Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the northern lights visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the aurora's geomagnetic glow doesn't light up the skies over Massachusetts, there is still a spectacular opportunity to see a different solar phenomenon. Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a massive cluster of sunspots, causing the colorful glow of the aurora borealis to be more potent and visible further south than is normal. Skywatchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful green and pink colors in the night sky. The same cluster of sunspots rotated around the sun and is now back in view of Earth. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, it produced a strong, long-duration flare on Wednesday morning. In anticipation of material from that coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, the SWPC issued a G2-level Geomagnetic Storm Watch. This is significantly weaker than the G5-level storm that brought the northern lights to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough to potentially make the aurora visible over parts of the United States. "The aurora may become visible over some northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho," the SWPC said. Skies over Massachusetts are expected to be mostly clear overnight but, sadly, the strength of this event does not appear likely to create the same kind of show for our region as last time.However, anyone who still has a pair of solar eclipse glasses left over from that marvel in April can go outside today and see a different solar spectacle. When viewed safely through those eclipse glasses, the sunspot from which the recent flare erupted can be seen as a dark dot on the sun.
Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the northern lights visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the aurora's geomagnetic glow doesn't light up the skies over Massachusetts, there is still a spectacular opportunity to see a different solar phenomenon.
Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a massive cluster of sunspots, causing the colorful glow of the aurora borealis to be more potent and visible further south than is normal. Skywatchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful green and pink colors in the night sky.
The same cluster of sunspots rotated around the sun and is now back in view of Earth. According to the Space Weather Prediction Center, it produced a strong, long-duration flare on Wednesday morning.
In anticipation of material from that coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, the SWPC issued a G2-level Geomagnetic Storm Watch. This is significantly weaker than the G5-level storm that brought the northern lights to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough to potentially make the aurora visible over parts of the United States.
"The aurora may become visible over some northern and upper Midwest states from New York to Idaho," the SWPC said.
Skies over Massachusetts are expected to be mostly clear overnight but, sadly, the strength of this event does not appear likely to create the same kind of show for our region as last time.
However, anyone who still has a pair of solar eclipse glasses left over from that marvel in April can go outside today and see a different solar spectacle.
When viewed safely through those eclipse glasses, the sunspot from which the recent flare erupted can be seen as a dark dot on the sun.
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