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10/28/2003 05:00:29 PM · #1 |
Excerpt from NASA's Spaceweather website: spaceweather.com
One of the most powerful solar flares in years erupted from giant sunspot 486 this morning at approximately 1110 UT. The blast measured X17 on the Richter scale of solar flares. As a result of the explosion, a strong S3-class solar radiation storm is underway. Click here to learn how such storms can affect our planet. The explosion also hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. When it left the sun, the cloud was traveling 2125 km/s (almost 5 million mph). This CME could trigger bright auroras when it sweeps past our planet perhaps as early as tonight.
Looks like there might be some nice aurora tonight! :-)
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10/28/2003 05:05:16 PM · #2 |
| Thanks for the post [url]. Excellent site. |
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10/28/2003 05:08:44 PM · #3 |
Thanks, I'll take a look. I used to smoke (always outside) so I'd know when the aruroas would come out and play. Now I stopped smoking (for 10 months now) and I never see them anymore. I should start smoking again.
Aurora 1
Aurora 2
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10/28/2003 05:16:47 PM · #4 |
Awesome aurora photos there Jacko!
I really wish we got to see them here :(
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10/28/2003 05:44:51 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by natator:
Awesome aurora photos there Jacko!
I really wish we got to see them here :( |
@Jacko- Very nice shots! Which camera were you using, and what kind of aperture/shutter settings? I've got a couple of shots, all film, though. I have yet to capture a really stunning auroral shot with my digital.
@natator- You might still keep your eyes open. This solar event is enormous in comparison to anything in recent times, and although it is indeed unlikely, it may push auroral activity far enough north for you to see at least a glow on the horizon. A couple of sites you might check out are the Space Environment Center's real-time satellite plot of the auroral envelope, and some viewing tips on the same site at their Aurora viewing tips page. There are a lot of factors at play here, but the best time is generally about local midnight-- look for an area away from lights with a clear view towards the horizon (in your case, south). |
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10/28/2003 06:02:56 PM · #6 |
Isn't there an "aurora australis" or something like that, that shows up in the southern hemisphere?
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10/28/2003 06:24:16 PM · #7 |
Do you think it will be visible from Canada (S. Ontario) ??
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10/28/2003 06:25:53 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by timmi:
Do you think it will be visible from Canada (S. Ontario) ?? |
If you have clea skies, it certainly should be. Here in Wisconsin it's overcast, with little chance of clearing. Bummer.
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10/28/2003 08:42:34 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by kostia:
Isn't there an "aurora australis" or something like that, that shows up in the southern hemisphere? |
Yes, there is, basically same as the borealis. However, like the Northern Lights, the Southern Lights are generally only seen closer to the pole. In the Northern Hemisphere, there are populated areas relatively close to the North Pole. In the Southern, the populated areas aren't as close, so sightings of the aurora australis are less frequent. The best sightings are from the Antarctic Station, but there have been others from the southern areas of New Zealand.
Most of Australia isnt south enough to see it, unfortunately.
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10/28/2003 09:02:58 PM · #10 |
On a slightly related topic...
During the fires today, the smoke was so thick you could easily look into the sun. There were two dark spots visible on it. Here's a picture I got of it: 
Does anyone know if these are the same sun spots responsible for these solar flares? |
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10/28/2003 09:28:48 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by ScottK:
On a slightly related topic...
During the fires today, the smoke was so thick you could easily look into the sun. There were two dark spots visible on it. Here's a picture I got of it:
Does anyone know if these are the same sun spots responsible for these solar flares? |
Yes, I beleive they are the ones responsible. Normally, sunspots are not large enough to be seen with the naked eye, however these certainly are.
We had some dense fog here in SE Wisconsin Saturday morning, and you could clearly see the spots.
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10/28/2003 09:31:05 PM · #12 |
| I was very surprised when I saw them. I've seen them in pictures from high-powere telescopes and the like, things you might see from NASA, but never with the naked eye. (Of course, how often can you look at the sun with the naked eye?) |
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