Saturday, October 1, 2016

Aurora Borealis

      Wednesday and Thursday nights the forecast was for a good show of aurora brawls. There were  solar winds and it indicated a great show in my area - Central Alberta.

      Well it wasn't to be. there was heavy clouds both nights. Living in a city, there's too much light pollution to get a good view of northern lights but we do see them once in awhile.


     Northern lights have been part of my life since I was very young. Since I was brought up on an isolated farm, we didn't have much to do except play with things and each other. We had very few toys, so many evenings we played outside. Yes, that's when I first remember northern lights. We played by the hour outside in the dark farmyard. We did not have electricity so no yard lights. Skies were clear and northern lights were bright.


      For my first year of teaching I was hired for a one room country school. I boarded half a mile from the school and often went back after supper to prepare for the next day. Many evenings were clear and you guessed it...there were brilliant northern lights. Th road I walked on was not snow plowed and vehicles did not drive on it. I walked over brilliant white snow banks. When it was moonlight it was almost as bright as day.


     I realize that many parts of the world do not see northern lights. I enjoy the colors and the constant movement and changes in shape.


     Yellowknife NWT is a great place for Northern lights. Tourist come to Yellowknife to see northern lights. The five days I was in Yellowknife I did not see northern lights. I then spent 3 years in Inuvik NWT . There were northern lights but they weren't as spectacular as in northern Saskatchewan.


     So this week was a bit of a disappointment for aurora borealis. Maybe next time!


     So you see why I like aurora borealis. I took this from a file of photos on a net site.


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