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Re: (meteorobs) Aurora Borealis Alert!!

In a message dated 4/1/01 4:50:53 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
WarpdriveJ@netscapedot net writes:

<< DAMN!
 Well I am happy for those of you who are able to enjoy the aurora and just a 
tad bit jealous.
 
 Jeanne >>
-------------------------------------------------------
I'm more than jealous Jeanne . . . 

    Many of you will recall the bright auroral display which coincided with 
last year's peak of the Perseid meteors.  It came on a Friday night/Saturday 
morning.  Unfortunately, here in the Northeast US, we had an anomalous 
weather pattern:  a rare mid-summer nor'easter that brought thick clouds and 
copious rains, therby completely obscuring both the meteors and the Northern 
Lights.  In the aftermath, after reading the numerous reports on the internet 
of the spectacle which I had missed, I tried to console myself (in the midst 
of my depression) to the fact that we were still at solar max and undoubtedly 
there would be another opportunity to see another great auroral display.  

    Now, of course, we have just had yet another grand aurora . . . visible 
all the way down to Mexico according to recent reports . . . and once again, 
the local weather gods have failed to cooperate: another coastal storm . . . 
another round of rain . . . another cloak of thick, dense clouds offering not 
the slightest bit of hope that I could get even a glimpse of the spectacular 
light show dancing and roaring above my head.  Had the weather been 
favorable, I would have delighted to alert my t.v. viewers to go out and get 
a rare view of the Northern Lights.

    What was worse . . . once again . . . like last August, it all came on a 
Friday night/Saturday morning, bringing back with a thud the memory of that 
depressing summer weekend (as Yogi Berra once said, "It's Deju Vu all over 
again!").  I've read the reports . . . I've seen the pictures . . .  <A 
HREF="http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_31mar01.html">Click here: 
March 30 - April 1, 2001 Aurora Gallery</A> and while I continue to try and 
keep a stiff upper lip, nonetheless I cannot measure my disapointment.

    Oh well . . . in accordance with the Carrington solar rotation cycle, the 
active region on the Sun that spawned the aurora (#9393) will again be 
transiting the Sun's disk on April 23. Hopefully I'll get another chance!

Hope Springs Eternal! (and pass the Prozac)
-- joe rao 
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