David's Astronomy Pages (All Sky Camera) Aurora on night 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31

Aurora  2024-08-28

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Aurora 2024-08-31

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)

- Auroral activity though the entire night 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31 associated with geomagnetic activity up to KP5 (G1) SpaceWeather.Com reported on 2024-08-31 that this was another Unexpected Geomagnetic Storm : "During the late hours of Aug. 30th, a crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind flowed through the gap, sparking an unexpected  G1-class geomagnetic storm with auroras in both Europe and the USA" Skies in NE Scotland were largely clear through the entire night.  Activity was visible from the Clair Observatory (+57N)  from 2024-08-30 21:09 to 2024-08-31 03:37  (22:09 to 04:37 LT) a period of around 6.5 hours. Peak activity was at around 22:15 UT (23:15 LT) and again at around 02:30 UT (03:30 LT). Observed activity comprised auroral arc up to 11° altitude, moving curtains and rays up to 40 altitude°. -  Scandinavia magnetometers indicate some moderate activity in magnetometers readings from around 20:30 to 05:00+ UT.      - Telescope Images from night 2024-08-30 >>

Night Summary (Keogram) Plot

Night Summary Plot - North Sky (2024-08-30 ) Times on plot are local times (BST  = UTC +01h ) Aurora visible on keogram through the entire night

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Pictures

Panoramic View - Northern Sky

2024-08-30 21:09 UT (22:09 LT)  Clouds moving away to reveal aurora activity with rays in N sky to at least 20° altitude

2024-08-30 21:33 UT (22:33 LT)  Auroral arc to 9° altitude

2024-08-30 22:09 UT (23:09 LT)  Auroral arc to 10-11° altitude. Rays in N-NE sky to 30-35° altitude

2024-08-30 22:13 UT (23:13 LT)  Auroral arc with rays along entire northern horizon to 35-40° altitude

2024-08-30 22:16 UT (23:16 LT)  Moving curtains with auroral rays to 40° altitude.

2024-08-30 23:00 UT (2024-08-31 00:00 LT)  Broad auroal arc to 8-10° altitude.  Rays to 30° altitude.

2024-08-30 23:07 UT (2024-08-31 00:07 LT)  Auroral arc to 9° altitude, with set of distinct rays in NW sky to 25° altitude.

2024-08-30 23:35 UT (2024-08-31 00:35 LT)  Fading in activity. Auroral arc still visible, but no obvious rays

2024-08-31 00:25 UT (01:25 LT)  Brightening of auroral arc.with indications of faint curtains in NW sky and faint rays in NNE sky.

2024-08-31 00:55 UT (01:55 LT)  Auroral Arc to 10° altitude. Continuing to brighten.

2024-08-31 01:26 UT (02:26 LT)  Aurora curtains on NW-NNW and NNE sky. Continuing to brighten in NNE direction

2024-08-31 02:15 UT (03:15 LT)  Curtains moving eastwards. Rays to 35° altitude.

2024-08-31 02:24 UT (03:24 LT)  Auroral arc (partly covered by foreground clouds), curtains moving eastwards. Distinct curtain/ray in N-NNE sky

2024-08-31 02:31 UT (03:31 LT)  Bright set of rays to 30° altitude in NNE-NE sky

2024-08-31 03:06 UT (04:06 LT)  Auroral arc with rays to 20° altitude Moon (8% phase ) rising in ENE sky

2024-08-31 03:25 UT (04:25 LT)  Dawn twilight starting to appearing in NE sky  (Sun Alt -12.9°) Continuation of auroral activity, with auroral arc and rays to 20-25° altitude.

2024-08-31 03:37 UT (04:37 LT)  Dawn twillight increasing in NNE-E sky (Sun Alt -11.6°) Auroral activity continuing but largely hidden by dawn light, though a distinct ray to at least 20° altitude can still be seen in the N direction

30s exposures taken with Oculus All Sky Camera

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 Videos

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Magnetometer Stack Plots (for reference)

Magnetometer Stack Plots from Scandinavia (ordered by latitude) H Component - 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31 Activity in magnetometers readings from 20:30 to 05:00+ UT 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)  (from http://services.swpc.noaa.gov) Planetary-k-index_2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31 Not captured

SAMNET's magnetometer at Crooktree, Near Torphins  (Chart Explanation)  - Shows high activity spikes on night 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31  from 20:00 to 05:00

8-day Lerwick Observatory K Index Showing a max KP 5 (G1) on the night of 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31

Planetary K-Index and other information (Space Weather Prediction Centre) shows KP Index reaching KP4/KP5 on night of 2024-08-30 / 2024-08-31

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Aurora Forecast, NOAA/Ovation (for reference)

Aurora Forecast for 2024-08-30 20:20 UT (21:20 LT) (From Space Weather Prediction Centre,  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov )

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