Tardy sky show
The CME was late, late, late! At about 1800 UT (1400 EDT) it finally hit, according to SpaceWeather.com, which adds:
"A geomagnetic storm is brewing in the wake of the impact. At the moment, conditions appear favorable for auroras over high-latitude places such as Canada, Scandinavia, Antarctica, and Siberia. It is too early to say whether the storm will intensify and bring auroras to middle latitudes as well."
The site still reports a 60% chance of "severe" geomagnetic storm today for high latitudes, and a 15% chance for mid-latitude regions. (Then again, the Kp is still listed as just 2, which won't produce much of a show for anyone; here's hoping things have just gotten off to a slow start, not missed us almost completely.) So, decent but not great chance folks in usually-low-likelihood-of-aurora areas might be able to spot something tonight ... or early tomorrow, if you're up.
ETA: As of 1744 EDT, geomagnetic activity was up to Kp 5 = "storm", which might mean Auroras in Minnesota and poleward. At 2000 EDT, still Kp 5, but with the magnetic field tilting southward, which may mean a good burst somewhere.)
(ETA, again: as of now, 2128 EDT, or rather, some time ago, the forecast is for nothing much out of the ordinary. Sigh.)
Tomorrow (this Sunday morning, that is), the eastern sky is supposed to feature a scenic pre-sunrise arrangement of Venus, Jupiter, and the crescent Moon.
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"A geomagnetic storm is brewing in the wake of the impact. At the moment, conditions appear favorable for auroras over high-latitude places such as Canada, Scandinavia, Antarctica, and Siberia. It is too early to say whether the storm will intensify and bring auroras to middle latitudes as well."
The site still reports a 60% chance of "severe" geomagnetic storm today for high latitudes, and a 15% chance for mid-latitude regions. (Then again, the Kp is still listed as just 2, which won't produce much of a show for anyone; here's hoping things have just gotten off to a slow start, not missed us almost completely.) So, decent but not great chance folks in usually-low-likelihood-of-aurora areas might be able to spot something tonight ... or early tomorrow, if you're up.
ETA: As of 1744 EDT, geomagnetic activity was up to Kp 5 = "storm", which might mean Auroras in Minnesota and poleward. At 2000 EDT, still Kp 5, but with the magnetic field tilting southward, which may mean a good burst somewhere.)
(ETA, again: as of now, 2128 EDT, or rather, some time ago, the forecast is for nothing much out of the ordinary. Sigh.)
Tomorrow (this Sunday morning, that is), the eastern sky is supposed to feature a scenic pre-sunrise arrangement of Venus, Jupiter, and the crescent Moon.
This entry is cross-posted from www.dreamwidth.org, where there are
comments. Comment where ye will.