- The sun has been very active
recently. It's at the peak if its 11-year sunspot cycle, and
the geomagnetic storm that occurred (rated G5 class) was the
strongest since 2003.
- On May 8th 2024, a solar active
region which had been assigned the NOAA region number 3664 produced
an X1.0-class and multiple M-class solar flares and launched
several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth. On May 9th,
the active region produced an X2.25- and X1.12-class flare each
associated with a full-halo CME. On May 10th, the region produced
an X3.98-class flare, and on May 11th it produced another X-class
flare of magnitude 5.4–5.7
-
- Of course, I had to get out
and try to capture the aurora borealis that would inevitably
be triggered by this massive storm. I was driving north out of
Toronto to get away from the city lights and found myself in
very frustrating rain as I tried to get to the shore of Georgian
Bay on Lake Huron. I could see the crescent moon in the distance,
so I knew that clear skies were ahead of me. Arriving in Collingwood,
I was finally in the clear and could see that the northern lights
display had already begun.
|
