that day but that could all change, here's hoping anyhow.