AURORA ALERT

[Aslkahuna]

Be on the lookout for possible visual aurora tonight if you live north of 30N in the lower 48. A CME from a big flare yesterday is due to arrive around 08/0625Z ± 7 hours. Since we are already in storm conditions, the gemag activity could be intense. Remember sleep is not an option for aurora watching and get out of the cities and place their skyglow to your south. There's a Full Moon tonight but last night's aurora in the northern tier was bright enough to be seen anyway.

Steve

[WeatherGuesser]

if you live north of 30N

Hmmm, I'm around 37N

[Stephanie]

I'm at latitude 39 degrees and even it would reach this far south, we have too much cloud cover to really see it. I can see a BIG, BRIGHT, full moon though. Last night it looked like it was a full moon. I would love to see the Aurora sometime.

[CajunMama]

I'm at 30.22N. Does that count as being able to see the lights? j/k as i know i'm too far south. I'd love to see them one day though.

[Aslkahuna]

New Jersey-keep looking and hope for a break in the clouds you may luck out Look for a red glow and possible rays. Right now best chances for visible aurora are from 40N northward.

Steve

[Aslkahuna]

Observers north of 35N need to be looking now.

Steve

[vbhoutex]

Why was this this storm much less disruptive than they thought it would be, at least to infrastructure? Were we on the "wrong" side of the globe or was this storm over hyped or what? Unfortunately, I am/was way too far South and the clouds have parted long enough for us to see anything anyway for a few days.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

One of the best I could find from the most recent storm (shot North of the 49th however):

Posted by: Lisa B. // March 7, 2012
Canora, Saskatchewan // Shot: March 6, 2012

Shot over my neighbouring city:

Aurora by the City
Posted by: Dan Shier // March 7, 2012
Regina, Saskatchewan // Shot: March 7, 2012
Noticed the sky light up so I grabbed my camera and drove out into the country-side. Got these amazing shots.


Found a gorgeous one that I posted in the Canadian thread but it was taken much earlier in the year.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

A shame it wasn't darker when this one was shot:
The aurora presented itself in several colours. Normally around Regina the aurora only appears in green, but purples and reds were visible tonight.


Rainbow Sky
Posted by: Dan Shier // March 7, 2012
Regina, Saskatchewan // Shot: March 7, 2012

[Aslkahuna]

Why was this this storm much less disruptive than they thought it would be, at least to infrastructure? Were we on the "wrong" side of the globe or was this storm over hyped or what? Unfortunately, I am/was way too far South and the clouds have parted long enough for us to see anything anyway for a few days.

The main CME came in with the wrong polarity (north pointing instead of south) consequently the effects were strongly muted. The secondary CME which hit early this morning had the right polarity and we wound up with a Category 3 storm and short period peak at K=8-. We should have had visible aurbo below 40N but I suspect that the bright Moon washed out all but the brightest aurora which was visible further north. The CME from last night's flare is due in around 11/0649Z±7 hours and SWPC thinks it will be another G3 storm (assuming the correct polarity).
We will evaluate this tomorrow for possible alerts. Unfortunately, we have no idea of what the CME polarity is until it hits SOHO/ACE about 20-30 minutes before it hits us.

Steve

[Stephanie]

Oh WOW! I love those pictures Saskatchewan!

The moon tonight is as big and bright as last night.

Thanks Steve for your updates. Keep posting them please. Maybe I'll see them eventually.

[JonathanBelles]

Why was this this storm much less disruptive than they thought it would be, at least to infrastructure? Were we on the "wrong" side of the globe or was this storm over hyped or what? Unfortunately, I am/was way too far South and the clouds have parted long enough for us to see anything anyway for a few days.

The main CME came in with the wrong polarity (north pointing instead of south) consequently the effects were strongly muted. The secondary CME which hit early this morning had the right polarity and we wound up with a Category 3 storm and short period peak at K=8-. We should have had visible aurbo below 40N but I suspect that the bright Moon washed out all but the brightest aurora which was visible further north. The CME from last night's flare is due in around 11/0649Z±7 hours and SWPC thinks it will be another G3 storm (assuming the correct polarity).
We will evaluate this tomorrow for possible alerts. Unfortunately, we have no idea of what the CME polarity is until it hits SOHO/ACE about 20-30 minutes before it hits us.

Steve

What do you mean by the CME had the wrong polarity? As in N/S or +/-?

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

Oh WOW! I love those pictures Saskatchewan!

The moon tonight is as big and bright as last night.

Thanks Steve for your updates. Keep posting them please. Maybe I'll see them eventually.

Glad you enjoyed seeing them Stephanie. I was holding back posting them because I know they aren't often seen down South so was hoping someone down there had captured them instead.

[Aslkahuna]

Why was this this storm much less disruptive than they thought it would be, at least to infrastructure? Were we on the "wrong" side of the globe or was this storm over hyped or what? Unfortunately, I am/was way too far South and the clouds have parted long enough for us to see anything anyway for a few days.

The main CME came in with the wrong polarity (north pointing instead of south) consequently the effects were strongly muted. The secondary CME which hit early this morning had the right polarity and we wound up with a Category 3 storm and short period peak at K=8-. We should have had visible aurbo below 40N but I suspect that the bright Moon washed out all but the brightest aurora which was visible further north. The CME from last night's flare is due in around 11/0649Z±7 hours and SWPC thinks it will be another G3 storm (assuming the correct polarity).
We will evaluate this tomorrow for possible alerts. Unfortunately, we have no idea of what the CME polarity is until it hits SOHO/ACE about 20-30 minutes before it hits us.

Steve

What do you mean by the CME had the wrong polarity? As in N/S or +/-?

Bz is usually called - when southward pointing and vice versa for + . Negative Bz=good for aurora, negative=bad.

Steve

[Aslkahuna]

You thought I was going to let you sleep in this weekend? NOT! Another CME due in tonight and we just had another major flare = CME which will probably arrive Monday. SWPC forecasts a G3 storm which means possible aurbo to 40 degrees latitude (N and S) so observers poleward of 40 degrees are alerted accordingly. Observers equatorward of 40 degrees should monitor the situation. BTW aurora during this last storm was seen to a latitude of 33.3 degrees SOUTH in Auustralia.

Steve

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

What time is the Northern lights supposed to be the strongest? I've got a son who is currently much further North than my location (between him and the night geo one might be able to catch it ... if they don't have cloud cover).

[Aslkahuna]

The first CME is expected to arrive sometime between now and sunrise-that's the best I can offer.

Steve