Northern Lights

These are something I've always wanted to see in person.  Just seeing the pictures and videos is awe inspiring, I can't even imagine live.

NASA says 2012 should be a big year for the Norther Lights:

Since 2007 the aurora borealis has been growing in intensity and will peak during the year after next, according to Nasa scientists.

However, if the 2012 aurora are as big as expected, it could cause disruption to mobile phones, GPS and even the national grid.

The event will be caused by the Solar Maximum - a period when the sun's magnetic field on the solar equator rotates at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles.

The solar cycle takes an average of around 11 years to go from one solar maximum to the next - varying between 9 to 14 years for any given solar cycle.

The last Solar Maximum was in 2000 and NASA scientists have predicted that the next one in 2012 will be the greatest since 1958, where the aurora stunned the people of Mexico by making an appearance on three occasions.

In 2012 scientists have stated that the 'Northern' lights should at least be visible as far south as Rome.

Watch this video and tell me that it isn't at least a little awesome. 

Aurora Borealis timelapse HD - Tromsø 2010 from Tor Even Mathisen on Vimeo.