On October 28, 2021, the Sun blasted a "significant" X1 solar flare – the most intense class of flares. While the flare itself hit Earth eight and a half minutes later, an accompanying Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) was also released.
The slower-moving CME arrives on October 30, and when it hits Earth's magnetic field, a strong geomagnetic storm is possible on the 30th and possibly into the 31st as Earth continues to pass through the CME's wake.
This should make for spectacular auroras in both hemispheres, aurora borealis in the north and aurora australis in the south.
(screen shot only CiC and link to gif on twitter)
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center issued a G3 (Strong) geomagnetic storm watch for October 30th.
In the past, this type of flare has produced auroras visible to the unaided eye as far south as Illinois and Oregon in the US, typically 50° geomagnetic latitude, according to SpaceWeather.com.
X-class denotes the most intense flares (smallest flares are A-class) and the number provides more information about its strength.
An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc. Flares that are classified X10 or stronger are considered unusually intense, but X1 is still considered a major flare.
The Sun has been active lately (see aurora imagery from the CME that reached Earth in mid-October) as you can see from this movie from SDO data, processed by Seán Doran.
In the past, this type of flare has produced auroras visible to the unaided eye as far south as Illinois and Oregon in the US, typically 50° geomagnetic latitude, according to SpaceWeather.com.
X-class denotes the most intense flares (smallest flares are A-class) and the number provides more information about its strength.
An X2 is twice as intense as an X1, an X3 is three times as intense, etc. Flares that are classified X10 or stronger are considered unusually intense, but X1 is still considered a major flare.
The Sun has been active lately (see aurora imagery from the CME that reached Earth in mid-October) as you can see from this movie from SDO data, processed by Seán Doran.
(screen shot CiC)
https://youtu.be/oOXVZo7KikE
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Here is an added video from one of my fav. citizen scientists Suspicious 0bserver
This narrated vid was published within hours of the event.
https://youtu.be/KIvHrwVg7uA
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The Life of Earth
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