Geomagnetic Warning (22-23 March)

The  Australian Space Weather Service (SWS ) has issued a Geomagnetic Warning for 22-23 March UT from a high speed solar wind stream from a large coronal hole. Morning skies have the waning Moon visible from just after midnight. This will not interfere too much with aurora visibility.  It is possible aurora may be seen in Tasmania and Victoria if storms eventuate. G1 storm conditions have been predicted, most probably around midnight but we have been surprised with early evening aurora before (See also NOAA).  However, conditions are expected to fluctuate rapidly through the evening so there may be several bursts of short lived aurora.

Dark sky sites have the best chance of seeing anything, and always allow around 5 minutes for your eyes to become dark adapted.
As always look to the south for shifting red/green glows, beams have been reported consistently over the last few aurora, as well as bright proton arcs and “picket fences”.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.  

The all sky aurora camera in Northern Tasmania at Cressy is being upgraded and is not yet online.

SUBJ: SWS GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING 17/12
ISSUED AT 2335UT/20 MARCH 2017
BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE.

The effect of a high speed solar wind stream from a positive
polarity recurrent coronal hole is expected to raise geomagnetic
activity to active levels on 22 March with some possibility of
isolated minor storm periods on this day. Geomagnetic activity
is then expected to remain enhanced to ‘active to minor storm’
levels on 23 March.

INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED
DUE TO CORONAL HOLE HIGH SPEED WIND STREAM
FROM 22-23 MARCH 2017
_____________________________________________________________

GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
22 Mar:  Unsettled to Active
23 Mar:  Unsettled to minor storm