A G1-class geomagnetic storm is underway on Oct. 13th. Reports of bright auroras have been received from Scandinavia, Greenland, Canada and several northern-tier US states. Colin Chatfield sends this picture from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan:
"This is from my backyard around 5:00a.m. this morning," says Chatfield. "Never have I seen the auroras so bright, especially from within the city. They were astounding, with purple visible to the naked eye."
The ongoing storm was triggered by a knot of south-pointing magnetism from the sun. During the early hours of Oct. 13th, the knot bumped into Earth's magnetic field, opening a crack in our planet's magnetosphere. Solar wind poured in to fuel the auroras.
More auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of strong polar geomagnetic storms on Oct. 14th when a solar wind stream is expected to blow past Earth. High-latitude sky watchers shuld be alert for auroras.
www.spaceweather.com
The ongoing storm was triggered by a knot of south-pointing magnetism from the sun. During the early hours of Oct. 13th, the knot bumped into Earth's magnetic field, opening a crack in our planet's magnetosphere. Solar wind poured in to fuel the auroras.
More auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of strong polar geomagnetic storms on Oct. 14th when a solar wind stream is expected to blow past Earth. High-latitude sky watchers shuld be alert for auroras.
www.spaceweather.com
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