1. The Northern Lights One of Nature’s Best Kept Secrets

2. My Hobby Observing this phenomenon Then posting photos on my web site –www.prairiejournal.comwww.prairiejournal.com –Started site in April 21 Journal or blog Note: am an observer, not a scientist

3. Is it easy? Photos from numerous days on my web site make it look like it’s easy to observe the northern lights at my location –Just north of Bismarck, ND

4. I’m Here to Tell You It’s Not!!!

5. Hobby Requires: Persistence

6. Today’s Presentation How to be successful at viewing the northern lights –There’s no secret formula Why North Dakota & other Upper Midwest states are some of the best places in world to observe Some special observations How to make this a great hobby

7. Ways to Guarantee Failure You ask me to call you when the northern lights are going to be out If I did that to everyone who requested it, that’s all I would get done You say to me, “I heard the northern lights were fantastic last night. Can I expect to see the same tonight?”

8. What You Need to be Successful An addiction to your computer –Daily review of web sites Then, if conditions look good, go out

9. Internet Tools www.spaceweather.com – consider paying small fee to receive phone alertswww.spaceweather.com www.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/fore casts/RSGA/0419RSGA.txt - forecastswww.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/fore casts/RSGA/0419RSGA.txt www.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/fore casts/ALTS.txt - alerts in the past 24 hourswww.sec.noaa.gov/ftpdir/fore casts/ALTS.txt

10. Internet Tools www.sec.noaa.gov – current space weather conditionswww.sec.noaa.gov www.spacew.com – consider paying small fee to receive e- mail watches & warnings / read the forumwww.spacew.com http://kate.nic.ualberta.ca:8000/ portal/rt_oval/index.html - real time auroral ovalhttp://kate.nic.ualberta.ca:8000/ portal/rt_oval/index.html

11. Soak up the Information If a display is expected & just starting, I have observed enough that I can look at numbers on web sites to know if the northern lights are out at my location I then call my dad to confirm

12. My Model (in head) Works for Me Why I study the internet prior to a display & then after display I equate the numbers that I see to display

13. The Model isn’t Precise Why? It’s not an exact science Typically you need some combination of below to work in your favor to see the northern lights –A high solar wind speed –High densities –Interplanetary magnetic field – shift to south

14. Forecasting an Inexact Science August 16, 2002 – story Same as weather forecasting 100 years ago? Why persistence is so important –You must experience failure many times to be successful

15. Why Lost Sleep is Important Displays are great –However, the substorms rock When lights are most active & colorful –Substorms are often short lived Once you see one, you learn to appreciate the beauty & realize that the time lost watching just a green or white glow is worth it

16. A Great State (Region) to Observe You can see displays year round in North Dakota –We have dark skies 365 days per year, unlike Alaska or northern Canada Our climate is drier, resulting in more nights with clear skies During major displays, auroral oval shifts south of location – WOW!

17. Appreciation My perception - we appreciate northern lights more because displays don’t occur everyday

18. Special Observations Astronomy photo of the day

19. Special Observations March 30, 2001 – first time see parts of sky turn blood red

20. Special Observations May 15, 2005 – northern lights should have been visible at 10:30 p.m. when dark, but took until 1:15 a.m.

21. Special Observations June 18, 2003 – one of longest days of the year - northern lights in northeast (brightest part of sky during dawn)

22. Special Observations October 28, 2008 – Fastest moving display ever seen – a visual wow!

23. Special Observations December 14, 2006 – lots of action that never witnessed before – every display is different – keeps me coming back

24. Special Observations April 19, 2002 – Monitored much of night – display occurred just before dawn – saw start of major display

25. Special Observations December 24, 2001 – my Christmas lights – photo appeared on www.cnn.com

26. My Hobby Share photos via web site –www.prairiejournal.c omwww.prairiejournal.c om Nearly 50,000 page views of December 14, 2006 display –Forwarded e-mails

27. My Hobby Opportunities to speak & share stories –Such as today Opportunities to talk on subject with small group of people from around world –Via internet forums

28. My Hobby Opportunities to have photos featured elsewhere –www.cnn.comwww.cnn.com –New York Times –“Resort” Online brochure –Use to respond to e- mail questions –Used by North Dakota Tourism

29. Reference Material Books –Secrets of the Auroral Borealis, Vol. 29, by Syun-Ichi Akasofu –The Aurora Watcher’s Handbook, by Neil Davis –Aurora: The Mysterious Northern Lights, by Candace Sherk Savage Online brochure