Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the auroras visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the geomagnetic aurora borealis doesn’t light up the skies over Massachusetts, there’s still a spectacular opportunity to see another solar phenomenon. Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a massive sunspot cluster, causing the colorful glow of the aurora borealis to be stronger and more visible further south than usual. Skywatchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful green and pink colors in the night sky. The same sunspot cluster has been rotating around the Sun and is now back in view of Earth. It sparked a powerful, long-lasting eruption Wednesday morning, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. In anticipation of material from the coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, SWPC has issued a G2 Geomagnetic Storm Watch. That’s significantly weaker than the G5-level storm that brought the aurora to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough for the aurora to be visible over parts of the United States. “Auroras 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 unfortunately, the force of this event doesn’t seem likely to put on the same kind of show for our region as it did last time. However, anyone who still has solar eclipse glasses left over from the miracle in April can go out today and see another solar spectacle. When viewed safely through these eclipse glasses, a recently erupted sunspot can be seen as a dark dot on the sun.
Another coronal mass ejection from the sun could make the auroras visible again over parts of New England on Friday night. Even if the geomagnetic aurora borealis doesn’t light up the skies over Massachusetts, there’s still a spectacular opportunity to see another solar phenomenon.
Three weeks ago, a solar storm erupted from a massive sunspot cluster, causing the colorful glow of the aurora borealis to be stronger and more visible further south than usual. Skywatchers in Massachusetts saw beautiful green and pink colors in the night sky.
The same sunspot cluster has been rotating around the Sun and is now back in view of Earth. It sparked a powerful, long-lasting eruption Wednesday morning, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center.
In anticipation of material from the coronal mass ejection reaching Earth, SWPC has issued a G2 Geomagnetic Storm Watch. That’s significantly weaker than the G5-level storm that brought the aurora to Massachusetts earlier this month, but strong enough for the aurora to be visible over parts of the United States.
“Auroras 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 unfortunately, the force of this event doesn’t seem likely to put on the same show for our region as it did last time.
However, anyone who still has solar eclipse glasses left over from this miracle in April can go outside today and see another solar spectacle.
When viewed safely through these eclipse glasses, a recently erupted sunspot can be seen as a dark dot on the sun.
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