[willskywalker93]

That is a beautiful picture! Hope you get to see more this time around.

Don't get me wrong, this was more meant as a jest. I didn't know (US) media is full of it.

But I do like "what ifs", hence me reading such fictional books. Still, a solar storm like the one of 1859, which has a 12% chance of happening within the next 10 years, could wreak havoc to our society as we thoroughly rely on technology to work but haven't got it shielded. Back then it was just some telegraphs sparking, today it could cut all supply lines.

But sorry for swaying off topic. As the OP intended, the main interest is to capture those beautiful pictures it paints into the northern skies. And I'm jealous I won't get to see it.

And no worries about swaying off topic. This is the off topic forum and I like sci-fi

[Biro]

One of the reasons the media pays more attention to solar flares these days is because so much more of our communications relies on technology that is definitely effected by them than in the past. Usually there are satellite outages during the peak periods of the flares, meaning satellite radio, commercial radio and TV feeds, and even phone calls (both cell and home/office) can be impacted. While hardline power grids and phone/telegraph lines could always be effected by the worst flares, wireless technology is even more prone to interference. So it's not hysteria, it's just explaining to people what might be happening if they have temporary problems. Or see strange colors in the sky. The general public tends to have a short collective memory.

---------- Post added 09-13-14 at 01:07 PM ----------

Faith was on South OBT, in a rather seedy area. John Gardner moved Faith to Downtown and renamed it "Beach Club Cafe" then, "Barbarella's", then again to "The Independent" which it remains to this day. Faith, along with John spearheaded the post-punk boho scene in Orlando; he even gave Kimball Collins one of his early pre "Superstar DJ" gigs at Faith.

I have many fond memories of Downtown Orlando and that time in it's history; even got all politically active at one point when City Hall wanted to close down some of the businesses that catered to my "weirdo" friends and I (we won thanks to the ACLU). The Mayor thought we were scaring away the tourists from Downtown. Of course Downtown had been a ghost town for years before we came along. Good times.

Small world.

And downtown Orlando is pretty much a ghost town again - certainly after office hours. Many of the clubs are gone and even Church Street Station has closed. I remember some of those battles over the businesses, as I was in local radio and television there at the time.

[RoxnDox]

We are south of Seattle, so even in a good location there was just too much sky glow from the city. The moon was doing a good job of eliminating the darkness as well but I did get some decent star shots from the K-30 despite that...

There were people out looking every dark spot we passed by, a popular way to spend Friday night!

Jim

[c.a.m]

Here in Ottawa, the sky was mostly clear last evening so I drove to a relatively dark location with camera and tripod. However, I saw only a faint green patch low on the horizon and a bit of 'curtain' movement for about 10 minutes. I spent about an hour and a half waiting and watching, but no such luck. No images to show.

Craig

[reeftool]

I have seen some pictures online from New Hampshire which is over 100 miles to the east of here and they had good views. I was lazy and never left home. They may have been visible low on the horizon earlier in the evening. I am surrounded buy mountains although the view directly to the north is open looking straight up the Hudson River but still blocked by a mountain about 10 miles away. If I had driven over the mountain, I may have been able to get a view lower on the horizon. The NH photo I saw was taken at 8:30. In previous years when we have seen them here, it's always been in November. The sun is seasonally more active then from what I have read. The one advantage we have with the media now taking notice of auroras, the possibilities of seeing them improve because we will be out looking.

Tonights weather is worse and it's raining but I will take a look later if it clears up.

[MD Optofonik]

And downtown Orlando is pretty much a ghost town again - certainly after office hours. Many of the clubs are gone and even Church Street Station has closed.

I imagine the boho community will come in again and liven up downtown once more.

I remember some of those battles over the businesses

I was the guy who distributed the flyers and and posters that led to a full house at city hall for the meeting (and that wacky benefit on Wall Street). The only real moment of political activism in my life but it was local, it genuinely had an effect, and it taught me that the phrase, "one person can make a difference", isn't a trite cliche'. I know it didn't change the world but it did change the lives of a handful of my friends by allowing those targeted businesses to stay open. John is still in business at least but I imagine he might have had the wherewithal to lawyer up for a one-on-one fight with city hall if it had come to that.

I was in local radio and television there at the time

My ex worked at WDBO for a bit in the mid-eighties.