Saturday Evening Woah! Auroras, Wildfires, Whistlers and Choruses

Long-time Rumproasters will already know that I’m a sucker for auroras. We’ve been lucky enough to see them up here near Glasgow from time to time, though the recent increase in solar activity hasn’t coincided with decent viewing conditions. So I was chuffed to see this timelapse vid of the Aurora Australis from the International Space Station doing the rounds, as I’ve often wondered what the 2D view we see from Earth looks like from a 3D perspective. It’s quite poignant, as at the end, when we enter relative darkness, you can see the glow of countless Australian wildfires lighting up the outback. I don’t know why people insist on adding soundtracks to these vids. This vid is exceptional as it doesn’t have one, but you can join me after the fold if you like, where the aurora provides its own sonic accompaniment.

This vid from the Minnesota Planetarium features Steve McGreevy describing his regular quest to use shortwave radio to record the “sounds” the aurora makes. I swear on cold dark nights when I’ve been getting neck ache from watching the show, I’ve heard something very similar with my own ears ...

Posted by YAFB on 10/01/11 at 10:25 PM • Permalink

Categories: I Don't Know Much About Art, But I Know What I Like • Geek Speak • YouTubidity •

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I swear on cold dark nights when I’ve been getting neck ache from watching the show…

When I lived in rural Manitoba, we would lay flat on our backs in the snow and watch the northern lights. If you are dressed properly, it’s very comfortable.

Comment by Dillon on 10/01/11 at 11:35 PM

At our cabin in the Rockies, which is just below 9,000 feet, on a clear night when the lights are popping off we can see parts of both northern and southern lights. It’s totally awesome and just increases my awe for the incredible world we live in.

It also makes me wonder why on earth certain people are so unwilling to protect it too.

Comment by marindenver on 10/02/11 at 12:13 AM

Never saw the aurora, but I used to fall asleep to my grandfather’s old Trans-Oceanic shortwave. All the pops and whistles made it feel like I was tuning in another universe, and there is an eerie romance in hearing weak, distant voices that are speaking words you either can’t make out or don’t understand anyway.

I remember the 24 hour ticking clock broadcast out of Fort Collins, CO. It was somewhere on every band—an endless cycle of ticks, a time announce and a tone. It made me feel that the world was just way too cool and scientific.