Geomagnetic alert - again (24-26 June)

Aurora are like buses, for ages none come along then a whole bunch show up at once.

A geomagnetic alert has been issued by the Australian  IPS for the 24nd-26th due to an anticipated impact from a Coronal Mass Ejection that will add to the residual activity of the last few CME. The impact time is may be anywhere from 4 am on the 25th (which is still 24th in Universal Time, which all these alerts are made in) to 4 pm on the 25th, with 10 am being most likely. This could translate into aurora at any time during the early morning  of the 25th and possibly evening of the 25th (or disappointingly, during daylight hours). 

Aurora, if they flare up, are likely to be seen in Tasmania, possibly Victoria (as was seen yesterday in between gaps in the cloud), and if conditions are favourable in southern WA and Southern South Australia. Even with a prediction of minor geomagnetic storms there is also a chance no aurora will occur. Unfortunately predictions are for a lot of  South-eastern Australia to remain under cloud.The waxing Moon, if the cloud goes, may make things a bit more difficult, but is still not too bright, and will be gone or low in the early morning.

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 and a large green “blob” has been seen.

The IPS site is being hammered at the moment, you can also try the Australian Aurora service and the NOAA spaceweather prediction page.
[the NOAA site s predicting a G3 strong storm, but that is for high latitudes, for mid latitudes like us it is more likely to be minor, as predicted by the Australian IPS]

The all sky aurora camera in Southern Tasmania at Cressy may be helpful (but has been acting up).
http://www.ips.gov.au/Geophysical/4/2>

SUBJ: IPS GEOMAGNETIC DISTURBANCE WARNING 15/25
ISSUED AT 0130UT/24 JUNE 2015
BY THE AUSTRALIAN SPACE FORECAST CENTRE.

INCREASED GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY EXPECTED
DUE TO CORONAL MASS EJECTION
FROM 24-26 JUNE 2015
_____________________________________________________________

GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY FORECAST
24 Jun:  Unsettled with possible Active to Minor Storm periods.
25 Jun:  Minor Storm conditions.
26 Jun:  Unsettled to Active.

Further monitoring at
http://www.ips.gov.au