This is just a heads up for anyone who can see the Northern Lights (and the Southern Lights too, I suppose) - they were bold and beautiful tonight, and apparently we’re in the middle of a sunspot storm, so they may show up for another couple of nights as well. We don’t normally see them this well as far south as Calgary, but they must be really strong right now, cause we got a great show. Keep your eyes on the skies, people.
Oh my yes. Magnificent. Great sheets of icy green fire, with ribbons of white and red swirling across the sky. As you turned your head to follow the streaks, they changed again. I got my sons up to see this one. 
We watched outside for about twenty minutes, and inside for another ten or so. Don’t see reds and pinks very often.
Ever seen Frequency? Break out the ham radios!
It makes me sad to know that I won’t ever, ever see the lights in my new home.
Hey folks!
I’m an avid Northern Lights watcher, even though I’m in West Central Indiana. Here’s a few websites that I find very helpful when I’m looking to snag some wonderful shows:
Space Weather:
http://www.spaceweather.com
Space Weather is a really good place to start when you’re learning about how to spot aurorae.
Intellicast Auroral Activity (Northern Hemisphere)
http://www.intellicast.com/Star/World/UnitedStates/AuroraActivity/
I use this to see what kind of auroral activity is taking place. It has been invaluable to me in several instances.
Today’s Space Weather
http://www.sel.noaa.gov/today.html
Interesting graphs on solar activity can be found here. I use it to check out the Kp levels - which is a part of the aurora phenomena.
and…
SOHO (The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory)
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/
This is just an awesome site! I don’t use it much for aurora, but I do love the images they take of the sun. 
I’d make this look prettier, but I have problems posting here at work, and want to get this message in before something funky happens. 
Bummer. We’re overcast for the next week in Vancouver…
Overcast in Vancouver? Imagine that! 
Look, I’m insanely jealous about your mountains and have to pretend there’s a downside to living in your beautiful city.
Seems like it’s been an unusually active year for northern lights… I saw them at the start of August (in Prince Albert,SK which is north, but not that north), which is either the earliest or the latest in the ‘season’ that I’ve seen them.
The Canadians have a hockey team called The Northern Lights? And they all came out of the closet?
No, but we did have a superstar benefit band by that name.
Raygun99: we’re on the declining side of a peak of an 11-year cycle.
Anyone can register on this NOAA page to get messages sent to you automatically when severe magnetic storms occur. I get reports when the Kp index goes to 6. This tells me that aurora might become visible here in Chicago. When the Kp goes to 7, that means it should definitely be visible here.
http://www.spacew.com is an excellent site that has real-time world-wide reports and discussions and gathers much aurora-related info.
Dazzling White Diamonds: A grad student in central IL has developed a monitoring system that emails people when aurora actually is visible there. It could work for you, too. http://angwin.csl.uiuc.edu/~haunma/aurora/
** rowrrbazzle- **
Yep… I’m a member of that monitoring system list. There’ve been times that I’ve seen aurorae that I didn’t get an e-mail on… but usually it’s spot on. Mark has done a great job with the system.
Your links are very interesting… thanks for sharing them. I’m gonna sign up for the SEC alerts, too.
Seeing an aurora is a fantastic experience. I feel very lucky to have seen as many as I have.
tisiphone, I knew it must have been fabulous further north when they’re this good in Calgary (and you must have seen some incredible show when you lived up North, Ginger). It almost makes all the car scraping worthwhile. Almost.
Thanks for the links, Dazzling White Diamonds and rowrrbazzle. Seeing the aurora is fantastic; we were very lucky last night to be coming home at just the right time.