northern lights...

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rupun
Posts: 79
Joined: Mon Jan 09, 2012 9:10 pm

northern lights...

Post by rupun » Mon Nov 21, 2016 4:19 pm

Hi all,

What is the term in Finnish for the northern lights...?

is it "revontulet"? not sure. could not find much.

anyways, my question, when would be the best time for 2017 and from where can we see it?

thanks



northern lights...

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Beep_Boop
Posts: 2087
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 8:29 pm
Location: Niflheim, Suomi

Re: northern lights...

Post by Beep_Boop » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:35 pm

The highest likelihood of seeing them would be in Lapland between October and March.
Every case is unique. You can't measure the result of your application based on arbitrary anecdotes online.

Marsh04
Posts: 351
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2014 10:04 pm

Re: northern lights...

Post by Marsh04 » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:41 pm

Revontuli plural revontulet

http://aurora.fmi.fi/public_service/

Rip
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Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:08 pm

Re: northern lights...

Post by Rip » Mon Nov 21, 2016 5:43 pm

'Revontulet', yes.

There is no guarantees, but you must have dark sky (best winter, also late autumn or early spring are possible), clear sky (no clouds). Also preferably you should be outside major cities and in the north of the country (although on a favourable day and spot you may see them even in Helsinki). Then you should have enough magnetic activity. The Finnish metrological institute offers gives email alerts for current space weather (link supplied above)

In southern coast the aurora, when visible, are close to the Northern horizon. In North they may rise higher.'

riku2
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Joined: Tue Jul 08, 2008 10:13 pm

Re: northern lights...

Post by riku2 » Wed Nov 23, 2016 8:23 am

They are at their peak around the spring/autumn equinox: 21 march and 21 september. this is when I often see them (living 40km north of helsinki). The weather often quite settled at round this time too so the days are clear and no clouds.

Middle of may - august: you probably won't see then since the days are so long that it never gets dark enough.

They come and go during the same night. so if you go out at 10pm you might see nothing but at 1030pm they are really bright.

normally in the finnish media they don't comment on them unless they are exceptionally bright and remarkable. So there is no "tonight's aurora forecast" on the internet for example.

Rip
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Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 12:08 pm

Re: northern lights...

Post by Rip » Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:21 pm

Tonight apparently could be good - weather permitting, that is.

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Pursuivant
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Location: Bath & Wells

Re: northern lights...

Post by Pursuivant » Wed Nov 23, 2016 7:52 pm

Riku2 - yes there is - several actually
http://aurora.fmi.fi/public_service/
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Something wicked this way comes."

akaquaman
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu May 03, 2012 12:09 am

Re: northern lights...

Post by akaquaman » Tue Dec 13, 2016 11:57 pm

Hei,
My Finnish isn't good enough to navigate through the links suggested above, so here's one from the University of Alaska that provides circumpolar maps with forecasts in each region: http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/Europe/20161213 (this one covers northern Europe, so I use it to see how my Finnish relatives might be able to view it). Hope this helps.


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