David's Astronomy Pages (All Sky Camera) Aurora on night 2023-04-23 / 2023-04-24

Aurora  2023-04-21

Aurora Page

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Aurora 2023-09-12

Aurora

Notes

Night Summary (Keogram) Plot Pictures Videos Magnetometer Stack Plots (for reference) Planetary K-Index Plot (for reference) Aurora Forecast, NOAA/Ovation (for reference)

- Major aurora activity on the night of 2023-04-23 / 2023-04-24 associated with a severe G4-Class geomagnetic storm (Kp 8) that was caused by an earth directed CME (originating from the sun on 2023-04-21) hitting the earth's magnetic field.  Aurora were seen as far south as Spain (+37N) in Europe and to southern California (+32.5N) & near the Mexico/Texas border (+29.5N) in North America  (SpaceWeather.com on 2023-04-24). Unfortunately the aurora display was only locally / partially visible from NE Scotland because of cloud cover.  Activity was visible from the Clair Observatory (+57N) during small / local breaks in cloud at 21:15 - 21:20,  22:08 - 22:18,  22:25 - 22:58  &  23:20 - 23:55 UT  (corresponding to 23:08 -23:18, 23:25 - 23:58  &  00:20 - 00:55 LT). Observed activity included auroral rays to 50-60°+ altitude occasionally stretching to near zenith. -  Scandinavia magnetometers indicate activity from 2023-04-23 19:00 UT to around 2023-04-22 07:00 UT, with peaks of activity at 19:30-21:00 UT and  03:00 - 06:00.

Night Summary (Keogram) Plot

Night Summary Plot - North Sky (2023-04-23 / 2023-04-24 ) Times on plot are local times (BST  = UTC +01h ) Keogram shows cloud for almost the entire night, but with hints of aurora activity at 22:15, 23:15 & 00:40 LT

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Pictures

Panoramic View - Northern Sky

2023-04-23 21:17 UT (22:17 LT) Auroral activity in northern sky at 25-35° altitude, part hidden by clouds Rain drops on Camera hemisphere from recent shower.

2023-04-23 22:14 UT (23:14 LT) Bright auroral activity to 45-55°+ altitude visible through temporary gaps in cloud cover. Rain drops on Camera hemisphere from recent shower.

2023-04-23 22:32 UT (23:32 LT) Auroral rays in NE Sky to 30°+ altitude. Tops probably hidden by cloud. Moon setting in WNW / NW sky largely hidden by cloud (moon mask active)

2023-04-23 22:35 UT (23:35 LT) Auroral arc at 18-20° altitude, hidden in part by foreground cloud. Aurora rays to 50° altitude

2023-04-23 22:37 UT (23:37 LT) Auroral rays to 60°+ altitude. Foreground clouds

2023-04-23 22:52 UT (23:52 LT) Possible brightening in aurora, but partly hidden by cloud

2023-04-23 23:25 UT (2023-04-24 00:25 LT) Auroral activity continuing. Cloud cover hiding / soiling the display

2023-04-23 23:30 UT (2023-04-24 00:30 LT) Aurora activity in N sky at 25-30 deg altitude. Diffuse rays to 50°+ altitude. Cloud likely hiding activity in NW and NE sky

2023-04-23 23:38 UT (2023-04-24 00:38 LT) Auroral activity with rays to 50°+ altitude.

2023-04-23 23:41 UT (2023-04-24 00:41 LT) Aurora activity continuing. Display continuing to be spoilt by cloud cover and is only visible through breaks.

2023-04-23 23:45 UT (2023-04-24 00:45 LT) Auroral rays to 55°+ altitude in NNW sky

30s exposures taken with Oculus All Sky Camera

AllSky View (north on right hand side of image)

2023-04-23 22:37 UT (23:37 LT) - Normal Image Diffuse auroral rays reaching to zenith. Cloud along northern horizon.

2023-04-23 22:37 UT (23:37 LT) - Difference Image Auroral rays reaching to near zenith.

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 Videos

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Magnetometer Stack Plots (for reference)

Magnetometer Stack Plots from Scandinavia (ordered by latitude) H Component - 2023-04-23 / 2023-04-24 Although the deflections in H component lines don't look that large, when you consider the Y Axis scale (200 nT / 10 pixels), the deflections (up to 1400 nT) are in fact pretty large Original data from Tromsø Geophysical Observatory (TGO), DTU Space (Technical University of Denmark) and Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI, displayed on SpaceWeatherLive http://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/auroral-activity/magnetometers). Note: Geomagnetometer activity at rvk (Rorvik, 64.95N), dob (Dombas, 62.07N), sol (Solund, 61.08N) and kar (Karmoy, 59.21N) stations are used as indicators for potential auroral activity that may be visible from my Observatory situated at latitude 57.32N  (Map of Stations)

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Planetary K-Index Plot (for reference)

Estimated 3 hour Planetary K-Index (NOAA) (K indices of 5 or greater indicate storm-level geomagnetic activity around earth)  (from http://services.swpc.noaa.gov) planetary-k-index_2023-04-23 / 2023-04-24 Not captured

SAMNET's magnetometer at Crooktree, Near Torphins  (Chart Explanation)

8-day Lerwick Observatory K Index

Planetary K-Index and other information (Space Weather Prediction Centre) shows KP Index reaching KP8 on 2023-04-23

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Aurora Forecast, NOAA/Ovation (for reference)

Aurora Forecast at 2023-04-23 for 21:05 UT (From Space Weather Prediction Centre,  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov )

Aurora Forecast at 2023-04-23 for 23:31 UT (From Space Weather Prediction Centre,  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov )

Aurora Forecast at 2023-04-24 for 02:39 UT (From Space Weather Prediction Centre,  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov )

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