Northern Lights March 2012

Viktor said:
If the weather holds it is looking good for Auroras tonight...even the media is now talking about it, (wonder if they are watching this thread for info lol)!
Click to expand...

Thanks for info by you and all others.

You've got me hooked.

You can certainly see the effects on radio transmissions.

For those interested in visual displays of the effects:

There is a small but active side of amateur radio that send out very slow morse code, typically 3-12 seconds for a dot at very low power, typically 100mW (typical amateur power is 100w+)

These signals are often so buried in the noise that they are inaudible to the ear. By clever computer processing, these signals are decoded and displayed as an image taken over time.

Receivers all over the world are listening to these signals and put them on the web for all to see, so it's possible to "see" your signal on the other side of the world. This is known as QRSS transmissions. See: http://digilander.libero.it/i2ndt/grabber/grabber-compendium.htm

If you look at these grabbers, when a solar flare hits the ionosphere you can see the effects. Sometimes the signal just vanishes, other times there will be a shift in frequency similar to the Doppler effect.

Ordinary short wave transmissions can just vanish as the ionosphere is disturbed. Short wave radio signal bounce off the ionosphere.

Makes it interesting!! Especially when you combine motorhoming with radio in various locations.

Lets hope the predicted cloud blows over before tonight. Brilliant sunshine and hardly a cloud at the moment!!
 
CME IMPACT: A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field on March 8th around 1100 UT. It is too soon to say what kind of geomagnetic storm the impact might provoke. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras

Update from http://www.spaceweather.com/
 
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BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: NATIONAL GEOMAGNETIC SERVICE
GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE
_____________________________________________________________________

This is a follow up message to the geomagnetic
alert sent on 7-MAR-2012

The shock from the coronal mass ejection (CME) arrived at Earth at
11:03 UT today. This has resulted in ongoing geomagnetic storm
conditions over the past few hours.

Satellite measurements of the CME as it impacted the Earth suggest
it is not favourably configured for maximum disturbance. However,
this may change and we still expect an increased chance of viewing
the aurora during local night time hours tonight at higher
latitudes, assuming dark and cloud-free skies.

More information on these events can be found at:

Space Weather Update 8-Mar-2012

___________________________________________________________________
 
Unfortunately overcast skies in NI...weather wins again!....still went out for a run up the North Coast though.
 
What is happening !!

AuroraWatch UK red alert, 2012-03-09 06:45:01UT


Are we all going to miss it in daylight

From Space Weather


Update: As March 9th unfolds, conditions in the wake of the CME are becoming favorable for stronger geomagnetic storming.




AuroraWatch UK amber alert, 2012-03-09 06:20:00 UT.
 
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Yep...we've missed this burst....America and Canada will be treated though....Aurora Watch went RED at 8am this morning :mad1: ....however there still may be another concentration travelling slower trailing.....and the big sunspot was quiet yesterday, so I'd expect a blast today which would give a display at the weekend for the UK during darkness....fingers crossed for tonight and the weekend!
 
From Space Weather

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: At first, yesterday's widely-reported CME impact produced little in the way of Earth effects. Since then things have changed. The wake of the CME was actually more effective than the CME itself in stirring up geomagnetic activity, and now a strong geomagnetic storm is underway.

2M Amateur band is wide open for Aurora contacts

RW4HW (LO43QM) 144.046 OH5LK (KP30ON) 1541 km Aurora

G4OBK (IO94OF) 144.055 DK2OY (JO44WS) 690 km Aurora
 
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_____________________________________________________________________
BRITISH GEOLOGICAL SURVEY: NATIONAL GEOMAGNETIC SERVICE
GEOMAGNETIC STORM UPDATE
_____________________________________________________________________

This is a follow up message to the geomagnetic
alert sent on 8-MAR-2012

In the early hours (UT) of 9-MAR-2012 conditions became more
favourable for producing geomagnetic storms. This resulted in
global major storm activity from about 0300 UT. Ground and
satellite measurements now show that the activity and the
space weather conditions driving it are settling down.

These conditions are likely to have resulted in significant
auroral displays. However, for viewers in the UK, the timing was
unfortunate as the storm activity occurred mostly during daylight
hours. Auroral displays may still be visible at higher latitudes
in the coming night-time hours but with declining activity this
is becoming less likely.
__

Update from Space Weather

ANOTHER CME IS HEADING FOR EARTH: Sunspot AR1429 has unleashed another strong solar flare, an M6-class eruption on March 9th at 0358 UT. The blast hurled a coronal mass ejection directly toward Earth (movie). According to analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the cloud will arrive on March 11th at 0649 UT (+/- 7 hr) adding to the geomagnetic unrest already underway.
 
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Now another one or two in quick succession would almost ensure a UK wide visible display from Sunday evening! :dance:

Surely the cloud must have moved on by then!!!
 
Clear Skies are moving into Northern Ireland as I post. The cloud cover is clearing across the the UK too from the NW....it's looking very promising now for clear skies tomorrow evening as there is clear sky out in the Atlantic.....I'd say we're possibly in for a really good chance of seeing the Aurora on Sunday evening as the CME and geo magnetic storm is due to arrive tomorrow!

Make your plans now lol....
 
Why oh why have the girls got a gig tomorrow night!!!

Maybe stop off on the way home for a look
 
:banana::banana:v:banana::banana::banana:


From Spaceweather.com:

WEEKEND SOLAR FLARE: Sunspot AR1429 is still erupting this weekend. On Saturday, March 10th, it produced a powerful M8-class flare that almost crossed the threshold into X-territory. In New Mexico, amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft recorded a series of shortwave bursts emanating from the blast site.

Also, the explosion propelled yet another CME toward Earth. The cloud is expected to hit our planet's magnetosphere on March 12th around 1800 UT. A CME from an earlier explosion will arrive much sooner however.

:banana::banana:v:banana::banana::banana:
 
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Weather Update:

Here's what the cloud is doing this morning...it's moving clockwise but the centre is drifting South East and low hazy cloud is already over Belfast....mmm looks like the South of the UK is in for the clearest skies today!

from iPhone app WeatherPro

weathertoday.jpg
 
Ha...NASA must have got it's sums wrong lol.....the flare hasn't arrived yet....no deflection on Aurora Watch...which means it's going to arrive just before or just after dark...excellent!

Now we just need clear skies.....pretty please?
 
Elusive little bug***s aren't they lol....apparently the flare did arrive (at 12 o'clock) and just about nothing happened!.. (after the last one and how it kicked off!)

Maybe I need one of them Whiskey thingymabobbers too lol.
 
Update from Space Weather


GEOMAGNETIC STORM UNDERWAY::banana:



A moderate G2-class geomagnetic storm is underway following the arrival of a CME on March 12th at ~0930 UT. The CME's impact caused strong ground currents in Norway, and this could set the stage for a fine display of Northern Lights after nightfall in that part of the world. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras
 
Low cloud is probably putting paid to seeing anything from N Wales
 
Have had that here too (for the last two days)....just enough to hide the stars. :(
 
Low cloud at RH last night, couldn't even see the pub but luckily we had the dog to sniff the way there for us!

Home tonight, no stars visible :sad:
 
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