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CME
IMPACT (MORE TO COME): An interplanetary
shock wave buffeted Earth's magnetic field on March
11th at 11:59 UT. It was probably the first of two
CMEs expected to arrive today. The impact did not
spark a strong geomagnetic storm, but it did cause
significantly elevated electron counts in Earth's
outer radiation belt. Analysts at the Goddard Space
Weather Lab say that "spacecraft in orbits
passing through or in the vicinity of Earth's outer
radiation belt [could be affected]." Another
CME is on the way (see below), so sky watchers should
remain alert for auroras on March 11-12. Aurora
alerts: text,
phone.
WEEKEND
SOLAR FLARE: 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.
During the flare, New Mexico amateur astronomer
Thomas Ashcraft recorded a series of radio bursts
at 21 and 28 MHz:
Dynamic spectrum courtesy Wes Greenman,
Alachua County, Florida
The roaring
sounds you just heard are caused by shock waves
plowing through the sun's atmosphere in the aftermath
of the explosion. "There is incredible complexity
in the waveforms," notes Ashcraft. "This
is a recording of one of the most turbulent events
in all of Nature!"
In addition, the explosion propelled
yet another 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 at 1803 UT (+/- 7 hr), possibly sparking
a new round of geomagnetic storms.
After passing Earth, the CME will
also hit the Mars Science Lab (MSL) spacecraft on
March 13th followed by Mars itself on March 14th.
Mars rover Curiosity onboard MSL might get some
interesting
readings as the cloud passes by.
CONVERGING
PLANETS: Venus and Jupiter are
converging for a remarkably close encounter. On
March 12th and 13th the two bright planets will
lie scarcely 3o apart in the western
sky at sunset. Marek Nikodem photographed the approach
on March 9th:
"Venus and Jupiter glitter so
clearly, they are like beautiful diamonds in the
sky," says Nikodem. "It is an amazing
and unique view."
As the distance between them shrinks,
Venus and Jupiter can become physiologically mesmerizing,
according to NASA. Look for them before the sky
fades completely black. The two planets surrounded
by twilight blue is a beautiful sight indeed. [Sky
maps: March
12, 13]
more images: from
Gary A. Becker of Coopersburg, PA; from
Chris Cook at Mt. Wilson Observatory, California;
from
Stefano De Rosa of Turin (Italy); from
Kat of Northeast Philadelphia, PA; from
Joel Linao of Mirdiff, Dubai, United Arab Emirates;
from
Stefano De Rosa of Turin (Italy);
CALM
BEFORE THE STORM: Earth's magnetic
field is growing quiet again after two days of geomagnetic
storming prompted by CME impacts. At the peak of
the disturbance on March 9th, Northern Lights were
spotted in the United States as far south as the
Dakotas, Minnesota,
Wisconsin,
Oregon,
Wyoming,
Illinois,
Montana,
and even
Kansas. The finest displays, as usual, were
reserved for Alaska:
"Almost immediately after sunset,
the sky began to fill with ribbons of auroras above
Chena Hot Springs (just outside Fairbanks) in Alaska,"
reports photographer Christopher Freemantle. "The
intensity grew until very bright, multicoloured
and fast moving auroras were visible."
Although the magnetosphere is calm
now, more storms arre in tthe offing. A CME hurled
toward our planet by the M6-class solar flare of
March 9th is expected to reach Earth during the
early hours of March 11th. High-latitude sky watchers
should be alert for auroras.
Aurora alerts: text,
phone.
more images: from
Todd Salat north of Anchorage, Alaska; from
Dave Headland of Oamaru, Southern New Zealand;
from
Brian Hall of Edmonton, Alberta; from
Ben Podolak of Split Rock Lighthouse State Park,
MN; from
Ryan de los Reyes of Anchorage, Alaska; from
Doug Kiesling of Saint Cloud, Minnesota; from
Nick Monk of Mountain River, Tasmania, Australia;
from
Chris Picking of Owhiro Bay, Wellington, New
Zealand; from
Ron D of Carrington, North Dakota; from
Carlton McMillan of Pine City, Minnesota; from
Ben Chorn of Duluth, Minnesota; from
Lyle Anderson of Duluth, Minnesota; from
Yuichi Takasaka of Lumby, British Columbia;
from
Imelda Joson and Edwin Aguirre flying 34,000
feet over Minnesota;
February
2012 Aurora Gallery
[previous Februaries: 2011,
2010,
2009,
2008,
2007, 2006,
2004, 2003,
2002]
