416warlok t1_jajo4nw wrote on March 1, 2023 at 10:23 PM

Reply to comment by ImTrappedInAComputer in Northern lights outside Anchorage, AK last sunday night [OC] (3024x4032) by awesommazing

So I'm just some pleb who has never seen the northern lights... I do think though, that if I were to see them, they would never look as bright and as colourful as basically every photo seems to portray them. I could be wrong, but I'd be very surprised if they looked like this photo with the naked eye.

TheValxyrie t1_jak5ody wrote on March 2, 2023 at 12:27 AM

If you're able, take a trip to Northern Norway between October and March, and unless you're very unlucky, you'll be in for a big surprise!

Source: I launch rockets into the northern lights so that scientists can study them.

416warlok t1_jak91y4 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 12:52 AM

You do what?! Lol. I'd love to see them!!

TheValxyrie t1_jalk8s2 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 8:03 AM

Here is a picture of the last launch we did for NASA. The mission was called ACES II. You can read more about it here.

416warlok t1_jam9ln2 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 1:16 PM

Dude that's fucking rad! Thanks for sharing.

DBGames01 t1_jaknxv2 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 2:42 AM

I soldered the PCBs for UNH’s instrumentation on ACES II. Small world lol

TheValxyrie t1_jalk348 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 8:01 AM

I'm the manager for the Telemetry & Radar department at Andøya Space. Small world indeed! ACES II was an amazing launch.

awesommazing OP t1_jakefu1 wrote on March 2, 2023 at 1:32 AM

I said the same thing too! Ive been taking photos of them for a while and I thought them dancing and being very vivid is a myth. I also heard from alot of long time northern locals that that sunday night northern lights was just especially strong. The colors were really vivid. It was so strong it was reported to be seen all the way down to Colorado