h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Aurora Borealis timelapse video from Muonio (Finnish Lapland) where my maternal grandparents lived. One of my uncles still lives there.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjEThq4TE4U

For decades, even centuries, people living there (including my mother, so I have it straight from the horse's mouth) have claimed that they can hear the sound of the Auroras, and for just as long, scientists have claimed that cannot be.

Well, the common people were right, and the experts wrong.

From Huffington Post:

'The results vindicate folktales and reports by wilderness travelers, which have long described sounds associated with the northern light'

Full article here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/10/aurora-sounds-high-energy-particles-clapping_n_1661418.html

I have yet to see one of the grand ones. I've only seen three (so far) small ones, but even so, they were extremely

The first time was actually where I live, outside of Stockholm, and I didn't realize what it was.

I was on my way home late one winter's evening and noticed that the sky was unusually clear - I could see way more stars than usual. Once I got home, I stepped out onto my balcony to look at the stars some more, and noticed a string stretched over the sky from horizon to horizon, looking pretty much like the mist left behind by a jet plane.

It was an odd colour though - grey with a tinge of green. While I was watching it, I thought I could detect something moving in it.


'' I thought, 'what is this - invasion from space?'

As I kept staring at it, the movements became clearer, turning into waves that ran all the way along the string, and then back, while the mist started shimmering. The sight gave me goose bumps.

This kept going on for some time, until the mist simply dissolved.

Mystified, I tried describing it to my colleagues at work the next day, and one of them suggested that I call SMHI (Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute - oh, cool, same abbreviation in English as in Swedish!).

By now, I was so curious I did call them, asking if there had been some kind of weather phenomenon over the place where I live last night. The person answering the phone asked me to hold while she checked with the meteorologist on call (who'd have access to the log).

And when she got back, she told me that there had been an Aurora.

'Isn't it unusual this far south?' I asked.

'Unusual, but not impossible', she replied.

Baffled, I hung up and told my colleagues, who were in awe and also a bit jealous of me.

[Amy P]

That's a stunning video. Although in one bit I was terribly distracted by how fidgetty people are on time-delay!

Deb

But at some point in the video, there was almost no movement among the watchers at all - they must have been watching in awe, too eager to take in the sight to move around (and dressed warmly enough not to get cold).

Jealous. I've never seen a proper aurora. I thought I saw one once, but I think I was imagining it.

Well, you know what they say - it's the thought that counts

Deb