Amazing night March 23/24, 2023
The night of March 23 is one we will not forget! The aurora showed itself immediately at sunset and lasted all night long. It was faint for awhile after the initial burst, but came back for those who sacrificed sleep. See the webcam footage below.
The photos below are from New York, Iowa, Wyoming, and Alaska. The flight photos are from somewhere between Calgary and Abbotsford BC. Thank you to all who submitted photos. Hover over the photo to see the location and photographer name.
Many wondered if they would have a chance the next night. The mass media loves to give false hope for another display, or, they are announcing the forecast a day late, which is quite common. Sadly, seeing aurora again was not the case for those in lower latitudes. For this to happen, we need the data to remain enhanced for 24+ hours, or have had another event back to back. We did have a CHHSS in the forecast but of course not nearly as strong as the prior nights CME.
The aurora that night was forecast G4 storm and it played out nicely with great data for a colorful event. The Kp level hit Kp 8 and the solar winds were around 500, with a Bt 20 and a Bz of -16nT. The HPI was well over 100.
