Aurora Event October 7, 2024

[John Farley]

Once again, the northern lights (Aurora Borealis) were visible over a large part of the United States last night. I got this picture on the outskirts of Santa Fe, NM:



This is my new personal record for southernmost place to see the aurora, replacing Pagosa Springs last May. I had no idea this was going on until I saw a picture on the weathercast during the 10 p.m. news on Channel 4, Albuquerque. Thanks, OCM Eddie Garcia. As soon as I saw that, I knew I needed to head out and give it a try. Glad I did! Eventually I will do a full writeup on my website, possibly with additional pictures.

Note: Some of the light near the ground in the left-center of the picture is from ground light, not aurora, as evidenced by the fount-lit cloud. But the red colors and some of the greenish color farther to the right near the horizon are aurora.

Edit: Here is a more zoomed shot taken a little earlier, unfortunately slightly out of focus as I had failed to re-adjust the focus after relocating. But I do like the colors:

 

[Brett Roberts]

Despite the two X-class flares released last week being relative disappointments in terms of the magnetic field (Bz) response, I was able to capture three separate substorms on camera from C OK within a span of just over 24 hours.

The three images below were from roughly: (1) 0230 UTC on 7 Aug, (2) 0230 UTC on 8 Aug, (3) 0500 UTC on 8 Aug. Each substorm was more impressive than the preceding one. The first was not naked eye visible, the second was briefly visible, and the third was visible for about half an hour and included some visible individual dancing pillars. The SAR arc was also present for several hours on the evening of 7 Aug, including during both substorms.


0230 UTC 7 Aug 2024 from Wichita Mountains NWR, OK


0230 UTC 8 Aug 2024 from Geary, OK


0500 UTC 8 Aug 2024 from Geary, OK

Overall, the best substorm around midnight CDT on 8 Aug was fairly comparable in its appearance viewed from OK to the one on 23 April 2023, but the peak show lasted longer this time than in 2023. Needless to say, all of these absolutely paled in comparison to the generational show on 10 May 2024, though (which I viewed from KS, but local friends who viewed it from OK reported overhead aurora visible from suburban locations).

 

[James K]

I went out & looked a couple times that night, but never saw anything

 

[Dan Robinson]

I didn't go out until I saw the Twitter/X reports of the substorm happening. By the time I got outside and set up, it was mostly over. From New Baden, Illinois east of St. Louis.

 

[James K]

I didn't go out until I saw the Twitter/X reports of the substorm happening. By the time I got outside and set up, it was mostly over.

Kinda the same for me, I didn't go out til I saw some posts on Discord... Maybe I was too late & missed it, or more likely it just wasn't visible here.