David's Astronomy Pages (All Sky Camera) Aurora on night 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13

Aurora  2024-08-31

Aurora Page

Home Page

Aurora 2024-09-15

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 on the night 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13 associated with geomagnetic activity up to KP6-KP7 (G2-G3 geomagnetic storm) Skies in NE Scotland were mostly clear through the entire night, but with some minor cloud. Activity was visible from the Clair Observatory (+57N)  from 2024-09-12 19:50 to 2024-09:13 04:04  (20:50 to 05:04 BST) a period of around 8.25 hours.   The actual start and end of activity was likely hidden by twilight brightness & also some cloud at around dusk. Peak activity was observed at around 23:40 - 00:20 UT (00:40 - 01:20 BST) . (This seems to correspond with the Scandinavian Magnetometers peak activity at 00:00 UT (01:00 BST) ).   Observed activity comprised an auroral arc up to 20° altitude, moving curtains unusual dark corrugations at base of auroral arc, and rays up to 50° altitude. -  Scandinavia magnetometers showed activity commencing at higher latitudes from around 08:00 UT (2024-09-12), with high levels of activity in readings being recorded from around 18:40 to around 02:00 UT  (19:40 to 03:00 BST) and thereafter gradually declining to 05:00 UT (06:00 BST).  Peak of activity is noted at 19:20 UT (20:20 BST) and at 00:00 UT (01:00 BST)  where there are very significant deflections in magnetometers readings at all Scandinavia stations include the dob, sol & kar stations at Latitude 65-61N. -  SpaceWeather.com (2024-09-13) reported   "A CME hit Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 12th (03:50 UTC). It was debris from a dark plasma explosion on the sun four days earlier. The impact sparked a G3-class geomagnetic storm with red auroras deep inside the United States" "The storm has subsided, but it could flare up again this weekend when one to two more CMEs are expected to arrive" - Telescope Images from night 2024-09-12 >>

Night Summary (Keogram) Plot

Night Summary Plot - North Sky (2024-09-12 ) Times on plot are local times (BST  = UTC +01h ) Aurora definitively visible on keogram from 22:00 to 03:30 BST (North Panorama Images & video show activity (though less obvious) outside this time window)

Back to Top

Pictures

Panoramic View - Northern Sky

2024-09-12 19:50 UT (20:50 BST)  Faint Auroral Glow? believed to be showing in N-NNE Sky. Any activity in NW-NNW Sky is hidden by bright twilight and some cloud

2024-09-12 20:02 UT (21:02 BST)  Faint auroral curtains / rays in NNE Sky to 15° altitude

2024-09-12 20:08 UT (21:08 BST)  Auroral activity in N - NNE Sky Light artefact in NNW sky (15-50° altitude) due to internal reflections in camera from neighbours light

2024-09-12 20:55 UT (21:55 BST)  Faint auroral arc to 10-11° altitude. Rays in NW sky to 25° altitude Light artefact in NNW sky (15-50° altitude) due to internal reflections in camera from neighbours light

2024-09-12 21:06 UT (22:06 BST)  Auroral arc brightening. Rays . Faint rays to 25° altitude along entire northern horizon Light artefact in NNW sky continuing

2024-09-12 21:14 UT (22:14 BST)  Auroral arc to 12-13° altitude. Aurora rays to 30-35° altitude

2024-09-12 21:41 UT (22:41 BST)  Auroral arc climbing  to 15-17° altitude, and splitting in NNE sky

2024-09-12 21:52 UT (22:52 BST)  Auroral arc fading somewhat, prominanet ray in N/NNE sky to 30° altitude.

2024-09-12 22:09 UT (23:09 BST)  Brightening of auroral in NW-NNW sky

2024-09-12 22:35 UT (23:35 BST)  Aurora arc at 12° altitude and weakening

2024-09-12 23:11 UT (2024-09-13 00:11 BST)  Broadening of aurora arc, possibly starting to split.

2024-09-12 23:20 UT (2024-09-13 00:20 BST)  Broad aurora arc climbing to 10-15° altitude. Dark corrugations developing along lower edge of arc..

2024-09-12 23:32 UT (2024-09-13 00:32 BST)  Continuation of dark corrugations along part of auroral arc. Faint rays to 25-30° altitude.

2024-09-12 23:43 UT (2024-09-13 00:43 BST)  Sudden increase in auroral activity with notable brightening.  Rays to 25° altitude.

