Aurora borealis, anyone?

By adamg on Thu, 09/11/2014 - 10:31pm

AccuWeather shows eastern Mass. as having a good chance to see an aurora Friday night.

Free tagging:

Aurora

Ad:

Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

Where

By anon on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:13am.

where would be the darkest place to catch this light show within an hour to 90 minute drive from boston?

Some answers

By perruptor on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 7:19am.

On this list. Singing Beach in Manchester shows up in other lists as well as this one.

Singing Sands is kind of uptight.

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 8:13am.

Parking Rules: Beginning September 2nd parking is Resident Only. Starting October 1st there is limited non-resident parking in designated spaces.
The closest Non-Resident Parking is at Masconomo Park about a half mile away from the beach, yellow spaces are designated non-resident. Additional parking is located in downtown Manchester near the train station in the 2 hour spaces.

http://www.manchester.ma.us/pages/manchesterma_recreation/singingbeach

It's a pretty wealthy town and likes to be left alone.

Ninety minutes is a pretty nice radius. Kittery Point, Maine may be a nice option. Fort McClary is great and I doubt parking is an issue. I lived near there and it doesn't have much light pollution.

http://goo.gl/maps/SvmpK

Bay Farm in Duxbury has some possibilities to the South.

http://goo.gl/maps/SnzFb

I picked places that are easy to get around in the dark, don't have uptight town rules and have decent expanses to the east where the phenomenon is said to be starting.

Singing Beach

By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:01pm.

It is a very easy walk from the commuter rail AND the parking lots near the commuter rail.

In other words, since it is late and trains are few, you can park your car in town, and hike 1km to the beach.

Yeah, friends used to steal cars there

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:35pm.

.in the early 70s.

Night time train schedules for the Rockport branch can be a handful.

http://www.mbta.com/schedules_and_maps/rail/lines/?route=NBRYROCK

Viewing time frame looks good.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2014/09/12/geomagnetic-storm-on-the-way-auror...

While auroras can be visible anywhere in the sky, a good place to start would be looking north. If possible, get away from any ambient light. When you’re near a city, all the street lights, airplanes, and other sources of light pollution can rob you of the show! Head to the country, a rural spot if you don’t mind a road trip. Bring a mug of hot chocolate (it’s going to be a very chilly night), a blanket, a camera, and enjoy!

Sea Street has a run of lights and that bit of shore faces south so there might be light and orientation issues. http://goo.gl/maps/K3aqG

I was there in winter. It is wonderfully desolate. https://flic.kr/p/p9ECrW

Blue Hills?

By anon on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:56pm.

How about the Blue Hill Observatory? Too much light pollution from the greater Braintree sprawl?

The issue is you're looking

By Ari O on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 1:22pm.

The issue is you're looking north, which happens to be right over Boston. Lots of light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch

By anonermus on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 1:46am.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-yTpaESzkU

Urban light pollution

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 2:28am.

..will probably make a mess of it but, if you can get to where the dark is allowed, it will work well.

Ptown

By cybah on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 5:33am.

I'm going to Ptown this weekend. I hope I'll be able to see it!!

Man I wish the point wasn't so dark at night, I'd so go out there and look.

Sensibly taking advantage

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 6:15am.

..of shoulder season, I see. I was there once on Halloween.
Enjoy.

Actually I have a friend who is setting up an office (he's an accountant), and I am helping putting together his desk. I'll have some downtime but not much. Still will be nice to get out of the city for the weekend.

I might go back for Halloween (a la Spookybear), then I'll have some fun.

PS - Thanks!

PPS - Do you ever sleep? :)

Sleep comes in modules

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 6:56am.

as you age. It's said to be our real mode.

I crash at around 7pm cause I don't care about urban night life.

Then, as a geezer, nature calls, so you answer and fart around in the wee hours before getting the next sleep unit,

Rise and shine time tends to be around 4:30 am as sunrise approaches in it's gradual way of blue hue shifts and rosy dawn fingers.

