I don’t watch a lot of television! by the time my day ends and I am sitting down to relax is usually about 9.30 pm. Thats fine, as I never feel deprived of lazing around in front of “the box” .
The problem with living this way is you tend to miss certain newsworthy information, for example last night I just happened to catch the 6.30pm regional news. They were reporting multiple sightings of the Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as “the Northern lights”.

This is a quick video I found from last night. ( not by me)

For those un aware of the phenomenon, it is best described as beautiful curtains of light created when fast electrons from the solar winds hit the rarefied gas of the upper atmosphere.
Now This is pretty rare in my part of the word, apparently it is more common on the tip of North Scotland but that’s nearly 400 miles north of me. So when I saw the news report I was stunned to see beautiful displays in our Northumberland skies, and apparently as far south as North Yorkshire.
Needless to say I was gutted I had not witnessed this for myself. It is one of those life long ambitions to see them. My partner Helen and I have discussed many times the possibility of arranging a trip to Iceland for the sole purpose of seeing the Aurora Borealis!
Never mind, the weather forecaster predicted clear skies for the next night and apparently the Aurora Borealis will be visible for the next few days.
So armed with this information I was on sky watch! I live in a great location in the Northumberland countryside with Pretty much zero light pollution, it’s a stargazers dream.
So I had a great chance of finally witnessing it for myself.
Every Five minutes I would go to the bedroom window for un interrupted views of the north skies, if I were to see them my plan was to run out the back garden gate and up the hill with my camera. From here the view stretches  across the Simonside hills up to the Cheviots and east across the Northumberland coastline. A spectacular photo in the making!
By 11.30pm there hadn’t been any sign of the Aurora Borealis, once again disappointment, but I’m keeping my hopes up as the forecasters are saying it may be visible for a few more nights yet.
Here’s hoping!

P.s here is a link to the report.

 

Filed under: my ramblings

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