July 23, 2009: NOAA Reports Surprising
Geomagnetic Storm and Aurora.
It was a very impressive aurora show that lasted 4.5 hours!
- Photographer Zoltan Kenwell, Chip Lake, Alberta, Canada
Solar forecasters did not predict the geomagnetic storm (Kp=6) that blazed in the northern Earth skies the same day as the total solar eclipse over Asia on July 22.
July 22, 2009, bright aurora suddenly and surprisingly glowed
in the Northern latitudes because NOAA explains, a crack opened in Earth's
magnetic field, allowing solar wind to pour in and fuel the storm. Northern Lights
descended as far south as the Dakotas, Montana, Iowa and Wisconsin. The solar wind is still blowing, but the crack has closed, bringing an end to the aurora lights. This was strongest aurora in a year of oddly quiet sun.
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