hedgehog

There is currently a BIG show going on out there which should be visible across most of the UK. It has died down somewhat but there is potential for more action as the night goes on. It was mad here for a while about half an hour ago with lights clearly visible even in light polluted skies.

Iain Young

Typical, it's raining here

ProperCharlie

I just went out into the street but I couldn't see a great deal. Is there any such thing as the southern lights? I've seen some marlboro lights recently. Perhaps they are related? We should be told.

ricardo

Hmmm, no Aurorawatch alert for this one - did you post because you saw it, or because you heard about it ?

I'm off outside for a look...

*edit*
aaaargh - raining. It was clear an hour or so ago, but I wasn't looking... !

hedgehog

I was out watching it just before I posted.

Aurora Watch provide a good service but sometimes when you watch the charts you can see stuff that their automatic alert system will not see. I also knew that this was coming and that it had hit SOHO very very hard indeed and so was expecting a reasonable hit.

It calmed down again after about 8 but has just gone mad again so anyone wanting a good chance to see something should get out there and take a look. This might be the last chance for quite a few years, though this solar cycle has been totally mad so who knows, and in some parts there are clear skies.

Worth checking again for those who looked earlier and saw nothing as it was a very short lived event. Go out and let your eyes get used to the dark before expecting to see anything.

Scoobychick

iTrader: (1)

I had two Aurora watch amber alerts, one at 10pm and one at 11pm but I didn't see them till I logged on this morning. To make matters worse it was a crystal clear night here last night, pants, another one missed

thecirsch

I was in Iceland (the Country ) a few weeks ago. I paid good money to go and watch the lights in the middle of a deserted field when it was -7. What did I see, nothing Should have stayed at home

ajm

I looked North over the Bristol Channel and all I could see was a big, smoking carbuncle lit up like a Christmas tree. I believe it's inhabitants refer to it as "Waaayles"!

hedgehog

It seems to have been a strange evening with the best displays being very short lived indeed and also very localised.

This shot taken near Aberdeen last night is certainly one of the best Aurora photos I have seen:

http://www.spaceweather.com/aurora/i...Henderson1.jpg

chrome

bloody hell...
overcast and dull as dishwater over here

Nicks VR4

Ditto near Blackpool

hedgehog

No point looking tonight I am afraid as it is all over and done with. The big sunspot that was throwing out all the bad rays as gone around the far side of the sun (can there be a Dark Side of the Sun?) and the face of the sun is fairly quiet.

It is possible that the sunspot might still exist when the sun turns it around to face us again but that is somewhat unlikely. However, this has been a remarkable period in solar terms, at least that is one good thing to be said for global warming.