Overnight 10/11 May 2024: Good opportunity to view the Northern Lights!

[frankfrank]

I've seen more than one forecast that says the Northern Lights (a/k/a Aurora Borealis/Aurora Australis) are likely to be visible at unusual latitudes overnight.The "overnight" has already started in Europe and Africa, and central/western Asia. Overnight has already ended in eastern Asia and in Australia/NZ, but this may continue into the next overnight there.

A huge sunspot, about the same size as the one that produced the Carrington Event in 1859, has sent at least four CME's (Corona Mass Ejections a/k/a solar flares) toward Earth, and they have arrived. In the USA, they're saying that the Aurora may be seen as far south as North Carolina, Missouri, Colorado, northern California. I believe that would also mean the vast majority of Europe. You may interpolate that to New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and South America, to see if "you" may be involved. If anything, the only part of Africa with any likelihood to be within the range, would be South Africa.

I think the clouds here in Chicago are going to cheat me out of it, but some places will be luckier.

Happy viewing!

 

[rareboy]

I don't know if we had them, but I was asleep.

 

[EJMichaels]

We had 70-90% sky cover most of the night, so no joy here (mid-Atlantic region). There's another chance tonight, although less intense.

 

[gsdx]

Like Rareboy, I didn't see them, but not because I was asleep. Cloud cover blocked my view.

But the show was quite spectacular, apparently. Here are some photos from all across Canada:

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/a-breatht...ss-the-country--see-the-photos-141127995.html