Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14315
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8559 times
- Been thanked: 8297 times
Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Hi all,
Earth has just passed through a fast flowing solar wind stream (800km/s) originating from a large coronal hole in the Heliogeographic south. The intensity and southerly magnetic orientation of this flow of protons, electrons and alpha particles sparked a G1 Solar storm here on Earth, resulting in beautiful aurora in high-mid latitude areas.
The storm was captured on my magnetometers, shown here.
Luckily I had just managed to get my system up and running again the day before, following a minor technical hitch.
Thanks for looking.
Stu.
Earth has just passed through a fast flowing solar wind stream (800km/s) originating from a large coronal hole in the Heliogeographic south. The intensity and southerly magnetic orientation of this flow of protons, electrons and alpha particles sparked a G1 Solar storm here on Earth, resulting in beautiful aurora in high-mid latitude areas.
The storm was captured on my magnetometers, shown here.
Luckily I had just managed to get my system up and running again the day before, following a minor technical hitch.
Thanks for looking.
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Hi Stuart
fantastic report, thanks for sharing. I love your plots
fantastic report, thanks for sharing. I love your plots
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14315
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8559 times
- Been thanked: 8297 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Much appreciated, Walter.
Stu
Stu
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8907 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
great news and a great plot
I was asleep during that storm though
Alexandra
I was asleep during that storm though
Alexandra
-
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 12900
- Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2011 10:02 am
- Been thanked: 171 times
-
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 2033
- Joined: Sat Nov 24, 2012 2:33 pm
- Has thanked: 57 times
- Been thanked: 1205 times
- marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42559
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20828 times
- Been thanked: 10502 times
- Contact:
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Impressive stuff!
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14315
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8559 times
- Been thanked: 8297 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Thanks everyone.
I've extended the plot to include some additional geomagnetic disturbances occurring yesterday and today from the same coronal hole.
Cheers
Stu.
I've extended the plot to include some additional geomagnetic disturbances occurring yesterday and today from the same coronal hole.
Cheers
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- grimble_cornet
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 3537
- Joined: Tue Jul 10, 2012 5:10 pm
- Location: UK West Midlands
- Been thanked: 47 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
An amazing presentation Stu - that is one cool bit of kit
.
.
.
Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
.
.
Mike Garbett
Selection of Solar and Deep Sky images on Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikegarbett/
- swisswalter
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 17948
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 4:28 am
- Location: Switzerland
- Been thanked: 1 time
- Contact:
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Hi Stuart
what a fine extension of that report
what a fine extension of that report
Only stardust in the wind, some fine and some less fine scopes, filters and adapters as well. Switzerland 47 N, 9 E, in the heart of EUROPE
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
from 7 am - 7 pm http://www.nanosys.ch
from 7.01 pm - 6.59 am http://www.wastronomiko.com some times vice versa
- marktownley
- Librarian
- Posts: 42559
- Joined: Tue Oct 18, 2011 5:27 pm
- Location: Brierley Hills, UK
- Has thanked: 20828 times
- Been thanked: 10502 times
- Contact:
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
I like it alot!
http://brierleyhillsolar.blogspot.co.uk/
Solar images, a collection of all the most up to date live solar data on the web, imaging & processing tutorials - please take a look!
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8907 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Are these disturbances big enough to see aurora where you are? if not, how big does the disturbance have to be (on the plot)?
Many thanks
Alexandra
Many thanks
Alexandra
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14315
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8559 times
- Been thanked: 8297 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Many thanks for your supportive comments, everyone.
Alexandra, with interplanetary Kp-index 5 or more it might be possible to see Aurora over mid UK. It really depends on the local conditions and time of year given the oval shape of the auroral zone and our position relative to it. According to NOAA the recent activity was classed as G1 with a Kp index of 4-5, so this is borderline.
A more complete explanation of the Kp-index scale, you might like to check out http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/kp.html
On my chart I think above about 50 units (approximately 50nT) is a good indicator of a storm with possible viewing opportunities from my location, but I never seem to get good enough sky conditions.
Cheers
Stu.
Alexandra, with interplanetary Kp-index 5 or more it might be possible to see Aurora over mid UK. It really depends on the local conditions and time of year given the oval shape of the auroral zone and our position relative to it. According to NOAA the recent activity was classed as G1 with a Kp index of 4-5, so this is borderline.
A more complete explanation of the Kp-index scale, you might like to check out http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/kp.html
On my chart I think above about 50 units (approximately 50nT) is a good indicator of a storm with possible viewing opportunities from my location, but I never seem to get good enough sky conditions.
Cheers
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8907 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Thanks Stu is that 50 units including the negative scale? or does it need to reach the 50 line?
Alexandra
Alexandra
- Carbon60
- Way More Fun to Share It!!
- Posts: 14315
- Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2012 12:33 pm
- Location: Lancashire, UK
- Has thanked: 8559 times
- Been thanked: 8297 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Hi Alexandra,
+50 from the zero axis, but this is not hard and fast.....I don't really have enough data/experience to say for sure and as I say, there are other variables to take into account.
I understand that there was a lovely display over large parts of the UK last night with Kp reported as 4!
Cheers
Stu.
+50 from the zero axis, but this is not hard and fast.....I don't really have enough data/experience to say for sure and as I say, there are other variables to take into account.
I understand that there was a lovely display over large parts of the UK last night with Kp reported as 4!
Cheers
Stu.
H-alpha, WL and Ca II K imaging kit for various image scales.
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
Fluxgate Magnetometers (1s and 150s Cadence).
Radio meteor detector.
More images at http://www.flickr.com/photos/solarcarbon60/
- Montana
- Librarian
- Posts: 34722
- Joined: Mon Oct 17, 2011 5:25 pm
- Location: Cheshire, UK
- Has thanked: 17974 times
- Been thanked: 8907 times
Re: Fast Solar Wind Sparks G1 Solar Storm and Aurora
Really! pity! it was horizontal rain and a howling gale
Alexandra
Alexandra