A very quick note from me to all you avid stargazers: A Coronal Mass Ejection was released from the Sun a couple of days ago. That mass ejection was directed towards Earth. But what does that mean to all of us here on the ground?
Well, the compression of the magnetosphere and the increased solar winds may well mean that the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) could be visible as far south as the UK tonight! The peak is expected to be around midnight, so for anyone suffering from insomnia, be sure to stick your head out the window and have a check! Of course, this is not guaranteed- it might be a let down (hopefully not though, last time I covered an event as anticipated as this, Comet ISON, it turned out to be a bit of a let down!)
We’re hoping for clear skies here in Manchester tonight- an event that may actually be the only thing more rare than a CME of this size directed towards Earth!
Happy Stargazing!
Earth & Solar System 