Anybody in closer-to-arctic latitudes see aurora borealis last night? Heads up...
>> WEEKEND GEOMAGNETIC STORM: High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras on June 8th and 9th as Earth passes through the wake of a CME, which struck on June 7th. Initially, the CME's impact was was weak, but as the 7th turned into the 8th a G2-class geomagnetic storm developed, sparking auroras across Canada and many northern-tier US states.
... Auroras were also sighted in the USA in Maine, Minnesota, Washington, South Dakota, New York, and Michigan. About 10,000 miles away, sky watchers spotted the same shades of pink over New Zealand, so this was truly a global event.
The source of the CME was a magnetic filament on the sun, which erupted on June 4th. The explosion was not squarely aimed at Earth, but the glancing blow it provided three days later was enough to spark the ongoing display. NOAA forecasters say CME effects could persist until June 9th with a 25% chance of continued geomagnetic storms. More auroras are in the offing. << (
spaceweather.com)