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The Sun is on time - Welcome to the Age of Aurora

Monday, Jun 29 2009

YES!!!! We had a huge Solar flare a few days back (see chart at http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/Akasofu/Last5.gif). Unfortunately, we who choose to dwell in the north saw none of the effects of the brilliant aurora this time. As we now are in our Midnight Sun period here in Iceland, the aurora is not visible here in the summer months (May to mid August). But I am certain the penguines, albatrosses & orcas off Antarctica danced vibrantly under the Southern Lights (aurora australis - the counterpart of the northern lights found only very far South in the Southern Hemisphere).

This commences the beginning of what I call "The Age of Aurora". This is a predicted pattern of increased solar activity that starts this fall and lasts through the spring of 2013 (see also http://www.universetoday.com/2008/06/21/2012-no-killer-solar-flare/ ). During this time, the suns "pulse" of increased sunspot activity results in a steadily increased solar wind - which in fact regulates the aurora borealis. As the solar wind is expected to be high the next few years - this will mean that northern lights will be both consistent and strong during the next 4 years. So for your chance to see this in a somewhat reasonable and current time frame (the next "Age of Aurora" is predicted to be 2022/2023), it is time to book a trip to northern latitudes this fall. We are waiting for you!

Bob Borealis

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