West Seattle sky: Super sunset – and maybe auroras later?

Thanks to Emily Austin for the photo of tonight’s super sunset – apparently with “light pillar.” Gives us a reason to mention something you might want to look for tonight and tomorrow, if the sky is clear enough – local expert Alice Enevoldsen of Alice’s Astro Info mentioned it in e-mail, citing Spaceweather.com: Activity from a solar flare is expected to “reach our planet” just before 10:30 tonight, and that could mean auroras (aka Northern Lights) “at all latitudes,” Alice notes. We’ll be watching!

photon March 7, 2012 (6:58 pm)

Aurora!!!
Anyone have an informed suggestion where/when one might go for the best chance of viewing?

miws March 7, 2012 (6:59 pm)

Mt. Rainier was out in all her glory today!

Was in full view, though a bit hazy, on the bus ride into town around 11:30 am, and still, on the way back to West Seattle, around 2:45 or so, but even clearer, and the sun reflecting off of her northwestish side.

Olympics looked great from the viaduct as well!

Mike

Ana March 7, 2012 (7:28 pm)

Is it true that we might not have cell phone signals tomorrow &nd Friday b/c of the solar flare ! D:

SudsyMaggie March 7, 2012 (7:43 pm)

Beautiful photo above! Such a lovely day in the PNW!

photon March 7, 2012 (8:02 pm)

Working on answering my own question…

Space Weather Prediction center, Auroral Forecast:
http://helios.swpc.noaa.gov/ovation/

University of Alaska Geophysical Institute Aurora Forecast:
http://www.gi.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/NorthAmerica/2012/03/07

This means that the resulting aurora may be visible late on the night of the 7th/8th from Alaska, but Western Russia, Europe, and the US will probably see activity levels of Kp=5 or greater on the night of March 8/9.

happy March 7, 2012 (8:51 pm)

Photon;
Thanks for the terrific links!

Here March 7, 2012 (9:13 pm)

What a great bunch of random posts! Much better than some of the posts lately.

Christopher Boffoli March 7, 2012 (11:54 pm)

Just came back from a (freezing cold) vantage point around 64th and Alki. I thought the chances for aurora spotting tonight would be slim. But it was fairly clear over the Junction so I thought I’d take a spin down there and give it a shot. Sadly, the northern horizon was pretty solidly cloudy and where there were breaks there was no sign of anything.

Noelle March 8, 2012 (3:13 am)

No luck with northern lights for me in north admiral . . . Anyone see any yet? Im going to bed.

Gina March 8, 2012 (8:28 am)

Tonight’s best chances for viewing in the US are the higher elevations of Maine and Northern Michigan. Would the light of the almost full moon and the night glare of the Seattle sky make it almost impossible to see anything south of downtown Seattle, no matter how clear the sky?

Sorry, comment time is over.