Aurora & Meteor
Posted by JAC on 2/17/2010, 7:10 am
This week, the brightest auroras of the year have been surging around the Arctic Circle.

Never one to waste a photo-op, English astrophotographer Pete Lawrence boarded a "Northern Lights flight" on Feb. 15th, and this is what he saw 37,000 ft over the Shetland Islands:





"The display was awesome and completely occupied the view, illuminating the fuselage and clouds below us in an eerie green light," says Lawrence.

"At one point, a brilliant fireball streaked down towards the horizon.

If you're wondering why there are two fireball trails, the main one was so bright that it left a noticeable reflection in the plane window.

What a night!"

What a night, indeed. It could be just the first of many.

The opening months of 2010 have brought a sharp increase in solar activity and a concomitant brightening of the aurora borealis.

NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% - 30% chance of more polar geomagnetic activity in the next 48 hours.

A tip for flyers: Grab that window seat.


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Aurora Blast - JAC, 2/16/2010, 6:50 am
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