Other Suggestions

By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 9:37pm.

Either sneak into Halibut Point State Park and take a rocky night hike with a flashlight OR park at the Lobster Pool.

Unless you find a way to sneak into Crane Beach.

Yeah I thought of that too.

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 10:09pm.

It's a bit of a hazard but the alignment works. I've been going there since the 70s. Dark is a challenge for some given terrain irregularities there, (fall into a quarry anyone?) and then there is the stewardship outlook I try and practice which includes staying away from situations that involve sneaking anywhere.

Here, for example, is a photo from last winter of the old coast guard block house there that was once a summer rental for Laura Nyro. https://flic.kr/p/oUwnsE

And with Cranes, I work with the T of R for free, love them very much and so on. So I am not psyched to encroach on their stuff.

It is quite a challenge to identify spots that satisfy safe, legal and dark. Hell, if rule breaking was factored in, it's a different ball game. There is a sweet bench at the Appleton Tof R property near Cranes where you'd get the added value of this thing in the dark.

It is called the Great Pasture and the thing is a finial. https://flic.kr/p/p88Hu8

Starry Starry Nights are readily at hand if clouds allow.

http://youtu.be/dipFMJckZOM

I love "They did not listen, they did not know how.. Perhaps they'll listen now."

Sorta sums up the U Hub Commentariat in large measure.

I, of course, blew it off and went to sleep. I can always look at a you tube. I looked up stuff to be helpful for others, as is my wont, when I'm not poking fun at self absorbed types.

Went to Hailbut Point last night

By Cutriss on Sat, 09/13/2014 - 5:37pm.

The gates were open and there were about 20 cars parked there. I think there were somewhere around 30-40 people in the vicinity in various places.

In a really amazing coincedence, in addition to the auroras, last night was also the Camelopardalids shower, and we saw 4 shooting stars in our hour or so that we were at the park.

Did you go out there Swirls? Might've run into you.

AURORA BOREALIS!

By Supt. Chalmers on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 8:00am.

AT THIS TIME OF YEAR?
AT THIS TIME OF DAY?
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY?
LOCALIZED ENTIRELY WITHIN YOUR KITCHEN?

Thank you Supernintendo

By MattyC on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:16pm.

Thank you Supernintendo Chalmers

Try going south

By Ward8Mahatma on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 8:31am.

The beaches in Marshfield & Duxbury are great for general stargazing as long as there are no clouds. For example, evening cloud cover made the last two super moons hard to see, but, when it's clear, looking up is like looking at a star chart ( BTW-- there are great free smartphone sky chart apps for both Android & iOS). I have been spending summers in this area since I was a kid & we have always seen an influx of sky watchers whenever there is a significant astronomical event.

If you take Rte. 3 South to the Marshfield exit (Exit 12) and bear right at the exit onto 139 East, you will be on the road which takes you straight to the shore where it becomes-- ta-da! --Ocean St. You can take a left at any of the numbered streets running from 13 to 1 as you go east on Ocean St. and be at the seawall. You can sit yourself down there or go down onto the beach. Just keep the tides in mind: Low Tide will be at 8:06 in that area tonight with High Tide around 2 a.m. Saturday. If you want to stay in your car, keep going until you are just outside Brant Rock, where there is a stretch of the route right at the water's edge where you can park & gaze..

It shouldn't take more than 40 minutes from Boston. The only wild card is the ongoing prep to repave a stretch of Route 3 after the infamous Braintree split. They are scarifying the pavement at night, so you may encounter a reduction in lanes, if they're working tonight.

An alternative.....

By merlinmurph on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 4:05pm.

Duxbury Beach
Drive to the Powder Point bridge, park and walk over the bridge to the beach. You may be able to drive over and park, not sure.
Bring some good brews, some munchies, kick back and enjoy.

You gotta see it with your mind

By Banderlin on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 9:17am.

Aurora Borealis, shining down in Falmouth,
Can you picture that?

