Lovers of astronomy and astrology, blessed today and tomorrow! Because of the super strong aurora that occurs once in 20 years, it will be "airborne" in Vancouver tonight, and the whole wave of aurora can last for 2~3 days!
According to the chart Dajiguang.com authoritative prediction website, between 11 o'clock tonight and 2 a.m. tomorrow, the Aurora's KP index will reach a maximum of 8.33 (KP minimum is 1, maximum is 9). Even from 9 to 11 p.m. and from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m., the index is high.
According to the Aurora Burst Levels G1 to G5, Vancouver's extremely rare G4 Aurora Explosion will be staged between 11 a.m. tonight and 2 a.m. tomorrow! This kind of intensity, even in Vancouver, which is frequented by the aurora in recent years, is a once-in-a-20 or 30-year event.
Will the Aurora miss this time?
There is a super aurora index but no aurora is a common occurrence in Vancouver, so everyone can't help but worry: will the aurora miss this time?
After all, whether you can see the aurora depends not only on the index and the level of the outbreak, but also on a number of factors: whether the moonlight is strong and whether the weather is clear. And from the physical point of view, is the temperature suitable for viewing, rather than a person shivering in the cold?
And this time, the aurora storm is perfect in every way, and it is so perfect that it feels unreal:
First of all, it coincides with the record-breaking high temperature brought by the high pressure ridge, even if it is the coldest time on weekdays such as 1~2 o'clock in the morning, the temperature will be around 16~18 °C tonight and tomorrow morning, while the temperature in the early morning at this time in previous years is generally only 7~8 °C, ensuring that the aurora will not be frozen when watching it;
Secondly, it is basically sunny from tonight to tomorrow morning, but the cloud cover will exceed 20% at 2 o'clock in the morning, but it will basically have no impact on watching the aurora.
Moonlight? Although it is not a crescent moon tonight, the moon is also crescent-shaped, and the moonlight is relatively dim, which can make the aurora and the starry sky brighter. What's even more surprising is that at 0:22, the moon sets, and then there is endless night, creating an excellent environment for everyone to chase light.
I can't say that I can see the grand aurora 100%, but at least eight or nine are not far from ten, and everyone can arrange it.
Why is the aurora so strong this time?
Friends who like to learn about popular science knowledge will definitely wonder why the aurora is so strong this time, so strong that it happens once in twenty or thirty years? The Weather Network explains:
Three separate coronal mass ejections (CMEs) merge into one as they approach the Earth – coronal mass ejections are bursts of plasma and magnetic fields released from the Sun's blazing outer atmosphere.
Charged particles ejected by coronal mass can filter into the upper atmosphere around the Earth's magnetic poles, ionizing gases such as oxygen and hydrogen to produce the dancing colors we see as the Northern Lights. The strength of the three-in-one can be imagined.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) even said that the last time such a G4 aurora appeared was in January 2005, which further confirmed the "once in 20 years" statement.
What exactly is the aurora to see? Because it is now completely dark at 10 o'clock in the evening, and the sunrise is more than 5 o'clock in the morning, combined with the intensity of the aurora, it is more suitable between 23:00~3:00. If you are afraid of staying up late, you can consider watching it between 23:00~1:00.
Do you have to go far away?
It should be noted that although the aurora index is very strong, Vancouver is a city at 49 degrees north latitude after all, and it is impossible to have an extremely gorgeous aurora dance like the Yellow Knife and the White Horse. If you want the best visuals, you definitely want to stay away from the city.
For example, consider heading along the Sea-to-Sky Highway between Squamish and Whistler, or EC Manning Park, a three-hour drive from Vancouver. For a one-hour drive or so, the most recognized places to visit are Porteau Cove on the Sea-to-Sky Highway and Pitt Lake on the Pitt Meadows.
But here's the thing: even with the average index of Aurora, Porteau Cove's parking lot is hard to find, and tonight should be even worse. It is recommended that everyone occupy a parking space when it is not dark, otherwise you can only be stuck in traffic jams.
Also, in very popular places, there are too many people, too many flashlights, too many flashlights, which leads to additional light pollution, which makes the effect not as expected.
Just want to see it in town? Spanish Banks Beach in Vancouver's West End, UBC Museum of Anthropology, West Vancouver Horseshoe Bend, and Burnaby Hill are all good choices to consider.
How to photograph the Northern Lights?
The question that photographers are very concerned about, how to shoot the aurora? If you follow the settings below, you will not be wrong. First of all, when the aurora is relatively strong, it is recommended to set it like this:
Manual focusing, focusing distance infinity, it is best to use an ultra-wide-angle lens, the focal length of the lens is less than 24mm;
The exposure time is about 10 seconds, the ISO is between 800~1600, and the white balance is automatic;
If the aurora is dark, you need to extend the exposure time to more than 20 seconds, and the other settings can be left unchanged to brighten the effect of the aurora.
As long as it is not the most entry-level card machine (subject to parameters, it is impossible to set long exposure), most of the current cameras can shoot the aurora without pressure.
Last but not least, the aurora is not green, but a milky arc moving in the sky – and of course, if the intensity is high enough, you might be able to see the color!
The super aurora is coming, and it is expected that the city will be full of dispatch tonight, are you ready?