Huge solar flare

[Whitters]

Space Weather News for Oct. 28, 2003
http://spaceweather.com

One of the most powerful solar flares ever recorded erupted this morning
near giant sunspot 486.  The explosion hurled a coronal mass ejection
(CME) directly toward Earth.  Bright auroras could appear when the
fast-moving cloud sweeps past our planet--perhaps as early as tonight.
High-latitude sites such as New Zealand, Scandinavia, Alaska, Canada and
US northern border states from Maine to Washington are favored, as usual,
but auroras could descend to lower latitudes, too.

Not all CMEs trigger auroras.  Several, for instance, have swept past
Earth in recent days without causing widespread displays.  It all depends
on the orientation of tangled magnetic fields within the electrified cloud
of gas.  This CME is no exception.  It might cause auroras, or it might
not.  We will find out when it arrives.

Stay tuned to Spaceweather.com for updates.

[Alexander]

Greetings all.
I have just observed polar light here! It is an amazing show. All northern half of sky up to zenith has become covered by bright multi-colored light. Only the brightest stars were visible through this luminescence. It constantly changed the intensity and the form. The city of Velikie Luki is located on 56 degree of northern breadth. I never saw this phenomenon at our geographical breadth. I was simply shocked by this show.

[ This Message was edited by: Alexander on 2003-10-29 18:38 ]

[Ian]

I'm glad you liked it. I've not yet seen an aurora "live" as it were, but it's definitely on my list of things to see. I looked up at the zenith here and it's a lovely shade of mud brown, complements of a thick layer of cloud and Londons sodium lamps

[Rick]

Alexander, do you know your geomagnetic latitude?

For that matter, does anyone know Orpington's geomagnetic latitude?

[Ian]

according to spaceweather and the NOAA Orpington's geomagnetic latitude is 48 degrees. Check http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/magneticlatitude.html

[ This Message was edited by: Ian on 2003-10-30 13:22 ]

[Rick]

The sunspots are pretty impressive at the moment too. When the clouds are in the way, check the SOHO "realtime" images (or the slightly different NASA version of the page).

[ This Message was edited by: Rick on 2003-10-30 17:14 ]

[Ian]

you don't think she's gonna blow do you? Is it time to dig out that protect and survive leaflet?

[Rick]

If she decides to blow I don't think "Protect and Survive" is gonna help.

[Rick]

Check these photos of aurora taken from Edinburgh last night.

[Rick]

news.bbc.co.uk has a photo gallery of aurora piccies at the moment.