Monday, July 16, 2012

Solar Storm Subsiding

Current solar disk with sunspot 1520. Credit: SDO/HMI & Spaceweather.com.

Well, we've come through a geomagnetic storm and it seems we're still here. The solar flare erupted from sunspot complex 1520 and much of the storm of radiation and particles hit the Earth's magnetic fields starting just after midnight on Saturday morning. Earth's magnetic field saved us and provided magnificent views of the Aurora Borealis as far south as Utah! Sadly, I saw none of that with the bright city lights and increasing clouds and storms in the area.

The CME event (coronal mass ejection) hitting the Earth lasted about 36 hours, and readings are getting lower. Further chance of another storm is lessening as the sunspot group continues to rotate toward the other side of the Sun. Check Spaceweather.com for photos of the northern lights and further information.

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