Solar and Aurora Activity Chat

[Polar Maritime]

STRONG CME IMPACT: As predicted, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field at 0600 UT on March 17th. The impact was strong, lifting the solar wind speed from 300 km/s to greater than 600 km/s. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

A Moderate G2 Level Geomagnetic Storm is now in progress. The Solar Wind remains above 600 km/s and the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) has been tipped sharply south at times. Be on the lookout for aurora if you are high in latitude and if you have clear dark skies.

ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 6

Threshold Reached: 2013 Mar 17 0842 UTC

Synoptic Period: 0600-0900 UTC

Active Warning: Yes

NOAA Scale: G2 - Moderate

Potential Impacts: Area of impact primarily poleward of 55 degrees Geomagnetic Latitude.

Induced Currents - Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms.

Spacecraft - Satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible.

Radio - HF (high frequency) radio propagation can fade at higher latitudes.

Aurora - Aurora may be seen as low as New York to Wisconsin to Washington state.

http://solarham.net/

http://www.asc-csa.g...amax/hd-480.asp

Edited March 17, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

STRONG CME IMPACT: As predicted, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field at 0600 UT on March 17th. The impact lifted the solar wind speed from 300 km/s to 700 km/s and sparked a moderately strong (Kp=6) geomagnetic storm. Northern Lights spilled across the Canadian border into the United States as far south as Colorado:

"Just after 4 am local time, the skies turned green and red behind the twin stone monoliths of Rabbit Ears Peak near Steamboat Springs, Colorado," http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

SUBSIDING STORM: Earth's magnetic field is quieting as the effects of the St. Patrick's Day CME impact wane. Nevertheless, Arctic sky watchers should remain alert for auroras as Earth exits the CME's wake. NOAA forecasters estimate a 50% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on March 18th. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

Some fantastic footage from last's action in Alaska!

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

Edited March 20, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

Edited March 20, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

SOLAR ACTIVITY MISSES EARTH: Sunspot AR1692 is crackling with C- and M-class solar flares. However, all of the eruptions are missing Earth because of the sunspot's off-center location on the sun's NW limb. Earth-directed flares are unlikely during the next 24 hours. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

VERY QUIET SUN: All of the sunspots on the Earth side of the sun are quiet. NOAA forecasters put the odds of a significant eruption today at no more than 1%. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

FULL MOON AURORAS: A disturbance in the solar wind hit Earth's magnetic field on March 27th, igniting auroras around the poles. Glare from the full moon competed with the Northern Lights, but did not utterly vanquish them. In Salla, Finnland, B.Art Braafhart photographed patches of green above the moonlit landscape:

http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

GEOMAGNETIC STORM UNDERWAY: A minor (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm is underway around the poles as a medium-speed solar wind stream buffets Earth's magnetic field. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

SOLAR MAX HAS ARRIVED! April fools. Solar activity remains low despite the predicted arrrival of solar maximum in 2013. What's going on? This quiet spell might be the valley in a double-peaked Solar Max. If so, solar activity could surge later this year when the second peak kicks in. Meanwhile, the sun seems to be playing a practical joke on forecasters. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

Suddenly out of nowhere, a major X Class eruption is currently in progress around Sunspot 1711.

Click on the link below for a brand new image by SDO.

http://www.solarham....013_x_flare.jpg

Edited April 1, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

Well it ended up topping out at X92 and was so strong, a portion of the Sun is actually seen floating away.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

POLAR FILAMENT ERUPTION: Not every eruption requires a sunspot. On April 1st, a magnetic filament snaking some 800,000 km around the sun's north pole rose up and erupted, hurling part of itself into space. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the event:

http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

Nice work here from March..

Edited April 2, 2013 by Polar Maritime

[Polar Maritime]

[Polar Maritime]

A M2.2 solar flare just happened on the eastern limb of the Sun.

This active area is rotating towards the Earth facing side of the Sun.

[Polar Maritime]

INCOMING ACTIVE REGION: An active region on the farside of the sun is about to rotate onto the Earthside of the sun. It announced itself on April 5th around 0700 UT with a C2-class solar flare that hurled material over the sun's eastern limb. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme UV glow of the blast:

Quickly following that eruption came another even stronger one: An M2-class flare (image) at 1750 UT.

Clearly, this incoming region has the potential to stir up significant space weather. It may be a few days, however, before it becomes geoeffective. Stay tuned for updates as the blast site turns toward Earth. http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Polar Maritime]

WEEKEND AURORAS: A weak solar wind stream is brushing against Earth's magnetic field this weekend. In response to the encounter, NOAA forecasters put the odds of a polar geomagnetic storm on April 6-7 at 15%-20%. Aurora alerts: text,voice.

Although the solar wind disturbance is mild, it is nevertheless igniting auroras around the Arctic Circle. Rune Engebø sends this picture from Nupen, Troms, Norway:

The auroras were bright enough to see through the growing twilight of polar Spring. http://www.spaceweather.com/