SOLAR WIND SPARKS AURORAS

SOLAR WIND SPARKS AURORAS: Earth is now fully inside a stream of solar wind flowing from a large coronal hole on the sun. The buffeting action of the stream is causing intermittent auroras around the Arctic Circle--some of them quite bright.  "We had a fantastic display in northern Sweden," reports Oliver Wright, who sends this picture from Abisko National Park:

"This was an aurora storm within a storm," says Wright, who spent the evening guiding a group of sky watchers for Lights over Lapland. "We went out in 100% clouds, strong winds and blowing snow. Suddenly, the clouds parted and the guests got to see a full-on aurora storm."
The stream of solar wind powering these auroras is broad, and it could take Earth two or three days to cross it. Arctic observers should be alert for more lights on Dec.9th and 10th. Free: Aurora Alerts

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery

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