Heres a shocker......
Last night 16/17th Conor and i both independantly spotted a faint aurora at 00.30LT. We had just checked the aurora activity on the websites and it seemed to be pretty dead so we where more than suprised to see a very obvious green aurora dominating the NW - N sky sector reaching 20 degrees high within southern Ursa Major! This auroral band was OBVIOUS and stood out from the sky backbround with good contrast despite the moon being one day from full in the east. We went out to the country for a better look and away from all lights entirely and sure enough it was there and prominent to the trained eye. If this had of been a moonless night then it would have been a pretty sight. During the night it seemd to fade then brightened again in the hours before dawn. There was no vertical beams visible however the green band blocked out the stars in Canes Venatici and southern Ursa Major. We watched until the clouds moved in at approx 03.50LT.
I know this sighting is going to raise a few eyebrows as there was no major activity detected (that we know of) but yet we are both 100% certain that there was an aurora visible which is all very strange indeed. We did not have access to camera tonight either unfortunately but there was no mistaken what we saw and as an observer i feel we must report this sighting anyway regardless of what the websites have said. Sky conditions where excellent! This is the 2nd night in a row we have seen a display.
This my 57th observed aurora!
Martin Mc Kenna
coruscations attending the whole length of the luminosity, giving to the phenomena the aspect of a wrathful messenger, and not that of a tranquil body pursuing a harmless course..comet of 1680
  