Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Auroral Storm Right On Schedule

The Boulder K index has gone from 1 to 5. Odd auroral effects on radio signals are starting to become audible here, so you know it must be getting "interesting" farther north. We really shouldn't expect much on high-latitude paths for a while.

Spaceweather.com:

Space Weather News for August 3, 2010

CME IMPACT: As expected, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field on August 3rd. The impact, which occurred around 1730 UT, sparked a polar geomagnetic storm. At the time that this alert is being written, sky watchers in Europe as far south as Germany are reporting red and green Northern Lights. If the storm sustains itself for a few more hours, people in North America might see a similar display. Sky watchers in Alaska, Canada, and northern-tier US states such as Wisconsin, Minnesota and Maine should be alert for auroras.