Northern lights

This is not a photo from me it is from this blog

I love the Northern Lights. I have seen them many times before. In fact I have even seen them once from Calgary, which is rare and requires a very strong display. Since I am likely going north somewhat soon I was trying to find the level of Northern Lights activity but I get somewhat contradicting information.
It seems that we are in a sun spot (ie aurora) quiet have have been since 2007. I just read about it but can't find the source.
We all know that the auroral activity is related to the sun spot activity. I remember from my astronomy class that high and low activity of sun spot follow each other in typically predictable cycles but it appears that we are in an unusually long quiet period. The BBC News has an article about the sun extended quiet period.

But Yukon Aurora Forecast is predicting "moderate to elevated" auroral activity (6/10). Of course Yukon Aurora Forecast is a tourism thing so it is to their advantage to predict somewhat high levels of auroral activity.

The Geophysical Institute is predicting moderate (3/10).

SpaceWeather website mentions two sunspots erupting on August 14th.
.....so maybe it is the start of something. I have better hurry and go north, but I have to wait.

Ice News from Iceland is as optimistic as I am  and thinks that it is the start of something, but of course they are on the other side of the planet where the auroral oval seems to be stronger. I've wanted to go to Iceland for a long time...one day maybe. It is not a cheap place to visit.

Auroral Activity Report (updated every 10 minutes) has good maps of where to expect them. Unfortunately it seems that the northern oval of auroral activity is weak on the North American side.

This photo is from Travel-destination and the photo was taken somewhere form the Dempster Highway

map from The Milepost

I hope I do go north and I can then let you know. I should say that I have no plans to go to the Dempster Highway. It is a gravel road and has a reputation of having quite a few big trucks and being dusty and busy as a result. In fact tright now I am sort of leaning towards going to Yellowknoife and Wood Buffalo National Park mostly because I think that those are less popular destinations and should be quieter.I guess it is the difference between wanting to see the "Flat North" or the "Mountainous North". I've seen both before.