Solar flares will make the northern lights visible tonight...


Strong Solar Storm Could Buffet Earth Friday
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 05:30 am ET
23 October 2003

A strong dose of space weather is forecast to hit Earth Friday, potentially disrupting satellite communications and posing a threat to power grids on Earth. The event also presents a nice opportunity for anyone to view sunspots, though safe viewing techniques must be employed to prevent eye damage.

The storm of charged particles was unleashed by a dark region on the solar surface called Sunspot 484. The huge spot, about the size of Jupiter's surface, has been growing for several days and rotating into a position that now points squarely at Earth.

Another giant sunspot is brewing and more storms could be generated.

Sunspots are cooler regions of the Sun where magnetic energy wells up, often prior to eruptions.
The sunspot let lose a storm of energetic particles, known as a coronal mass ejection at 3 a.m. ET Wednesday, according to forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The expanding cloud is expected to arrive midday Friday. It could produce a geomagnetic storm rated G3 on a scale that goes up to G5.

The activity is expected to generate colorful aurora, or Northern Lights into the northern U.S. states and much of northern Europe. Meanwhile, a continuing "coronal hole" is already providing aurora farther north, in places like Alaska and northern Canada.

The storm comes as the Sun is actually in a declining mode of activity. An 11-year solar cycle peaked during 2001 and 2002. Sunspots are fewer now and activity will ramp down during the next three to four years. But, scientists say, isolated severe space weather can occur at any time.

"It’s somewhat unusual to have this much activity when we’re approximately three-and-a-half years past solar maximum," said Larry Combs, a forecaster with the NOAA Space Environment Center’s Space Weather Operations. "In fact, just last week, solar activity was very low with an almost spotless Sun."

Space weather has hampered satellite communications before.

In 1997, an AT&T Telestar 401 satellite used to broadcast television shows from networks to local affiliates was knocked out during a solar storm. In May 1998 a space storm disabled PanAmSat's Galaxy IV, used for automated teller machines and airline tracking services, among other things. Another storm in July 2000 put several satellites temporarily out of contact and caused navigation problems in others.

Warning of impending storms allows satellite operators to reduce the risk of damage to some satellites by shutting down electronics.

Even cell phones can act up during solar storms, causing dropped calls.

In 1989, a solar storm tripped protective switches in Canadian Hydro-Québec power company. All of Québec lost power for nine hours. The problem nearly spread to the United States through an interconnected grid. Power companies have since developed programs to safeguard their systems, but experts say they remain at risk.

Forecasters said a second sunspot, developing and about to rotate into an effective position on the Sun's surface, could produce additional stormy weather over the next couple of weeks. In fact early Thursday it unleashed a major flare of its own, one that could generate some space weather near Earth even though it wasn't pointed directly at us. That glancing blow would arrive late Friday or, more likely, Saturday.

Sunspots can be seen from home with proper, safe viewing techniques. Astronomers suggest projecting the Suns image through binoculars onto a white surface. Never look directly at the Sun, however, not with the naked eye or through binoculars or telescopes.

http://www.space.com/scie...31023.html

That is so beautiful.

I've always wanted to see the Aurora Borealis, but I don't think Ohio is far north enough.

Lammastide said:

Tonight it will be look out for it

I so want to see the Northern Lights... someday.

Hey, I will add that to my list of to dos in my lifetime...

When you see this for real it is the most magical and amazing sight, gives me goose bumps just thinking about it. No picture or film can capture the magic, it really is the most amazing thing you can ever see.

PREDOMINANT said:

I'm so excited! I've never seen it in person!

PREDOMINANT said:

Where did you see them? Do you live far north?

What time should we be looking for this? Is it going to be as brilliant as that picture?

This will be great if it happens. I'm gonna be in Port Huron where there's very little city light. I'll be watching from the beach. I love this kinda stuff.

TRON said:

I'd look around 11 pm, Tron...and you should be good up in Port Huron...didn't it snow up there?

applekisses said:

Yes. Yuck. But it's melted already.

TRON said:

You are so lucky.. are you a photographer?

sag10 said:

Why do you ask so many questions?

TRON said:

Thank goodness...I was getting scared...I don't want winter to come

This is what some people saw in Norway.




a better view.

..
[This message was edited Fri Oct 24 14:30:55 PDT 2003 by sag10]

Another view..

THese are awesome.

one more.



These give me goose bumps.

sag10 said:

Uhh... That shit looks spooky. I want happy, rainbowish gay colors, not some alien invasion-looking thing.

Lammastide said:

NOT! I think it would be spooky to actually see it..

it's partially cloudy here in mpls, i'm hoping it clears up later...

Lammastide said:

I looked for it, but I couldn't see anything. Too much light pollution.

minneapolisgenius said:

:COMFORT:

It's Ok..I think they're showing it again next week.

Nothing yet. :fingers crossed: