Atmospheric Phenomena

Sunspot AR1429 Sends Strong Solar Flare Hurtling Toward Earth

March 11, 2012

Christopher Freemantle captured this image of the Northern Lights from Chena Hot Springs (just outside Fairbanks) in Alaska. The intensity grew until very bright, multicoloured and fast moving auroras were visible. This image was taken with a 4s exposure, Canon 600D, F2.8, ISO 800.

Sunspot AR1429 is still erupting this weekend. On Saturday, March 10th, it produced a powerful M8-class flare that almost crossed the threshold into X-territory. Space weather scientists use five categories — A, B, C, M and X — to rank solar flares based on their strength and severity. A-class flares are the weakest types of sun storms, while X-class eruptions are the most powerful. The eruption propelled yet another coronal mass ejection (CME) toward Earth. According to a forecast track prepared by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the cloud will hit our planet’s magnetosphere on March 12th...

Another Solar Flare Heads Directly For Earth

March 10, 2012

By Michael Muracco

Sunspot AR1429 has unleashed another strong flare, an M6-class eruption on March 9th at 0358 UT. The blast hurled a coronal mass ejection almost directly toward Earth. According to analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, the CME will arrive on March 11th at 0649 UT (+/- 7 hr). Strong geomagnetic storms and Aurora, (Northern Lights), are possible when the cloud arrives. The same eruption that hurled the CME toward Earth also produced a monsterous tsunami of plasma on the sun. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the shadowy but powerful wave rippling away from the blast site: The tsumani...

Major Solar Flares May Cause Intense Northern Lights Tonight

March 8, 2012

By Michael Muracco

A massive X-class solar flare spewed from the sun on March 6, 2012. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory observed the eruption, which looks like a sparkling diamond in this picture. CREDIT: NASA/SDO

A massive solar storm may spark an intense northern lights display for skywatchers at high latitudes on Thursday (March 8th) as a wave of charged particles reach the Earth. Two huge solar flares erupted from the sun late Tuesday (March 6th), triggering one of the most powerful solar storms in more than five years. The solar flares are expected to intensify aurora displays on Earth, according to space weather scientist Joseph Kunches, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “Auroras are probably the treat that we get when the sun erupts,” Kunches told reporters. One of the big...

Incredible Video Of Aurora Borealis – The Northern Lights

February 6, 2012

By Michael Muracco

This incredible video of the Aurora Borealis – The Northern Lights, was taken in Norway by photographer Christian Mülhauser. “Last week I was again in Norway, said Mülhauser, for shooting northern lights. This time I was very lucky, there was a lot of activity on the sky especially on the 24 January. The scenes are from Ravnastua, Skoganvarre and Lakselv. The first two days I had a lot of trouble with frozen Cameras. It was -25°C (-13°F) and after 1-2 hours of shooting the lens was frozen. I used a Canon 5D MarkII with ML, a 7D and a 550D...

Telescope Filters That Help Block Light Pollution

November 11, 2011

By Michael Muracco

Deep-sky or Nebula filters can transform a washed-out city skyscape into reasonably dark location. These high-tech wonders are a huge help for backyard astronomers. One look at the Veil Nebula or Barnard’s Loop and you will be hooked. Most light pollution comes from mercury and sodium streetlamps, which radiate blue and yellow light that shows up as bright background sky glow. But many nebulae comprise hydrogen and oxygen atoms that emit green and red light. Light-pollution filters work by blocking the bad stuff in the blue and yellow, and letting through the good stuff in the red and green....

Aurora Borealis As You’ve Never Seen It Before

March 24, 2011

By Michael Muracco

Take 22,000 high-definition photographs, a geomagnetic storm and some incredible talent and what do you get? A two-minute video of the Aurora Borealis as you’ve never seen it before. The Aurora from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo. Photographer Terje Sorgjerd braved -25 degree Celsius (-15 F) temperatures to capture this mesmerizing collection of photographs. Then, by assembling the 22,000 photos, he created a time-lapse video of the rich color and dynamic shapes of the Northern Lights that would normally be difficult to see. Adding the atmospheric Hans Zimmer/Lisa Gerrard song “Now We Are Free” from the movie Gladiator to the...

Fogbow Season Begins

January 31, 2011

By admin

Northern autumn is just around the corner, which means the time for fogbows has arrived. Moisture rising from the sun-heated ground condenses in the cool night air, producing low-hanging fogs. When light from the morning sun or Moon hits the mist–voilà–a fogbow: “I’m finding it rather fun to go lunar fogbow hunting,” says Hollingshead. “It takes a pretty calm and cool night to get the fog, and the lunar phase needs to be around full so the Moon is big and low before sunrise. When everything comes together–wow! It’s pretty cool to see vivid lunar fogbows arcing over fields...