[AZ-Observing] Re: Arizona Aurora Right NOW

Thx for the heads up Chris. =20

I am in Michigan on business and I happened to catch your alert before gett=
ing too comfortable in my hotel room for the evening.  I drove about 50 mil=
es northwest of Detroit near the town of Fenton and caught about 45 minutes=
 of the show.  When I finally found an uninhabited stretch of country road =
to park my car, stand in the road and get my night vision, a bright arc was=
 glowing (or, more accurately, screaming at me to take notice) across the n=
orthern sky with lots of filaments cutting vertically within the glow, alon=
g with bright patches and spires growing and dancing, some reaching the zen=
ith.  Colors were mostly green and white, however the brightest areas showe=
d pink and reddish outlines.  Something that caught me completely by surpri=
se was a 5 minute period just before local midnight when the auroral band b=
egan to pulsate.  It was as if searchlights were arcing horizontally across=
 the auroral filaments once per second or so.  When it subsided, the aurora=
l show was pretty much over.

Having lived in Michigan once upon a time, I've seen shows this good and be=
tter, but it was certainly worth the drive.  I'd never noted the pulsation =
phenomenon before so it made quite the impression on me.

While I was watching the display, the other show - the Geminids -  also sho=
wed off about 7 or 8 bright, slow meteors.  Well, it all certainly beat sit=
ting around alone in a hotel room tonight.

True to (Michigan) form, the clouds came in like a vengence, but incredibly=
, they waited until the display had finished it's pulsating grand finale be=
fore shutting out the heavens from view.  Maybe a good time for a lottery t=
icket.

- Bernie=20


---- Chris Schur <comets133@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:=20
> HI all, the sky is blazing red up here in payson right
> now, get out and see it before its gone!  photos
> tommorow...
>=20
> Chris

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