2024-09-12 23:45 UT (2024-09-13 00:45 BST)  Further brightening in aurora. Rays to 30° altitude in WNW to NE directions

2024-09-12 23:51 UT (2024-09-13 00:51 BST)  Further brightening in aurora. Auroral arc to 17° altitude. Rays to 50° altitude

2024-09-12 23:51 UT (2024-09-13 00:51 BST) - Contast Adjusted Same image as above but contrast adjusted to show auroral detail

2024-09-12 23:54 UT (2024-09-13 00:54 BST)  Very bright in aurora. Auroral arc to 20° altitude. Rays to 50-55° altitude

2024-09-12 23:54 UT (2024-09-13 00:54 BST)  - Contrast Adjusted Same image as above but contrast adjusted to show auroral detail

2024-09-12 23:59 UT (2024-09-13 00:59 BST) - Contast Adjusted Strong auroral activity continuing. Rays to 40° altitude. Satellite flash in N sky at 13° altitude.

2024-09-13 00:03 UT (01:03 BST)  Choatic auroral activity. Auroral arc breaking down.

2024-09-13 00:03 UT (01:03 BST)  Choatic 'patchy' auroral activity. Faint rays to 45° altitude

2024-09-13 00:27 UT (01:27 BST)  Residual 'patchy' auroral activity in N sky (15-35° altitude). New aurora activity developing  in NNW sky, 10-11° altitude with rays to 20-25° altitude

2024-09-13 01:05 UT (02:05 BST)  Weakening in aurora activity. Some auroral glow in NNW sky to 9-10° altitude and curtains in N sky at around 6° altitude.

2024-09-13 01:20 UT (02:20 BST)  Slightly increased aurora activity in NNW-NNE sky

2024-09-13 01:35 UT (02:35 BST)  Aurora arc to 7° altitude, with curtain/ray to 15° altitude in N-NNE direction

2024-09-13 01:46 UT (02:46 BST)  Aurora arc brightening slightly, with very faint rays to 20° altitude in NNE direction

2024-09-13 02:07 UT (03:07 BST)  Curtains developing along northern horizon wth rays to 15- 20° altitude

2024-09-13 03:02 UT (04:02 BST)  Auroral glow along northern horizon. Faint but distinct ray in NNW sky to 20-25° altitude

2024-09-13 03:29 UT (04:29 BST)  Increase in auroral activity again, rays to 20° altitude along northern horizon (NW to NNE direction)

2024-09-13 03:31 UT (04:31 BST)  Auroral rays to 30° altitude in NNW, N & NNE sky

2024-09-13 03:51 UT (04:51 BST)  Weak auroral activity continuing in N direction Dawn twighlight developing in NE-E direction.

2024-09-13 04:04 UT (05:04 BST)  Very faint auroral arc to 5-6° altitude in NNW-N direction.  Faint rays to 15° altitude in twilight sky in N-NNE direction Dawn approaching form NE-E direction.

30s exposures taken with Oculus All Sky Camera

All Sky Image 2024-09-12 23:51 UT (2024-09-13 00:51 BST)  Bright auroral arc,  with rays to 50° altitude across entire northern sky (WNW to ENE)

All Sky Difference Image 2024-09-12 23:49 UT (2024-09-13 00:49 BST)

30s exposures taken with Oculus All Sky Camera

Back to Top

 Videos

Back to Top

Magnetometer Stack Plots (for reference)

Magnetometer Stack Plots from Scandinavia (ordered by latitude) H Component - 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13 Activity appeared to commence at higher latitude from 08:00 UT (2024-09-12) Higher Activity in magnetometers readings occurs from 18:40 to around 02:00 UT , then gradually reducing activity to 05:00+ Peak activity was at 19:20 UT and at 00:00 UT where there are very significant deflections in magnetometers readings at all stations include the dob, sol & kar stations at Latitude 65-61N. 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)

Graphed using 'make your own graph' facilities at  https://flux.phys.uit.no/compose/   (Tromsø Geophysical Observatory  ) Original data from Tromsø Geophysical Observatory (TGO), DTU Space (Technical University of Denmark) and Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) Data also displayed on SpaceWeatherLive's Europe Stackplot at  http://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/auroral-activity/magnetometers).

Back to Top

Planetary K-Index Plot (for reference)

Estimated 3 hour Planetary K-Index (NOAA)  (from http://services.swpc.noaa.gov) Planetary-k-index_2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13 Not captured

SAMNET's magnetometer at Crooktree, Near Torphins  (Chart Explanation)  - Shows high activity spikes on night 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13 from 18:00 to 20:00 UT and from 23:00 to 01:00 UT  (19:00-21:00 BST & 00:00-02:00 BST)

8-day Lerwick Observatory K Index Showing a max KP6- KP7 (G2-G3) on the night of 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13

Planetary K-Index and other information (Space Weather Prediction Centre) shows KP Index reaching KP5-KP7 on night of 2024-09-12 / 2024-09-13

Back to Top

Aurora Forecast, NOAA/Ovation (for reference)

Aurora Forecast for 2024-09-12 20:43 UT (21:43 BST) (From Space Weather Prediction Centre,  http://www.swpc.noaa.gov )

Back to Top