CME reported by yahoo news. Northern Lights are a cummin south!

[Mr54]

FcfWsj9OnsI

Source yahoo news link:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20110217/tuk-storm-to-bring-northern-lights-to-br-a7ad41d.html

Britain should experience spectacular Northern Lights displays from Thursday due to a large solar storm which could disrupt communication networks, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said.

"Since February 13 three energetic solar flares have erupted on the sun and spewed clouds of charged plasma called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) out towards the earth," a BGS geomagnetic storm warning said.

"Already one CME arrived on the 14th sparking Valentine's Day displays of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual.

"Two CMEs are expected to arrive in the next 24-48 hours and further...displays are possible some time over the next two nights if skies are clear."

The strongest storm in four years is expected to interfere with satellites and electrical networks, with astronomers in southern China already reporting disturbances to radio communications.

The BGS Wednesday published geomagnetic records dating back to the Victorian era which it hopes will help in planning for future storms.

"Life increasingly depends on technologies that didn't exist when the magnetic recordings began," Alan Thomson, BGS head of geomagnetism said.

"Studying the records will tell us what we have to plan and prepare for to make sure systems can resist solar storms," he added.

[Mr54]

Also this from the BBC:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12485104

[shijo]

Source yahoo news link:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/18/20110217/tuk-storm-to-bring-northern-lights-to-br-a7ad41d.html

Britain should experience spectacular Northern Lights displays from Thursday due to a large solar storm which could disrupt communication networks, the British Geological Survey (BGS) said.

"Since February 13 three energetic solar flares have erupted on the sun and spewed clouds of charged plasma called coronal mass ejections (CMEs) out towards the earth," a BGS geomagnetic storm warning said.

"Already one CME arrived on the 14th sparking Valentine's Day displays of the Northern Lights (aurora borealis) further south than usual.

"Two CMEs are expected to arrive in the next 24-48 hours and further...displays are possible some time over the next two nights if skies are clear."

The strongest storm in four years is expected to interfere with satellites and electrical networks, with astronomers in southern China already reporting disturbances to radio communications.

The BGS Wednesday published geomagnetic records dating back to the Victorian era which it hopes will help in planning for future storms.

"Life increasingly depends on technologies that didn't exist when the magnetic recordings began," Alan Thomson, BGS head of geomagnetism said.

"Studying the records will tell us what we have to plan and prepare for to make sure systems can resist solar storms," he added.

hmm great news i will be up north tonight hope to see them, doubt if theyll cause too much interference with communications, maybe all the tvs will go off for a night, wouldnt that be great?

[bluestflame]

and the satellites might have issues

[Mr54]

Unfortunately I'm down south but I'll still have a look to see if I can see. I'd advise a sturdy tripod and manual camera if you're going to attempt to take pictures. You lucky thing, bask in the magnificence of the sun's power for me!

[John101]

I too will be keeping an eye on the sky the next few nights.
This might be worth a look too.

Are solar flares a real threat?

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has highlighted warnings from scientists that essential infrastructure could be paralysed by a once-in-a-century solar flare.

Newsnight's Science editor Susan Watts considers how much we really need to worry about the warning and the possibility of life without electricity.

Broadcast Monday 21 September 2010.
Short video I found Interesting.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9020059.stm

[Setras]

Are solar flares a real threat?

Yes but the threat from the Flares bought in the 70's is bigger......They could make a come back if all Chinas sewing machine get knocked out by a geomagnetic storm and we have to raid charity shops for clothes............ sorry long day and couldn't resist.....

[shijo]

Are solar flares a real threat?

Yes but the threat from the Flares bought in the 70's is bigger......They could make a come back if all Chinas sewing machine get knocked out by a geomagnetic storm and we have to raid charity shops for clothes............ sorry long day and couldn't resist.....

perhaps you should have resisted lol...

[Chelle]

I think I'll take a gander too.

[Lazlo]

ATT is out in my neck of the woods, but verizon is still ok. Lots of reasons why this is that have nothing to do with solar flares, but then again it could be related.

