# Be on the lookout for aurora borealis tomorrow **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 3, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977 "2010-08-03T04:50:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/1 "2010-08-03T04:50:29Z")
Looks like there is a chance that tomorrow night will be a good chance for viewing the aurora borealis for some people: [http://earthsky.org/space/aurora-alert-sun-is-waking-up](http://earthsky.org/space/aurora-alert-sun-is-waking-up) ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/2 "2010-08-03T05:39:05Z")
Aww, I was hoping this was more of a heads-up like “Testing '20’s-style Tesla death-ray beam17b at 23:04 CDT-- watch for aurora borealis, ignition of atmosphere also possible.” ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Nader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Darth\_Nader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Nader)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/3 "2010-08-03T06:03:52Z")
Seriously, though. As the son of a dedicated solar astrophysicist, I agree that this could be pretty cool. Folks, if you don’t want to be a nighttime astronomer when you grow up, just look at the sun. (sorry) ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/4 "2010-08-03T10:33:41Z")
I’m kind of expecting all the cell phones to stop working, myself. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/5 "2010-08-03T12:05:39Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Aww, I was hoping this was more of a heads-up like “Testing '20’s-style Tesla death-ray beam17b at 23:04 CDT-- watch for aurora borealis, ignition of atmosphere also possible.” Relax. When the cell phones and communications networks go down, the aliens will attack, using the Aurora as cover on their approach. So it’ll still be cool. ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/6 "2010-08-03T13:45:26Z")
Boo, going to be cloudy tonight and tomorrow. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/7 "2010-08-03T14:47:59Z")
> [@Darth\_Nader](#): > > Seriously, though. As the son of a dedicated solar astrophysicist, I agree that this could be pretty cool. > > Folks, if you don’t want to be a nighttime astronomer when you grow up, just look at the sun. > > (sorry) Or a radio astronomer, or an X-ray astronomer, or heck, just a professional astronomer. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![mkecane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9e8a1a/32.png) [@mkecane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mkecane)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/8 "2010-08-03T15:07:08Z")
Will it be localized in your kitchen? ---
**Author:** ![phouka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c5a1d2/32.png) [@phouka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phouka)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/9 "2010-08-03T15:28:02Z")
What latitudes can we expect the aurora to reach? ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/10 "2010-08-03T23:06:25Z")
> [@phouka](#): > > What latitudes can we expect the aurora to reach? I’m hearing that it may be visible as far south as 38. ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/11 "2010-08-04T00:20:09Z")
> [@mkecane](#): > > Will it be localized in your kitchen? “It’s just the northern lights, mother!” Sadly, that is the second thing I thought of when I heard this on the news today\*. The first was, “wow, cool!” They are predicting mostly cloudy weather here but I will probably go out for a look anyway. What time is supposed to be best for viewing? I heard one report say after midnight was best but I heard another say the moon would be rising around midnight so earlier would be better. \*It’s a Simpsons reference. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/12 "2010-08-04T01:51:50Z")
Currently the estimated planetary K-index is only 6, which is not quite high enough for the aurora to be seen here in Chicago. It MIGHT be visible on the north horizon in dark sky areas. [http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/alerts/k-index.html](http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/alerts/k-index.html) No sightings reported yet here: [http://www.spacew.com/www/aurora.php](http://www.spacew.com/www/aurora.php) ---
**Author:** ![whiterabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/cab0a1/32.png) [@whiterabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whiterabbit)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/13 "2010-08-04T01:53:54Z")
I have at least a slim chance, from what I hear. It’s certainl clear enough, and I’m pretty far north. I’ll have to give it a shot. It would be really cool if I could, I’ve never seen them. ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/14 "2010-08-04T01:54:29Z")
No chance down here at all. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/15 "2010-08-04T02:02:56Z")
Here’s a page mapping K-index required for visibility in the USA. [http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/info/kp-aurora.html](http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/info/kp-aurora.html) ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/16 "2010-08-04T02:04:45Z")
Similar predictions are being made for the aurora australis in [Tasmania](http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/08/04/163461_todays-news.html) and [southern New Zealand](http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/3986018/Solar-blast-could-light-night-sky). ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/17 "2010-08-04T02:11:24Z")
Similar K-index maps here for the whole world and other info: [Tips on viewing the aurora](http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Aurora/) Scroll down to “Kp maps of midnight equatorward boundaries”. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/18 "2010-08-04T02:15:48Z")
The probabilities of storms for the next few days are higher than usual, but not all that high. [http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/forecast.html](http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/forecast.html) ```auto VI. Geomagnetic Activity Probabilities 04 Aug-06 Aug A. Middle Latitudes Active 40/30/25 Minor storm 20/40/10 Major-severe storm 05/20/05 B. High Latitudes Active 45/15/25 Minor storm 25/45/15 Major-severe storm 10/35/01 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/8baadc/32.png) [@Nicest\_of\_the\_Damned](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nicest_of_the_Damned)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/19 "2010-08-04T03:08:09Z")
[http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking\_news/2010/08/\_nasaap\_an\_x-ra.html?p1=Upbox\_links](http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2010/08/_nasaap_an_x-ra.html?p1=Upbox_links) > [@](#): > > The latest estimates are that the plasma will arrive in four waves, one at 3 a.m. Wednesday, one at 1 p.m. Wednesday, one at 8 p.m. Wednesday, and one at 2 a.m. Thursday, said David Aguilar, a spokesman for the Harvard-Smithsonian center. > > There is a three-hour window of uncertainty both before and after those target times, he said, because the speed of the waves is not constant. This is from a Boston paper so I assume those are east coast times. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977/20 "2010-08-04T03:53:16Z")
I think I could die happy if I ever saw the fabled Northern Lights. I’ve wanted to see them since I was a kid reading Jack London. Hell, I lived for a long time in South Dakota and never saw them. I guess I’m fated to never see them. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/be-on-the-lookout-for-aurora-borealis-tomorrow/548977.md?page=2)