MARCH 24TH - TODAY! - LARGE SUNSPOT AR3615 ON CM- - POSSIBLE AURORA ACTIVITY AS EARLY AS SOON AS ITS DARK ENOUGH IF YOU HAVE CLEAR SKY.

[paulastro]

Large sunspot AR3615 is on the CM and its very complex and active.  Probably naked eye,(WITH SUITABLE FILTER!)  Forecast aurora activity in the early hours tomorrow morning too.  

Single frame below taken at at 11.07 today withSeestar S50.

 

UPDATE Indications are auroral activity could be as soon as it gets dark anywhere in the UK. 

Edited March 24 by paulastro
Update on aurora

[Mr Magoo]

Thanks for the heads up Paul. That is an amazing image from a Seestar S50 (which I know nothing about). I just Googled the scope, advances in amateur observing and imaging equipment forge ahead in leaps and bounds.

I saw a similar scope on a recent night out with my local astronomy club. A gentleman came along, pulled a similar if not the same type of scope out of his backpack. He set it up in minutes next right to a group multi wired imagers.

He was finished within a couple of hours, folded thee scope up and popped it back in the backpack. The ultimate convenient grab and go, with impressive results.

 

 

[PeterStudz]

1 hour ago, paulastro said:

Probably naked eye,(WITH SUITABLE FILTER!) 

Yes, I could easily see the group naked eye using my eclipse glasses. 

[Elp]

Aurora watch has just gone red since 1500h. As with any aurora opportunity for tonight though, as usual it's blanket cloud.

[PeterW]

… gone red… gone more off the charts than it normally does, forecast is (fingers crossed) good till nearly midnight… 

 

Peter

[MalcolmP]

36 minutes ago, Elp said:

Aurora watch has just gone red since 1500h. As with any aurora opportunity for tonight though, as usual it's blanket cloud.

A monster red as well, perhaps enough to burn off the clouds ?!  :} 
Shame about the bright moon.

EDIT :  bright =FULL ! Where is the earth shadow/eclipse  when u need it ! 

Edited March 24 by MalcolmP

[PeterW]

The Aurora oval forecast is showing some angry red at the moment, fingers crossed this hangs about and we don’t have any “confusing” thin cloud. Mercury is low in the west… in case this flops.

 

Peter

[Elp]

It seems to have just dropped back down to amber

[mcrowle]

Ah, the weather forecast could not be worse here, with heavy rain from this evening and right through tomorrow, but I’ll keep an eye out for the reports from others! Good luck, all.

Regards, Mike.

[Pete Presland]

Looks like the levels have dropped a little since that spike, i have read another increase is due for around 9pm.

Going to have quick look at Mercury and then drive somewhere a little darker for a while i think. Got to be worth a look  🙂 

[Elp]

It's red again, the magnetograms started flittering again too

[happy-kat]

Into a fifth hour of red now!

[paulastro]

I went to Penistone Hill Country Park 5mts drive from where I live and was there from 7.30 to about 9.50pm.  Mostly clear skies, some haze and the 99.9% Moon of course.  No sign of any auroral activity at this time. I met a lady and her mum who were members of a local aurora group. They showed me the extent of the auroral oval and we were a little S of the green bit.

[shinebug777]

have the penumbral eclipse at 3ish here, hoping the aurora will be out at the same time! but i'm pretty far south...