# Keep a look out for Aurora the next couple nights! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 23, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166 "2003-10-23T18:42:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/1 "2003-10-23T18:42:20Z")
From: [http://spaceweather.com/](http://spaceweather.com/) > [@](#): > > SOLAR EXPLOSIONS: Solar activity is high. An intense X5-class solar flare erupted today (Oct. 23rd at 8:35 UT) from sunspot 486 near the sun’s southeastern limb. The explosion hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. See the movie. Although the CME was not Earth-directed, it could deliver a glancing blow to our planet’s magnetic field as early as Oct 24th (although the 25th is more likely). > > Another CME was already en route when this morning’s explosion occured. Pictured right, it was launched on Oct 22nd by an explosion near sunspot 484. Forecasters expect it to arrive on Oct. 24th and possibly trigger a strong geomagnetic storm. Sky watchers at middle latitudes should be alert for auroras Could be a good show! ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/2 "2003-10-23T18:48:33Z")
Yeay! Tell Mom , Hi. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/3 "2003-10-24T03:58:56Z")
The sun has limbs??? ---
**Author:** ![Lady\_Ice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f1d935/32.png) [@Lady\_Ice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lady_Ice)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/4 "2003-10-24T04:07:30Z")
I’m north enough (Mich.) to possibly see it, but nothing tonight that I could see. It’s only 12:30 a.m., so I think I’ll check again before heading to bed. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/5 "2003-10-24T04:27:09Z")
Any chance of seeing this near Phoenix? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/6 "2003-10-24T05:00:10Z")
I’ve seen it in OKC, OK on RARE ocassions. I mean, rare. I’ve heard stories at star parties of West Texans seeing it! So, you never know… ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/7 "2003-10-24T05:21:04Z")
We’re still seeing Mars gleaming brightly in the night sky in Texas. I’ll look out for that cosmic event; thanks to the OP. OK, why wasn’t I invited to a star party? I mean, I’m not in WEST Texas, but I do have quite a few relatives from those parts…😃 ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/8 "2003-10-24T05:24:41Z")
Check out _Sky & Telescope_ magazine. It lists all the Star Parties they’re told about. Schedule might be on their website. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/9 "2003-10-24T05:29:07Z")
I saw this earlier and thought, “Oh boy! TV reception will be crappy!” Starting friday btw… I’m in southern PA so A.B. is unlikely but it COULD happen… Anyone know the best time to look for the Northern Lights? ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/10 "2003-10-24T07:46:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by j\_sum1 \* > \*\*The sun has limbs??? \*\* “limb” is just an astronomy term meaning the outer edge of a star/planet/anything you can see in the sky. Ohh! I’m finally putting the degree and PhD to use outside the office and GQ! ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/11 "2003-10-24T16:34:25Z")
[http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/dst\_index/page1.html](http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/dst_index/page1.html) Page with current storm level info. You should be able to see it slowly build. ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/12 "2003-10-24T19:23:27Z")
Coronal mass ejection! Yeah baby! ---
**Author:** ![Marine\_One](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marine_one/32/3461_2.png) [@Marine\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marine_One)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/13 "2003-10-24T20:00:49Z")
Am I the only one that thought this was about the top secret spy plane? I have to get out more… ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2003, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/keep-a-look-out-for-aurora-the-next-couple-nights/209166/14 "2003-10-24T22:50:20Z")
I live in southern hemisphere and I think my latitude is too high. I’d love to see the aurora australis some time though. We are still 6 or 7 years from the peak in the sunspot cycle aren’t we?