Next best thing to Laser

By Finn on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 9:22am.

Next best thing to Laser Floyd.

two-fer!?

By Mrzip on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 9:32am.

Commander Cody is playing at the C-Note in Hull tonight, they have a pretty dark beach there too!

Sounds like it's gonna be one

By Ishmael Jones on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:00pm.

Sounds like it's gonna be one of those nights.

Also too,

By Chris Rich on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 11:23am.

Obligatory sound track. http://youtu.be/iIpfWORQWhU

Can't wait for the robocall

By SwirlyGrrl on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 12:07pm.

THIS IS BARRY CLEMENTE WITH THE MEFFID POLICE DEPAHTMENT. WE ARE EXPERIENCING AN AURORAR DUE TO SOLAH ACTIVITY. MEFFID IS NOT BEING ATTACKED BY ALIENS. IF YOU GET UP AND SEE A GLOWING SKY THIS EVENING, GO BACK TO BED.

Some people freaked out over a fireworks display once, as they were sure that Medford was being directly attacked by AlQaida. I'm not kidding. We now get these messages any time there is something loud or bright happening.

Wow, Meffid again on the UHub? Third time this week!

By cmadad on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 3:38pm.

Personally, I would love to hear him say, "A reported aurorah in the areah" in his inimitable fashion!

No aurora on Meadow Road in Readville

By adamg on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 11:24pm.

But we did see a huge deer, so there was that, at least.

don't feel bad

By cybah on Fri, 09/12/2014 - 11:46pm.

I walked all the way down to Pilgrims First Landing (in Provincetown) which is about where the jetty is to walk to the Point. (this was about as far as I was willing to go at this hour)

Nice view of the stars but no Aurora either.

I think I'm too far south to see. Shucks. I should have gone to see the family in New Hampshire instead.

Oh well, there is beer waiting at the Wave Bar/Crown for my troubles :)

still nothing - drats

By glen on Sat, 09/13/2014 - 1:28am.

I'm in Sagamore Beach. I can see the Pilgrim Monument from Scusset. But no northern lights. Been looking and looking. Clouds are slowly dragging across the sky.

I was at Scusset when the 11:00 news ended and there was a dozen or so cars that showed up - and left shortly after.

I saw a photo taken from atop Mt. Washington in NH and it looks amazing there. So they are apparently seeing it.

I'm going to go take one more look for the sake of it, then turn in. I wouldn't mind staying up if I knew it was going to be visible. But my days of all-nighters are long behind me.

Good luck to any of you who are watching. I'll be forever jealous if you see anything.

On my bucket list

By Stevil on Sat, 09/13/2014 - 10:19am.

To see this someday - and hopefully get a nice picture. Quick stop on Plum Island Beach for some snacks on the beach (a little cool - but very peaceful) - and then off to find a darker place for the viewing - thanks to an overheard conversation in a 7-11, landed on top of Mt. Agmenticus near Ogunquit/York. Probably the best place anywhere near here to see it - if it happens.

60-90 minutes later (about 12:45) a very large crowd which had by then dwindled, was sorely disappointed (though someone mentioned the sighting at Mt W.)

Bucket's still empty - someday.

Nothing much in Rockport

By SwirlyGrrl on Sat, 09/13/2014 - 2:14am.

There was some shimmering effects, but no colors on the north horizon. Fun to roadtrip with friends and hang out, though.

Gaia's practical joke

By Chris Rich on Sat, 09/13/2014 - 6:07am.

on the anxious monkeys seeking another experience.

I'm heading out now to resume my exploration of the Charles Bikeway and Greenway paths along the Watertown and Newton section.

The photos I hoisted to plus on Thursday were reshared by some fellow in Portugal whereupon his friends all commented about what a wonderful place Watertown must be. I love hitting trails early as it's when you run into night shift mammals going home.

https://flic.kr/p/oXZSff

May a fine Saturday be yours as well.