smoldering

Smile: The second best thing you can do with your mouth.

I spent two years trying to view an aurora before I had success. That magical night made it all worth the effort. I was positively giddy when I saw the green band of light glowing above the Northern Horizon. I headed to a local park (still in town) and watched in awe as undulating streams of red light began to arc higher into the sky. Before I knew it, the entire Northern half of the sky was engulfed by the oceans of red clouds which were accentuated by shimmering gleams of white that started at the Northern horizon and propagated South until they faded out overhead. This white sheen gave the sky a metallic feel to it, similar to the visual effect presented in the movie Contact from inside the travelling sphere. The entire show lasted a half an hour before clouds rolled in, but I will never forget the experience.

To those hoping to see the an aurora, I recommend you download the Space Weather Information Monitor (SWIM) at http://www.spacew.com/swim/index.html

Without this piece of software, I would never have known when to head outside for possible auroral viewing. Good Luck!!!