While we're already missing the warmth of the Sun , after a summer of half-heartedness, our star continues to unleash exceptional eruptions at the peak of its cycle! This Thursday, October 3, 2024, our friend has just produced one of the biggest solar storms in recent years, with coronal matter heading towards Earth. This may well lead to new auroras as impressive as last May's, when France was able to enjoy them, a rare event.
This time, however, the clouds are more present and we'll have to hope for calm weather this weekend to enjoy them. In any case, the models are predicting a G3 geomagnetic storm, but this could well occur in the middle of the day for us, in which case the aurora would pass us by. Another flare had already taken place on the first day of the month, already considered major, coming from the same sunspot named AR3842.
Just wait for more information! For the moment, according to Space Weather Watch, three geomagnetic storms are heading our way, and the second could be a strong one, stretching from October 4 to 6, with a peak on Saturday night.
If you want to try your luck, you'll need to avoid urban lighting as much as possible, and look northwards to hope to observe the phenomenon. It's hard to see them with the naked eye, but pull out your phone or camera and try a few seconds' exposure. If you see red pillars in your shot, you're in luck - it's an aurora borealis, says COMEA (Centre Opérationnel de Météorologie de l'Espace des Alpes)!
Dates and Opening Time
From October 4, 2024 to October 6, 2024
