Yes, spectacular wasn't it!!!
I logged onto www.spaceweather.com (as have been doing for the last
couple of months) at around 20:30 UT last night and saw a geomagnetic
storm warning. I use the NOAA 15 satellite image page to check out
auroral activity (at http://www.sec.noaa.gov/pmap/index.html). I went
there and saw the auroral oval was clearly over the North of England
(where I live) at activity level 10 (max) and went outside.
Almost immediately I could see it had started - its the 3rd I've seen
and was without doubt the brightest and most dynamic I have ever seen.
I watched it from about 20:45 UT to around 22:30UT when it seemed to
fade a little. I checked again at local midnight (23:00 UT) and it
had flared up unbelievably - beautiful auroral corona directly above -
it looked like the Crab Nebula had suddenly appeared! Brilliant green
and red folds and some very fast streamers.
I went to bed at around 00:00 UT and it was still going strong. My
brother in Law watched it until around 01:00 UT and said it was still
clearly visible even where he lives in a town centre.
Luckily I live in the middle of nowhere and get the darkest skies
possible!!
Hope some more of you managed to see this fantastic event.
Matt Fawcett
53.893N 0.273W
______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Aurora (off topic)
Author: SeeSat-L@blackadder.lmsal.com at MHS
Date: 07/04/2000 09:34
Just wanted to share an experience with a group of people who, I know, will
appreciate it. And apologies for cheesing off anyone who missed it.
Last night was my first Aurora experience! It was a seriously emotional
occasion, and I was surprised to find myself close to tears. I didn't
expect to see them this far south (51.892N -2.080W), and I missed the
previous major event in the UK (1992/3?) as I was in bed!
I took a chance look outside at around 11.30 last night and I saw the
lights just starting to appear. The sky looked a little weird, and as I had
received a message from NASA's Space Science News (see below), I knew what
was happening.
All that skyward gazing has really paid off. I find most people are a little
baffled about the sky in general (day or night), and probably missed out.
As I said, just wanted to share it.
Charlie.
Message from Space Science News:
An interplanetary shock front passed NASA's ACE spacecraft around
1630 UT on April 6, 2000, abruptly raising the solar wind velocity
from 375 to nearly 600 km/s. Usually such disturbances arrive at
Earth about one hour after they pass ACE. Aurorae at middle latitudes
could be in the offing tonight. Follow this developing story at
http://www.spaceweather.com.
For anyone not familiar with NASA's excellent Space Science News, go here:
Home page: http://science.nasa.gov/
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-
Charlie Eltham
9 Princes Road
Tivoli
Cheltenham
England
GL50 2TX
51.892N -2.080W
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This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Fri Apr 07 2000 - 02:09:06 PDT