Slog - Comments on Northern Lights in Seattle Tonight http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight Thanks to a G1 Geomagnetic storm, there is a decent chance of seeing the Northern Lights in Seattle tonight. If the POES activity level hits 9 or 10, or the estimated planetary Kp gets above 6 and the night sky is clear, we should be able to see the Northern Lights.... Copyright 2008 Sun, 02 Sep 2007 14:44:53 -0800 Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:36:33 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Half of it Ok...so could it be seen in the city, or do we have to head to Woodinville? And what time of night?

]]> Half of it http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795318 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795318 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:14:36 -0800 Comment by boydmain The moon will be pretty bright once it rises around 10-11pm, do you think that'll make a difference?

]]> boydmain http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795320 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795320 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:15:29 -0800 Comment by Jonathan Golob @1. Heading out of town definitely would help. If I wasn't so slammed with work this weekend, I'd be driving right now to camp on the East side of the cascades -- less chance for cloud cover.

@2 The moon should rise around 10pm PDT and set by 1:30a ish, at least according to this calendar. But, for sure, after the moon has set will be better.

Give how cloudy it looks right now, I'm trying to keep optimistic.

]]> Jonathan Golob http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795322 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795322 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 15:24:25 -0800 Comment by sky eyes Likely you'd need to be quite a ways north of Seattle to see an aurora tonight. The geomagnetic storm hit earth last night and there were auroras reported in Alaska, Scandinavia and Canada.

"The storm that caused these lights ranked 5 on the 0 to 9 K-index scale of geomagnetic activity. The display has subsided, but it could flare up again tonight."

http://spaceweather.com/

Certainly not a big enough storm to inspire a drive over the mountains.

]]> sky eyes http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795335 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795335 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 16:45:39 -0800 Comment by PAB059 It's not obvious from that calendar, but I believe the predicted moonrise/set times are actually 10 PM PDT and 2:56 PM tomorrow. In other words, the moon will rise at 10 tonight, and stay up the rest of the night. In case that means anything to anybody.

]]> PAB059 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795347 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795347 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 18:03:37 -0800 Comment by Ziggity I wondered why my knee was acting up. Shrapnel, y'see. When the magnetism gets fiercelike, she just . . . well, nevermind.

]]> Ziggity http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795352 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795352 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:23:05 -0800 Comment by Chas Dear Science,

How would it ever be possible for the moon to rise, then set two and a half hours later in Seattle?

]]> Chas http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795356 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795356 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:57:42 -0800 Comment by Jonathan Golob @5,7.

Yeah, I'm an idiot. Serves me right for enthusiastically posting on Slog after working for a month and a half straight.

Still, the thick cloud deck should block both any Aurora and the moon. So, huzzah!

Back to work.

]]> Jonathan Golob http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795358 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795358 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:42:38 -0800 Comment by glasspusher a good aurora can be seen even in twilight- last one I saw was when I was hiking down off of Mt Baker about an hour after sunset, about 10 years ago. I can see the milky way from my house in Oakland tonight, but no aurora :(

Good luck, you northerners!

]]> glasspusher http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795378 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795378 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:25:26 -0800 Comment by Rube You people are so superstitious..

]]> Rube http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795385 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c795385 Science Sun, 02 Sep 2007 23:39:01 -0800 Comment by Lloyd Clydesdale Jonathan, thanks for the science. The tiny science/physics/astronomy/weather sail of my tall ship of amateur hobbies is puffed fuller on Slog.

]]> Lloyd Clydesdale http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c796087 http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/09/northern_lights_in_seattle_tonight#c796087 Science Tue, 04 Sep 2007 12:36:33 -0800