Northern Lightshow This Week

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Skywatchers in some northern parts of the U.S. are set to enjoy the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights, this week. Caused by a geomagnetic storm that is the result of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), or solar flare, the Northern Lights could be visible across a number of northerly states.



“Geomagnetic Storm Watches are in effect from December 9th - 11th, 2020 due to anticipated CME effects,” said NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center. “NOAA forecasters expect the most intense disturbances to occur on Dec. 10th with peak storm levels near category G3,” said Spaceweather.com. “If that happens, auroras could be sighted in the USA in states as far south as, e.g., Illinois and Oregon.”



Northern Lights set to thrill US skywatchers

I hope it makes it here. Maybe a walk tonight would be nice.

I went outside last night after midnight but didn't see anything. It was too cloud covered. Guess I will try again tonight.

Seeing the Northern Lights is on the list of things I really want to do before I die. I think I’m a little too far south, plus live in an area where I can’t actually see the horizon because of buildings/trees, but I’ll have a look anyway.

As predicted, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of Dec. 10th (1:30 UT), but the impact did not cause a geomagnetic storm. Why didn't the CME cause a storm? Every CME brings with it some magnetic field from the sun. If that magnetic field points south, it opens cracks in Earth's magnetic field, allowing solar wind to flow inside and fuel auroras. On the other hand, if the CME's magnetic field points north, it seals cracks in Earth's magnetic field, blocking the solar wind and quenching storms.

This CME brought a storm-killing north magnetic field. So, even though the velocity of the solar wind in the CME's wake flirted with a high value of 600 km/s, it was ineffective at causing geomagnetic storms and auroras.

Wow it's such an amazing phenomenon!
I would love to see it in person one day.

I was over in Canada and Alaska about 10 years ago but it was the wrong time of year for the northern lights.