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Lancaster Aurora Researchers Seek Photo Shoot Locations
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Lancaster University's space scientists have put a call out to the public to help them compile a list of the best places in the UK to photograph the Aurora Borealis.
A member of the University's AuroraWatch team put out the appeal on twitter and Facebook this week and already the suggestions are beginning to come in.
Car parks, hillsides and beaches from the Isle of Rum to the North Norfolk Coast have all been put forward to the team.
Dr Jim Wild, Reader in Space Plasma Physics at Lancaster University's Department of Physics, said: "Solar activity comes in cycles of around ten years and at the moment we are in a period of maximum solar activity. Although we are not anticipating seeing the lights in the next few days there is every chance, on a clear night that you could see them over the coming months.
"Obviously, the further North you are the better your chances, but as we have already seen from our Facebook page, some people have seen the lights as far south as the North Norfolk coast."
AuroraWatch UK keeps the public informed of major events - such as solar and geomagnetic storms - and alerts them to opportunities for seeing aurora from the UK.
The team takes geomagnetic activity measurements from instruments called magnetometers in Iceland, Russia, Scandinavia and the UK which study variations in the earth's magnetic field. This data gives an indication of the likelihood of a display of Aurora Borealis and the AuroraWatch team is then able to send out automatic alerts to people who have registered for their Northern Lights alerts service.
People who wish to add suggestions can still post them on the AuroraWatch Facebook page.
You can sign up for Northern Lights alerts at the AuroraWatch website.
Tue 21 August 2012
Latest News
Lancaster set to receive funding boost to stimulate UK's economy
Lancaster is amongst leading universities who are set to benefit from a £50 million investment in cutting-edge research and innovation projects to drive growth. Lancaster's project will use the strong international reputation and links in China, in particular with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, to address the Government's priorities to focus on high-growth SMEs and to increase exports. Using expertise from across the University, it focuses on improved leadership and new technology...
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Fri 17 May 2013
Billion-year-old water could hold clues to life on Earth and Mars
A UK-Canadian team of scientists has discovered ancient pockets of water, which have been isolated deep underground for billions of years and contain abundant chemicals known to support life.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Thu 16 May 2013
How do we find out about cyber criminals?
Security Lancaster and the Department of Mathematics and Statistics held a workshop to form a new collaborative group who will widen the knowledge of cybercrime and start developing innovative approaches to obtaining information on cyber criminals. The workshop included security researchers and statisticians, solicitors specialising in cybercrime, and experts from government agencies.
Thu 16 May 2013
First, carbon footprints... now you can calculate your 'nitrogen footprint'
Scientists at Lancaster, Virginia and Oxford universities have produced a web-based tool that allows anyone living in the UK to see their own 'nitrogen footprint'.
Story supplied by LU Press Office
Wed 15 May 2013