[Alexandria Radio Club Reflector] Solar storm should supercharge northern lights

[Ian]

>From the Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC).  This does not bode well
for the IARU HF Championship this weekend.
73, Ian N8IK  


> A massive solar eruption may trigger an exceptional display of 
> northern lights this weekend, giving skywatchers around the world a 
> treat. The sun unleashed an X-class solar flare - the most powerful 
> type - at 12:52 p.m. ET on Thursday. The storm also triggered a huge 
> eruption of solar plasma known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME, 
> which is now streaking directly toward Earth at roughly 3 million mph.
> The CME is expected to hit our planet between 5 a.m. and 9 a.m. ET 
> Saturday, according to forecasts from NASA and the National Oceanic 
> and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center.