Astronomy, Photography and Weather

General Category => Astronomy & Space => Topic started by: martinastro on May 02, 2010, 06:56:32 pm



Title: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: martinastro on May 02, 2010, 06:56:32 pm
Geomagnetic storm in progress with KP at 6. If it holds together there could be auroras after dark. Be on the alert!

Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet for day one (02 May). Quiet to unsettled levels, with isolated active levels, are expected on day two (03 May). A further increase in activity to unsettled to active, with isolated minor storm periods, is expected on day three (04 May). Isolated major storm periods at high latitudes is also possible on day three. The expected increase in activity on 03 - 04 May is due to a recurrent coronal hole high speed stream rotating into a geoeffective position.


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: markt on May 03, 2010, 01:34:59 am
Wow, just came back from a night out and checked the auroral oval on SW and it is indeed going for it.  Typically as I was heading home it was clear as a bell but upon poking my head out now clouds have returned.  Northern lights should be readily visible certainly from the north of the UK - i'm going to delay bedtime with some cheese on toast and a brew and check it out in a wee while...

Any of you chaps further north still up and seeing anything?


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: martinastro on May 03, 2010, 03:54:58 am
Hi Mark, we bagged another aurora tonight, it was very faint and low but an aurora all the same, visible for several hours with a quick outburst with vertical beams. Round 2 on Mon night.


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: brianb on May 03, 2010, 09:55:08 am
Quote
Any of you chaps further north still up and seeing anything?
Was out observing almost all night - lots of interference from cloud - N horizon looked brightish but I was uncertain as to what was twilight, what was the effect of the rising Moon & what might have been aurora. No sighting claimed.


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: markt on May 03, 2010, 11:23:37 am
I'm on a ditto with Brian here.  When I went out observing 2-3am there was a distinct lightening of the northern horizon, from ground level in my front yard like Brian says the sky just looked lighter.  Something was not normal so went up to my loft to look out of the velux window for a better view - something that didn't go down to well with the good lady climbing up the loft ladder in the wee hours :P

Anyway, I spent some time up there looking as things just didn't seem normal.  I was looking for green aurora which was the error.  Looking at Martins pic on SW this morning the purple exlains it - in the end I decided all I could see was just a brightening of the sky due to dawn getting closer.  I debated with myself for a while as to whether to get my camera and get some flicks but didn't bother in the end - I wish I had now as i'm fairly certain those purple rays would have shown up  :-\

Still, a great result for Connor and yourself Martin!  Congrats!  8)


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: paulster78 on May 03, 2010, 01:48:59 pm
Yes well done yet again Martin and Connor, i have yet to see a display this year in fact I think its been about 10 years since my last sighting-too long. Might have a go tonight if conditions are suitable.


Title: Re: Aurora Alert - April 2/3rd
Post by: martinastro on May 03, 2010, 05:10:14 pm
Here's that aurora from last night, several hours in duration in the N to NW sky and most active in Auriga and Perseus. The sky had a large enhancement which was the aurora, then a green band formed below this and vertical beams/rays could be seen dancing across the sky to the N with purple colours. It was a faint display but still very nice. Lost sight of it when the Moon rose. Will be trying again tonight but clouds are forecast. 18mm, ISO1600, exposure 56 sec's

(http://i40.tinypic.com/2i6ko6.jpg)