"annnnnd to the north"...

"the northern lights!"

Started by Aniu1983 on 18 Dec 2003, 09:50 UTC · 17 preserved posts

65-106196054218 Dec 2003, 09:50 UTC

I wasn't sure where to put this topic, since half of it relates to "Balto", and the other half relates to the aurora borealis.

First of all, a question: in the scene where Balto shows Jenna the "northern lights" why, or how, do they move? �I know it's supposed to be dramatic, but how could a lamp's light shining on glass bottles cause a reflection that moves?

Second of all, I wanted to show you guys some beautiful pictures of the real aurora borealis, click, click: http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/aurora/gallery_01dec03.htm

70-106196059218 Dec 2003, 12:28 UTC

The light shining through them may have been from something like an oil lamp which would have a flickering or moving flame which would cause the northern lights to move with it. I don't think we saw the light source so who knows?

69-106279399518 Dec 2003, 16:13 UTC

I always wondered the same thing, but I didn't want to ruin the magic of the moment.

Those pics are so cool :cool:

. I want to see the Northern lights in person right now!!

67-106196056018 Dec 2003, 16:57 UTC

Woooow... That looks nifty... ^^

65-106196054218 Dec 2003, 17:02 UTC

I actually did see the northern lights about a month ago, but they didn't look like those pictures. �It was still very cool though. The whole northern horizon was lit up like it was an hour before sunrise, even though it was only about midnight. Pretty cool for Oregon

.

There's one pic there that really reminds me of "Balto" for some reason. �It's this one, my personal favorite:
http://science.nasa.gov/spacewe....ll2.jpg

83-106196071618 Dec 2003, 17:07 UTC

I haven't seen very many pictures of the real Northen Lights, so those are a treat. ^^ Despite the cold weather, it'd be nice to see them in for myself someday.

65-106196054218 Dec 2003, 17:10 UTC

Well, Silver, if the sun ever sends any more powerful solar streams to Earth again like it did a month ago, keep watch out for them. After all, some of those photos were taken as far south as Florida :cool:

69-106279399519 Dec 2003, 23:28 UTC

That is an awesome pic, Anui. It does remind me of Balto. I think its the randomness of colors. A lot of times the Northern Lights are only one color with a few different shades.

65-106196052920 Dec 2003, 00:10 UTC

I think it's worth pointing out that pretty much all of those photographs are long exposures, taken over several seconds (up to 30 seconds in some cases). They almost certainly didn't look like that as they were happening; the intense, bright colors and distinct structures show up in the photos as a result of forming a single image from several seconds of moving light. They're generally quite amorphous and patchy when you see them for real.

83-106196071620 Dec 2003, 04:58 UTC

I'd imagine it would still be a noteworthy nonetheless. It's not everynight that you see colors dancing in the sky. =p

83-106196071821 Dec 2003, 22:27 UTC

Hello

I've only seen the Northern Lights once...it was when I was in the Apostle Islands (Lake Superior)...they were very faint (and orange!), but it was spiffy, nonetheless...

I agree with Fluke about the light source...

~Silver Wolf

76-106196064322 Dec 2003, 06:30 UTC

I have no idea how it could have moved. The most logical sounding one I think so far is what Fluke said. I have never seen the northern lights. I have only heard about it. My grandma says it is like a river of colors in the sky. She has seen it before. I to hope to see it someday to.

65-106196054222 Dec 2003, 09:00 UTC

Hmm, AC, you say that the source of light in the movie is never seen, but isn't it the lamp in this screengrab?

http://www.theicecave.org/balto/DVD/dvdcapture057.jpg

However, I agree with you that it probably is the flame in the lamp creating the movement of the "northern lights". �

I love that scene; I wish the music from it was on the "Balto" soundtrack...

70-106196059222 Dec 2003, 21:52 UTC

Oh yeah, well admitidly I didnt look at a screen grab, but yeah that lamp looks like an oil burning lamp..would explain the moving lights..

106-106196082227 Dec 2003, 21:46 UTC

Hey, I just noticed that that screengrab is Whisper's avatar! What a coincidence!

Yeah, that's definatley an oil lamp. :;):

83-106196071628 Dec 2003, 18:30 UTC

Not really, Jewels. �Notice the image is from my website, I used that very same image to create that avatar. �

106-106196082228 Dec 2003, 22:17 UTC

Oh...okay! LOL!

No wonder!