Solar eruption: Second wave due tonight

By Frank Roylance

Aug 04, 2010 at 9:20 AM

Charged particles from Sunday's solar flare swept over the Earth last night, triggering colorful displays of the "Northern Lights" across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Norway and other locations across northern latitudes as the blast encountered the Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field.

The photo above was taken by Travis J. Novitsky, of Grand Portage, Minn., who told SpaceWeather.com: "Well, the aurora made a pretty good showing last night! It sounds like most everyone in Minnesota had cloudy skies but lucky for me the clouds didn't move in to my area until after the aurora faded. These images were all captured between 11:00 p.m. and 12:00 a.m. At about 11:45 I noticed the moon was coming up, so I made a couple of exposures of the moon as well as the northern lights. These were all shot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II."

Scientists say a second wave is still en route across the 93-million-mile gulf between the sun and the Earth, and should reach us tonight.

Maryland appears to have been too far south to give us a view of last night's auroral displays. And the skies were too murky anyway, as is common here at this time of year. You need clear, dark skies to see auroral displays, especially this far south.

Tonight's forecast doesn't look any better for Central Maryland. But if you're reading this in northern New England, the Great Lakes states or points north, spend some time outside tonight and give it a try. Catching the Northern Lights is always an experience you won't forget.

For the rest of us, photos from last night's display are coming in to the SpaceWeather.com galleries. On the SpaceWeather.com site you can also sign up for telephone alerts. For a monthly fee, they will call you when there is another big solar eruption, and when auroral displays are occurring at your location.

(PHOTO: Top: Travis J. Novitsky/ Used with permission)

Solar eruption: Second wave due tonight

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