Great Solar Storm of 1859

[Steve - K4HX]

Interesting read. Even though radio was not really around then, it still impacted the comms systems of the day, telegraph!

http://arstechnica.com/science/2012/05/1859s-great-auroral-stormthe-week-the-sun-touched-the-earth/

[Steve - K4HX]

Some good shots of the aurora from the ISS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG0fTKAqZ5g&feature=related

[WD5JKO]

The NERC has a interesting document on this issue today related to the susceptibility of our power grid. I link to it below.
NERC has a whole task force on the geomagnetic disturbance issue.

"Geomagnetic Induced Current (GIC) Mitigation
System Summary for the White Paper":

http://www.nerc.com/docs/pc/gmdtf/NERC%20Mitigation%20System%20Summary%20for%20White%20Paper%20-%20Final.pdf

another:

"Generation of 100-year
geomagnetically induced current
scenarios":

http://www.nerc.com/docs/pc/gmdtf/ExtremeFieldsPaper.pdf

Jim
WD5JKO

[WA2TTP Steve]

Check out this link for the report on the black out of Hydro Quebec's power system during a severe solar storm in 1989.

As a power system operator for 30 years (retired) it's much better to read about these events and have to live thru them!

http://www.solarstorms.org/SWChapter1.html

Steve
WA2TTP

[W3RSW]

Steve, that Utube vid was spectacular.   I stop actioned a lot of it to compare various light emission, geopolitical boundaries differences.  It was fun trying to figure out just "where we were."

The lightning and storms were pretty impressive too.  The aurora speaks for itself, of course.   I was also fascinated by the ISS rotations and gyrations.   -Pretty impressive and humbling video.

[Steve - K4HX]

Yea, the T-storms were very interesting. It would be better if that vid was in slow-motion.