Four (or more) strong CMEs are currently headed towards Earth! If they hit, aurora may be seen as far south as the U.S./Mexico border, France, Austria, and Ukraine, or as far north as Sydney and Christchurch. Activity could last into the weekend.
Here is where and when to expect aurora tonight. This is your chance!
This is one of the most exciting weeks for space weather in months! The Sun has been extremely active, launching a flurry of what are called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) out into space. These CMEs are like "Sun sneezes" - but instead of clouds of mucus (gross), the Sun sneezes out clouds of charged particles. These clouds, if they hit Earth and have the right magnetic configuration, can cause energy to penetrate our magnetic shield (Earth's magnetosphere) and cause auroras! Please note that this is an oversimplified explanation of a complex scientific process.
CMEs give the most spectacular auroral displays and cause the most powerful geomagnetic storms, and guess what? There are four (maybe more!) CMEs currently en route to Earth - how exciting!
NOAA graphic (Even in this more conservative prediction, it looks like Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba will see some spectacular auroral activity. And Alaska of course.)
YazataDec 1, 2023 02:52 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 1, 2023 03:36 AM by Yazata.)
The first of the CME's has just reached an 'upstream' satellite at Earth's L1 Lagrange point.
(Between the Earth and the Sun. An object orbiting the Sun closer than the Earth will typically have a shorter orbital period than the Earth, but at L1 the Earth's gravity slows that period and creates a little point of stability where objects orbit along with the Earth. This allows satellites to station-keep relative to the Earth at a point closer to the Sun.)
(Nov 30, 2023 08:58 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: As usual, Oregon skies will be providing their own breathtaking view of the rain clouds blanketing the entire state.
I'm not much better off. I'm further south and I'm near San Jose with lots of urban lights. If these auroras are visible this far south, they will be in the northern sky and best visible in dark-sky conditions. So I'm not expecting to see anything with my naked eyes.
C CDec 1, 2023 03:50 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 1, 2023 07:06 AM by C C.)
(Dec 1, 2023 02:52 AM)Yazata Wrote:
(Nov 30, 2023 08:58 PM)Magical Realist Wrote: As usual, Oregon skies will be providing their own breathtaking view of the rain clouds blanketing the entire state.
I'm not much better off. I'm further south and I'm near San Jose with lots of urban lights. If these auroras are visible this far south, they will be in the northern sky and best visible in dark-sky conditions. So I'm not expecting to see anything with my naked eyes. (Shetland has a greenish hue right now.)
Since the 360° view of some of those is freaking me out, I guess I'll be looking at these from among them, if they hang around. (Maine has music in its livestream. Some may be cloudy at the time of this post, or later.)
UPDATE: Oh, Greenland is the bee's knees right now! (You can go back earlier on the footage to see the most spectacular moments on the Greenland Kulusuk Airport West cam, though what was recorded will probably be gone/erased by tomorrow or some hours from now.)
C CDec 2, 2023 02:45 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 2, 2023 03:32 AM by C C.)
Most of the cams are showing something at this time tonight -- even North Dakota. But still not daylight Alaska.
Despite some clouds, "Banff, Canada" is giving old reliable "Greenland: Kulusuk Airport West" some significant competition.
I can never figure out if that greenish hue hovering over Shetland is some optical effect or a faint aspect of the real deal.
UPDATE: Greenland is still champ. Alaska is finally displaying a pink color. Also seems safe to say now that the questionable hue over Shetland is indeed genuine, it's become so prevalent. Banff has become too cloudy. Maine is super-dark tonight, in contrast to yesterday. Nothing in both instances. "Sodankylä, Finland" is putting on a show. Iceland doing a faded version of Greenland.
YazataDec 2, 2023 06:00 AM (This post was last modified: Dec 2, 2023 06:01 AM by Yazata.)
(Dec 2, 2023 02:45 AM)C C Wrote: Despite some clouds, "Banff, Canada" is giving old reliable "Greenland: Kulusuk Airport West" some significant competition.
Yeah, the Kulusuk West cam is going pretty good. Imagine what the ancient Vikings thought when they sailed up into the surreal northern reaches and saw the aurora up above them. They must have thought that they were approaching dangerously close to some transcendental fantasy realm. (Shades of MR!)
Quote:UPDATE: Greenland is still champ. Alaska is finally displaying a pink color.
I believe that pink auroras are unusual. It's excited oxygen atoms and it takes energetic particles to excite jaded blase oxygen atoms.
Nov 30, 2023 08:54 PM
(This post was last modified: Nov 30, 2023 09:09 PM by Yazata.)
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