Large Aurora Expected Oct. 29

[Ken_Coles]

Hi folks,

 

As a recovering Earth scientist, I have to pass along that a huge solar event has sent a surge of charged particles toward Earth that will arrive during the 29th and into the 30th (date and time depending where you are on Earth). This should cause a large and widespread aurora. See the

 

University of Alaska Aurora forecast page

 

for details. They haven't done tomorrow's forecast as I write -- very unusual for them, but it is because the magnitude and timing of the event is not clear yet. Note that, because the Earth's magnetic field is symmetrical, the Aurora Australis should be just as strong as the Aurora Borealis.

 

I just had to share this. I completely missed the last spectacular Aurora over my part of the world on a clear night in the winter of 1989 because I was working 80 hours a week teaching college (I don't miss that!) and hadn't heard about it. Me, I'll be out in the dark on our farm tonight with a bottle of good hooch! (Forecast is for broken clouds)

 

We now return to our regularly scheduled music.

[Helen]

Thanks Ken,

 

Because of you I got to see Mars. And now this. This is good, I don't have to worry because I don't keep up with current events. I can get them on C.net.

 

Helen

[JimLucas]

One year at the Fox Hollow Festival I experienced the most spectacular aurora I've ever seen. I first noticed it in the early evening, not off on the horizon, but rolling across the sky in waves, and at first I thought it was searchlights from a supermarket opening. It was so bright that friends of mine reported seeing it in New York City. It lasted until dawn, and this was at the same time as the annual summer metor shower (I'm sure Ken can tell us which one). Instead of our usual turn of sitting up all night singing in the campground, we did our singing lying on our backs and watching the sky.

 

Even without shooting stars, I'm looking forward to this one.

[semaj1950]

Thanks indeed. I live in Montana, and hope the clouds roll away. Wouldn't you know it. It hardly ever rains here, and it's cloudy for the mega aurora.

 

Jim

[JimLucas]

Well, Ken, thanks for the heads up, but the weather here didn't cooperate. Overcast to the point of undercast. The Swedish coast -- close enough that I can normally see houses and even trucks -- has completely disappeared.

 

I hope others got a good view.

[David Barnert]

Cloudy here, too.

 

I have, however, (since August and as recently as last week) been pointing Mars out to whoever is around to see it. Worth a look. You'll never see it this close again and the window is closing.

[Helen]

Oops, missed it. Pouring down rain here. Couldn't see anything.

 

Helen

[Ken_Coles]

Where I am it cleared off suddenly around 11:30 PM local time. I watched the sky for a little over an hour. There was a very slight auroral glow, so slight I wasn't sure of it. No substorms, let alone curtains, etc. This was 9 or more hours after the strongest part of the flare got to the Earth, so that is not a surprise.

 

I did see a shooting star.