Space Cadets and Northerners

[keeperofthehorses]

Got this in my email today, and for once it's not going to be freezing cold or cloudy here during the storm!

Space Weather News for August 17, 2006

http://spaceweather.com

AURORA WATCH: An explosion on the sun yesterday (Aug. 16) hurled a

coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. The approaching cloud could

spark a geomagnetic storm when it arrives, probably on August 18th. Sky

watchers should be alert for auroras.

If a storm erupts, the best displays will be at higher latitudes: e.g.,

Alaska, Canada, and Scandinavia. However, auroras could descend to

lower latitudes, too, spreading across northern-tier US states from Maine

to Washington and elsewhere.

Sometimes during a geomagnetic storm, the sky appears to be blank--no

auroras. The display may be too faint to see with the unaided eye. Try

using your camera: a 15+ second exposure can reveal colorful auroras

just below the threshold of naked-eye visibility. An example of

"photographic auroras" over Colorado may be found in our most recent aurora

gallery:

http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01aug06.htm

Please visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures of the August 16th

explosion and updates about the incoming CME.

You are currently subscribed to spaceweather as:

[email protected].

 

[RallyZ]

Thanks for the heads-up. :saludando:

We're heading north(er) to our camp (cottage) for the weekend.

Without all of the city lights, the sky usually provides us with a brilliant display of stars anyway. :bgrin

Falling stars and aurora boreallis are additional entertainment. :488:

I will definitely be watching the sky closely tonight.

:

 

[runamuk]

Wow sounds almost pornographic

:new_shocked: :bgrin

An explosion on the sun yesterday (Aug. 16) hurled a coronal mass ejection

:new_rofl: :new_rofl:

sorry my mind is warped :bgrin :bgrin

 

[nootka]

Haha runamuk, I thought that, too, when my dad sent me the email. I thought, "Well, how rude!"

I am always watching the skies and will be checking North just in case. Will be interesting to see if my husband has seen some since he is out West in the Aleutian Chain right now (Alaska).

One Summer about this time of year, he was driving South across the gulf on the boat he was fishing on, to deliver into Bellingham, WA, and they were navigating through a big pool of phosphorescence, which is an organic phenomenon that makes the water glow as it moves around...the boat's wake was glowing and it would fluoresce as it hit the bow of the boat. Next, a pod of killer whales were leaping around the boat and making their own glow in the phosphorescence. But that was not all...there was a huge display of Aurora and on top of that was falling stars from the meteor shower (Perseids) that happen this time of year. I can't imagine a more breathtaking experience. Even the jaded captain came out of the wheelhouse to stand and watch this. Talk about magic...I love to think about that, wish I'd seen it!

Liz

 

[Miniv]

Liz,

Isn't it nice to know that there is still magic in this world? Thank you for sharing your husband's experience.

Apparently if there's to be an Aurora, it should be TONIGHT.

MA