Solar flaring, CME's and coronal hole streams

velocityjohnno wrote:

Thanks for getting into it everyone! Craig I've sent a couple of our pics to you, which illustrate one of the flare pulses I reckon. I've seen a family pic from outside Karratha to confirm aurora australis got that far north, and heard on the net that it was visible in Puerto Rico, first time in 103 years!

Shoredump, a level 5 flare I guess you will get that from time to time - Haloween 2003 was one example. We're at a maximum in the 11 year solar cycle and so there's more sunspots to fire them off. For this event there's more incoming, maybe keep an eye on the global K index to see if/when it peaks further:

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index

and the aurora forecast:

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast

What has/is changing is the strength of earth's protective geomagnetic field, and it's getting weaker as the geomagnetic poles shift position (c'mon science: give us an honest update on where they are now!). With a weaker magnetic field, more of the particles/plasma will get through, so more auroras for lesser flares, more lightning, more charging of the earth's 'circuit', weirder jet streams, crazier weather, more charging of the atmospheric column - that's my opinion anyway. All on top of CO2 - would love to see a model that works with all these extra inputs and what it predicts.

We are so lucky to live in a time of so much great change, we get to witness it.

So... this bit is for daily good news really, have now been in 3 earthquakes (and saw the weirdest sky phenomenon I've ever seen just prior to one of them), been struck by lightning and survived, and now seen southern lights - all in last few years, in Australia, close to home, where nothing happens. What a time to be alive.

VelocityJohnno. Brilliant stuff mate, thanks for bringing us a long with your great knowledge of that enormous thermonuclear reactor and its reactions. AW

Here are VJ's amazing images..

Nice VJ, I bet the views from yours would have been awesome!

Yeah, really good blackers! Your pics were great too: where were they? There was cloud all day and the SC was caught in a moist SE flow, but as predicted by windy it began to clear in the south which was so good by sundown. We went somewhere between TQ and Anglesea. I am sure we saw a flare pulse as it arrived. Seeing the aurora australis was always on the bucket list and I've missed it a few times, but to see it so huge and spectacular at home never dreamed it would be like this.

I've since got some pics from my son from last night and they are even more dramatic. He was out surfing 13th today and reckoned on the horizon there was still that lime/white green line with a grey haze, during daylight! He reckoned a camera would pick it up better.

Edit: uptick in Kp index on dusk on east coast:

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index

Geez it was pretty special last night. When down to the local beachie and it was beams of vertical light, the horizontal greens and the lovely red shades. The lights where also flashing at some times, like someone was playing with a spotlight against clouds. On the drive home it flared up massively, the whole sky was red and green, even from the street. Absolutely incredible.

Looking pretty dark out there now, and seeing lots of cars driving around on the surf cams. Reckon it'll be busy!

Photos from around the world in this link . Tasmania https://x.com/itsjackcohen/status/1789290289246490912?s=46

Dedicated to swellnet's Southern Sky Surfers...
Thanks for the sharing the majesty

Psychedelic Knights of Southern Lights

https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSAdelaide/videos/chance-of-aurora-australis...

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1589947938217692

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-07-31/aurora-australis-seen-in-tasmania...
https://www.independent.co.uk/space/southern-lights-aurora-australia-sol...
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/31/technicol...

https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/Aurora

Couple of solar flares (not pointed at us), Japan 7.1 earthquake, and they've warned about a following megaquake. I'll link vids cos slack today:

Link to earthquake map:

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=-84.80247,-258.75&ex...

& we had another one that got as far as Kp 8 but apparently wasn't as strong as April's amazing light show so I guess I missed it

And there's another X class flare inbound for this weekend.

https://www.iflscience.com/massive-solar-storm-opens-rare-2-hour-magneti...

"colossal solar storm that erupted in April last year completely obliterated part of the Earth’s magnetic field, morphing the planet’s magnetosphere and causing it to grow “wings”. As a result of this spectacular rare event, a two-way highway between the Sun and Earth temporarily opened up, sending charged particles in both directions and sparking auroras at both ends."

Well that's nuts!

Kp8 storm hitting currently
https://www.sws.bom.gov.au/Aurora/1/1
aurora forecast
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast

Seen some great photos of the recent solar activity.

And wow re your comment above VJ.

Yep I just happened across the Kp index, and there it was, the Aurora forecast didn't look as strong as the huge one earlier in the year, but I figured it would be enough for some good pics. I thought I could see a little green/white tinge in the southern horizon amidst the cloud at ours. Cameras didn't reveal more, and the bright moon played it's bit.

There's going to be a day when the sky looks incredible and none of the electronic devices work any more. Who can say when that day will be.

Night Sky looks Majestic right now thru tbb's mind's eye!

Supermoon : "This after hours Solar Flaring is super Exhausting!"
See my halo..."Look at me...I'm a Star!"

Let's all humour the man in the moon...when viewed thru some lunatic's eyes, you're a Star mate!
In fact it's a perfect night for a bike ride to the Moon...
Wait up tbb...You'll need a Helmet...(Silly me!)

uuuge solar storm right now

vid has cool view of the sun with it issuing CME right at us, with sunbound comet on the cam, crazy stuff

As the CME occurred, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida with multiple tornados

I was watching this VJ, peak solar activity with Milton also firing up but also with a super warm Mexican Gulf.

velocityjohnno wrote:

uuuge solar storm right now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69b_KzivaWA

vid has cool view of the sun with it issuing CME right at us, with sunbound comet on the cam, crazy stuff

VJ. Hi mate.

Thanks that’s so good. Level of tech today is amazing. AW

The Sun Intensifies Tropical Storms

Yep it all combines, including the extra warm gulf.

Yep...lit up again this week & next few nights on watch
https://www.facebook.com/7NEWSAdelaide/videos/aurora-australis-to-be-vis...

NZ Page is hard to download on Tiktok ...worth accessing via search Gallery > Megan Williams
https://www.google.com/search?q=Megan+Williams+Auroraaustralis&sca_esv=0...

https://www.instagram.com/godwardphotography/reel/DA9MLzet_ou/

https://www.9news.com.au/national/aurora-australis-heading-to-australian...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-11/aurora-australis-stunning-return-...

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a...

Forecast
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast
https://cdn.softservenews.com/southern_lights.html

Steve has been spotted again, this time in the southern hemisphere

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-10-15/steve-phenomenon-south-east-sa-au...

From a few years back the folklore was that the aurora watchers spotted a light phenomenon they had no explanation for, and so just named it 'Steve'. It had not been seen before (at least in recorded or living memory).

We're going to see more and more things that we haven't (for an immensely long time) as the magnetic field weakens I think.

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/353750816_Astronomical_Petrogly...

& here's the current solar cycle chart:

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression

Solar cycle 25 is stronger than 24 but by no means exceptional compared to the solar maximums since the 1950s - so how are we getting such historic auroral activity so far toward the tropics? Weakening magnetic field?