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G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:38 pm
by Carbon60
A large coronal hole on the Earth side of the Sun is spewing solar plasma across the void at speeds of 620km/sec creating a G1 solar storm and sparking beautiful aurora around the poles. So, if you're far enough north/south with clear skies, look up; you might just see a beautiful natural firework display.
20160216_G1_Coronal hole by
Stuart Green, on Flickr
Stu
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 8:59 pm
by marktownley
It was a day late arriving! I was looking for this on sunday night with the clear skies here on Anglesey. At some point between this time last year and now pretty much all the street lights on the island have been changed to shaded LED lamps (compared to the orange sodium) and the difference in light pollution here is astounding. I've been coming here for over 30 years and in that time have seen the LP become worse each year; this year was like going back in time over 20 years, and accounts for why i've seen more more and more aurora photos from the north coast of the island over the past year on social media. I kept looking throughout the early hours on monday morning to no avail (and also heard 'will you get back in bed and stop peeping through the curtains' several times!). Great record of the event Stu! There was no point me looking last night, the cloud had returned again - doh!
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Tue Feb 16, 2016 10:51 pm
by grimble_cornet
Great presentation Stu.
Mate of mine is in Iceland at the moment watching a fabulous display just outside Reykjavik - very jealous.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 7:26 am
by Derek Klepp
Thanks Stu
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:19 pm
by Carbon60
Thanks guys.
I've only seen the Aurora once and that was on a chartered Aurora fight from Manchester airport (Omega tours) with Peter Lawrence and co. Too much light pollution here, although they are replacing some sodium lights for white LEDs, which might be effective, from what you're saying, Mark.
Stu.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:45 pm
by p_zetner
Nice work, Stu.
After all your aurora predictions, you've only seen them once? That's almost operatic in tragedy!
You've really got me thinking about some method of solar observation that doesn't require clear skies. Setting up a magnetometry station on my side of the Atlantic might make an interesting complement to your work. On the other hand, I'm developing a keen interest in radio frequency observations and might go this route. I'm itching to observe something!
Cheers.
Peter.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Wed Feb 17, 2016 9:43 pm
by Carbon60
Tragic indeed, Peter. I should try harder
There's no reason not to do both types of observations (radio and magnetic) of course. They are complementary in fact; radio for detecting flares and magnetic for detecting the resulting CME. I'm also thinking of setting up a radio detector (Jove type) and might do this over the summer.
Cheers
Stu.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 12:00 am
by grimble_cornet
Interesting idea Stu. I have played around with meteor detection via UHF but would like to explore other aspects of radio astronomy. Look forward to hearing what you decide to do.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 3:49 am
by p_zetner
Stu;
I was also checking out the Jove setup. Reading this paper (Google search);
"An Urban Radio Telescope for Jovian and Solar Emissions at 20.1 MHz"
Robert S. French, HET608, Swinburne Astronomy Online, November 2009
made me worry about radio frequency interference problems. The frequency band below 30 MHz seems to be especially problematic. One thing worth considering is that the Jove system is designed with Jovian signals in mind. These drop off in intensity rapidly as you go up in frequency (above 30 MHz). On the other hand, solar bursts cover a huge spectrum and there may be better regions to "listen". I'm looking at the 30 to 60 MHz band as a possibility. There are wideband antenna designs for this part of the spectrum (LOFAR and ETA designs). Let me know if you'd like more information about these.
Cheers.
Peter.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 9:11 am
by marktownley
Stu, what are your readings like for last night? Myself and a pal photographed (very faint!) aurora from anglesey when it was up around KP5 at 22.30...
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:07 pm
by Carbon60
Hi Mark,
Ask and ye shall receive......
- 20160217_G1_Coronal hole.jpg (117.67 KiB) Viewed 5503 times
Looks like your observations were bang in the middle of the main event. Result!
Cool.
Stu.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Thu Feb 18, 2016 7:35 pm
by Carbon60
p_zetner wrote:Stu;
I was also checking out the Jove setup. Reading this paper (Google search);
"An Urban Radio Telescope for Jovian and Solar Emissions at 20.1 MHz"
Robert S. French, HET608, Swinburne Astronomy Online, November 2009
made me worry about radio frequency interference problems. The frequency band below 30 MHz seems to be especially problematic. One thing worth considering is that the Jove system is designed with Jovian signals in mind. These drop off in intensity rapidly as you go up in frequency (above 30 MHz). On the other hand, solar bursts cover a huge spectrum and there may be better regions to "listen". I'm looking at the 30 to 60 MHz band as a possibility. There are wideband antenna designs for this part of the spectrum (LOFAR and ETA designs). Let me know if you'd like more information about these.
Cheers.
Peter.
Sounds intriguing, Peter.
I did start a radio astronomy project some years ago using a Ham radio with logging software
http://www.radiosky.com/skypipeishere.html but my wife didn't like the aerial wire strung down the garden and it was during solar minimum, so there was not much activity going on to make it all worth while. The radio dying on me didn't help either.
More compact aerial designs at higher frequencies might make this more viable. Plus there have been advances in Software Defined Radio, potentially reducing the entry costs significantly. Maybe worth taking another look at this. Thomas Ashcroft, the solar radio guru, can no doubt offer advice.
Stu.
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:46 am
by marktownley
Thanks Stu, do you mind if I share this plot with my pal Kev? and i'll see if he's happy to share his pic here of the aurora...
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 12:15 pm
by Montana
Fascinating results guys
well done!
Also interesting about the light pollution too, they changed the lights in our town to LEDs but only the main road
I can't notice any difference but then I guess they need to do the
whole town.
Alexandra
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:51 pm
by Carbon60
marktownley wrote:Thanks Stu, do you mind if I share this plot with my pal Kev? and i'll see if he's happy to share his pic here of the aurora...
Absolutely no problem, Mark. Share away, with pleasure.
Stu
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:53 pm
by Carbon60
Montana wrote:Fascinating results guys
well done!
Also interesting about the light pollution too, they changed the lights in our town to LEDs but only the main road
I can't notice any difference but then I guess they need to do the
whole town.
Alexandra
Let's hope they do the whole country!
Stu
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:09 pm
by marktownley
Carbon60 wrote:Montana wrote:Fascinating results guys
well done!
Also interesting about the light pollution too, they changed the lights in our town to LEDs but only the main road
I can't notice any difference but then I guess they need to do the
whole town.
Alexandra
Let's hope they do the whole country!
Stu
I completely agree!
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Fri Feb 19, 2016 8:09 pm
by marktownley
Carbon60 wrote:marktownley wrote:Thanks Stu, do you mind if I share this plot with my pal Kev? and i'll see if he's happy to share his pic here of the aurora...
Absolutely no problem, Mark. Share away, with pleasure.
Stu
Re: G1 solar storm in progress 16th Feb 2016
Posted: Sun Feb 21, 2016 12:57 pm
by highfnum
"I'm also thinking of setting up a radio detector (Jove type)"
isn't this used to listen to jupiter?
same freq ?