Any one else noticing anything unusual in the communications networks?

[Dennis Leahy]

We're expecting cloud cover and maybe a bit of snow tonight, unfortunately.

Here's a nice resource I found for predicting aurora activity: Auroral Forecast (http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/)

Dennis

[seek]

Finally some news in the msm. I was waiting for this.

[Mr54]

Cloudy here. No chance of seeing anything at all. Anyone get a good view?

[John101]

I’m not even sure if I ever had a chance being south, I just looked outside and it's cloudy here too.

[NinjaPhil]

Nice to see some fairly decent sized media outlets covering this. Had a whole bunch of people at work talking about it today :)

Will be checking out for Aurora sightings through the night.

[shijo]

Cloudy here. No chance of seeing anything at all. Anyone get a good view?

nothing doing up here in northumbria,cloudy. i thought i saw a green haze on the horizon for about 2 secs, was probably the alcohol though,roll on tomorrow night.

[BowMan]

Surely the northern hemisphere being in winter would receive less in the way of aurora? As we're in summer and therefore slightly tipped nearer the sun here in the southern hemisphere shouldn't the southern lights be the ones we're all looking out for?
Is that the way it works or am I missing something?
I'll keep a look out tonight and keep you posted!

[AlkaMyst]

I just received the following email and I thought I share it here with you guys instead of opening a new thread.....


Spike brown
to alkamyst

show details 10:16 PM (19 minutes ago)

IMPACT! A CME hit Earth's magnetic field at approximately 0100 UT on Feb. 18th (8:00 pm EST on Feb. 17th). The impact was not as strong as expected considering the cloud's probable X-class origin. Nevertheless, geomagnetic storms are possible in the hours ahead. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.
INCOMING CME: NASA researchers have made a time-lapse movie of the X2-category explosion on Feb. 15th that spawned tonight's CME. Click on the arrow to play the movie, then scroll down for commentary

or just go here http://spaceweather.com/

Blessings,
AlkaMyst

[NinjaPhil]

Well I've seen a few newspapers here in the UK talking about this... however every one of them has dumbed it down, even posting pictures of the Sun normally and claiming that to be the CME...

[AlkaMyst]

I hear you NinjaPhil.....they are not even talking about it here in the US at all!

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I too will be keeping an eye on the sky the next few nights.
This might be worth a look too.

Are solar flares a real threat?

Defence Secretary Liam Fox has highlighted warnings from scientists that essential infrastructure could be paralysed by a once-in-a-century solar flare.

Newsnight's Science editor Susan Watts considers how much we really need to worry about the warning and the possibility of life without electricity.

Broadcast Monday 21 September 2010.
Short video I found Interesting.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/9020059.stm

If the CME has a southward polarity, and is anywhere above 200 nanoteslas in power, it could be lights out for planet earth, literally. All the important info will come to us from the ACE satellite, which was designed to measure cme's polarity and power. We are entering an almost two year phase where the area of the sun with the most explosive solar flares will be pointed at the earth, "like the barrel of a shotgun", to quote one scientist. This IS a real threat. If we lose all or most electricity, many will die. Water won't run out of the tap (electric pumps). Hospitals and firestations have generators that may only last 72 hours. This will be, to quote NASA, "a once in a lifetime solar event." GET READY

[AlkaMyst]

Hey guys, I just experience a 5 power shortages in less than 1 minute, my friend emailed me shortly after and pointed me here in case anyone is interested!!!

Email

CME SPARKS AURORAS: One and possibly two CMEs hit Earth during the early hours of Feb. 18th, creating a gusty solar wind environment around our planet and fueling a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm. During the storm-peak, auroras were visible over Canada despite interference from the full moon.

the thing is we should see some right? maybe they are saying its the sun but its really harrp!!!


Link
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/index.html#GeomagneticStorms

Blessings,
AlkaMyst

[AlkaMyst]

Also, check this out.......


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy7giYONvp8