We're about to be hit with a solar storm... 4

[JohnRBaker]

While this is not an engineering disaster, at least not yet, there could be issues related to poorly protected infrastructure:

World told to brace for 'severe geomagnetic storm' today - the first in nearly 20 years - which could bring chaos to mobile phone networks, GPS satellites and power grids

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-13402759/Severe-solar-storm-watch-alert-NOAA.html

An excerpt from the above item:

A rare and powerful solar storm may occur in outer space today which could wreak havoc on earth, officials have warned – the first in nearly 20 years if it happens.

At least five streams of plasma, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), are heading toward Earth, prompting the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to issue a severe geomagnetic storm watch for Friday into the weekend.

This is the first such alert aired since 2005 when Earth was hit with the highest dose of radiation in a half-century.

Note that yesterday I managed to take the photo below from our backyard. It clearly shows one of the sunspots from where these coronal masses were ejected:

May 2024 (Sony a6500, 400mm (X2))

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[1503-44]

Man the escape vehicles.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[FacEngrPE]

John your photography is impressive.

Unfortunately the east cost is overcast, so I get to look at SOHO site.

https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/data/realtime-images.html

NASA Space Weather forecast indicates if it were not for the clouds I might be able to see it now.

 

[dik]

On a positive note, the aurora should be great!

-----*****-----
So strange to see the singularity approaching while the entire planet is rapidly turning into a hellscape. -John Coates

-Dik

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

There are aviation warnings about it.

I have 4 days off

 

[JohnRBaker]

Speaking of auroras, the picture below was taken this evening by our youngest son, who lives near Clare, Michigan:

May 2024 (Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max)

John R. Baker, P.E. (ret)
Irvine, CA
Siemens PLM:

The secret of life is not finding someone to live with
It's finding someone you can't live without

 

[1503-44]

Very nice. Not the typical green tones at all.

What's the aviation protocol? Business as usual? Lead lined undies?

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

Well a thing called raim will stop GPS type stuff but that's just normal these days with jamming.

But pretty much ops normal until things start crashing

The computer and Comms systems on the ground are more likely to have an issue stopping flight than the aircraft.

 

[Alistair_Heaton]

Any reports of infrastructure outages in the USA?

Europe nothing reported and it's on again tonight

The astronauts must be getting a hellish dose

 

[1503-44]

As seen in Las Canarias from Mt Tiede at the center 3708m.
Infortunately we down at lower elevations were and still are below low level overcast clouds.

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[Sparweb]

The sky was lit up all night, here. 51N, 113.5W
I set my camera to take pictures all night, every 10 seconds. I'm still unloading its memory card!

There were some fantastic shows in Australia - which are very rare, being ions, more massive and fewer, not the electrons that sleet down on the northern hemisphere. Go check out the youtube videos from down-under.

 

[1503-44]

Angel at FL1200

--Einstein gave the same test to students every year. When asked why he would do something like that, "Because the answers had changed."

 

[TugboatEng]

I can't find any information about when to look. Is this going to be all night or 3am. I'm in the middle of California?

 

[3DDave]

It's a continuous, though varying in intensity, cascade of charged particles, day and night.

 

[FacEngrPE]

Lots of places to look for space weather, I will put some links below.
Event may not be over yet.

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/communities/global-positioning-system-gps-community-dashboard

https://www.spaceweather.gov/

https://swe.ssa.esa.int/

http://spaceweather.eu/

https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Space_Weather_Office

https://spaceweather.com/

Reports auroras visible in the Florida Keys.

https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/news/view/536/20240511-extreme-g5-geomagnetic-storm.html

Tonight may be good watching also

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/secondary-peak-solar-storm-likely

 

[TugboatEng]

We got clouded out last night. Darn marine layer.

 

[3DDave]

I live near a city and can barely make out the Big Dipper. The star where the handle meets the dipper is not visible to me.

 

[EdStainless]

Too overcast in Milwaukee this weekend, just some glowing clouds.
This will affect UHF radio the most.
Digital stuff all has error correction in it.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, consulting work welcomed

 

[FacEngrPE]

Next chance for a show is likely May 15.

https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/wsa-enlil-solar-wind-prediction

I monitor a GNSS reference station. The self determined position moved by a few feet during the storm maximum.

 

[TigerGuy]

According to the maps, we were not supposed to see anything, so I went to bed. The photos from Tahoe are amazing. I should have taken a midnight drive.