Sat Mar 23, 2024 11:33 pm by globalturbo
Spotless sun sparks G1-class geomagnetic storm creating vivid auroras around the world
By
Strange Sounds
-
Dec 28, 2018
The sun has been without spots every day for almost two weeks. No sunspots? No problem: A G1-class geomagnetic storm erupted last night, sparking bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. Yes very weird indeed! Here some amazing northern lights captured in Alaska:
G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallery 
G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallery 
G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallery
Similar displays were reported over Iceland:
Aurora Borealis captured by Jónína Óskarsdóttir on December 28, 2018 @ Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland via SpaceWeatherGallery
In Canada, STEVE and Comet Wirtanen made an appearance as well:
Comet 46P/Wirtanen And STEVE. Picture by Harlan Thomas on December 28, 2018, NorthWest of Calgary. via SpaceWeatherGallery
This storm was caused not by sunspots, which have been absent for most of 2018, but rather by a hole in the sun’s atmosphere – known as coronal hole – and pictured on Dec. 24th:
The coronal hole responsible for the G1-class geomagnetic storm currently engulfing Earth. Picture by NASA
Solar wind flowing from the hole hit Earth’s magnetic field during the early hours of Dec. 28th, instigating the storm. Such coronal holes are a primary source of space weather when sunspots are absent. During Solar Minimum, coronal holes open up and may remain open for months, periodically lashing Earth with solar wind as the sun spins on its axis.
More Solar Minimum auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters expect Earth to remain inside this stream of solar wind for another 24 to 48 hours, punctuating 2018 with a splash of Northern Lights.
Thanks to: http://strangesounds.org
By
Strange Sounds
-
Dec 28, 2018
The sun has been without spots every day for almost two weeks. No sunspots? No problem: A G1-class geomagnetic storm erupted last night, sparking bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. Yes very weird indeed! Here some amazing northern lights captured in Alaska:
G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallery G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallery G1 Aurora taken by Sacha Layos on December 27, 2018 @ Fairbanks, AK via SpaceWeatherGallerySimilar displays were reported over Iceland:
Aurora Borealis captured by Jónína Óskarsdóttir on December 28, 2018 @ Fáskrúðsfjörður, Iceland via SpaceWeatherGalleryIn Canada, STEVE and Comet Wirtanen made an appearance as well:
Comet 46P/Wirtanen And STEVE. Picture by Harlan Thomas on December 28, 2018, NorthWest of Calgary. via SpaceWeatherGalleryThis storm was caused not by sunspots, which have been absent for most of 2018, but rather by a hole in the sun’s atmosphere – known as coronal hole – and pictured on Dec. 24th:
The coronal hole responsible for the G1-class geomagnetic storm currently engulfing Earth. Picture by NASASolar wind flowing from the hole hit Earth’s magnetic field during the early hours of Dec. 28th, instigating the storm. Such coronal holes are a primary source of space weather when sunspots are absent. During Solar Minimum, coronal holes open up and may remain open for months, periodically lashing Earth with solar wind as the sun spins on its axis.
More Solar Minimum auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters expect Earth to remain inside this stream of solar wind for another 24 to 48 hours, punctuating 2018 with a splash of Northern Lights.
Thanks to: http://strangesounds.org
