This is supposed to be the season for aurorae. I have been keeping my eyes
open to the skies and to reports I receive from "officialdom" concerning
potential mid-latitude activity. I also make my own predictions after viewing
information on solar activity and atmospheric events. I don't want to miss any
aurora this year and have been as alert as I can be for seeing the colorful
curtains.

During the day on April 06, 2000 I received a mid-latitude aurora alert for
that night and possibly the next night. I was excited about the potential.
Later in the day I received a few more messages from individuals saying that
they have heard of it being spotted by other observers further east. I was
getting real excited, but I knew I would have to wait until late that evening
to see anything. I had open house in Crane Observatory that night and it was
scheduled to run from 8:30 to 10.

During the observatory open house I told people about the possibility of
seeing aurora if they went to the dark area outside of town. Some said they
would watch, but others weren't interested. How could they NOT be interested?
I was anxious for the open house to get over so I could be on my way home to
the dark area where I live. The time for closing the observatory came and went
since one fellow seemed urgen to look at M35. We looked at it and he was
content and left around 10:30.

I hurried out and kept looking to the north as I drove the 30-minute trip
home. I live north of town and have excellent skies there. I knew I would see
something if it was there. I pulled into my driveway, shut off my lights,
jumped out of my truck and looked north. There it was. I could see shafts and
some color. I could also see clouds approaching. I hurried in and woke up
Mike. He has been wanting to see aurora, too, and was up and out of bed in an
instant. I told him I would meet him at the end of the driveway after I loaded
my camera. He arrived there before I had time to load and get back to the
spot.

The clouds were creeping in but I had time to take a few shots. I got off four
and decided I had better make a call or two to members of the Aurora Alert
Team, some people who like me to keep them posted of good possibilties of
aurora sighting from here. I made one call and ran back outside. The clouds
took over most of the sky, but we could still make out spots of red through
the holes in the clouds. A few shafts shot above and below the clouds, but for
the most part, it was over for us around midnight.

The prominent color was red and the shafts appeared red as well. The aurora
appeared due north with a spread of about 120 degrees at the maximum. Its
height ran to just above Polaris. Time ran out for clear skies and none was
seen after midnight for us.

The photos I got were not the best I have ever shot, but considering the
cloudy conditions, I don't think they were too bad. Besides, I haven't heard
of anyone else around my location getting any photos, or even seeing the
aurora that night. I am fortunate to have seen it, and to have gotten the
shots I did.

I hope for another, more magnificent aurora display soon. I'll keep watching.

Brenda Culbertson
[email protected]