explanation
Northern and southern locales saw many a beautiful aurora [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020805.html ] over the last week, as particles [ http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/Ielect.html ] from several large solar flares [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031029.html ] impacted the Earth. Many reported [ http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/aurora/gallery_01oct03_page8.html ] unusually red aurora [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031030.html ]s, although colors across the spectrum were also seen. Power grids and orbiting satellites braced for the onslaught [ http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/power_outage_031031.html ], but little lasting damage was reported. Pictured above [ http://science.nasa.gov/spaceweather/aurora/gallery_01oct03_page2.html ], the Clover Bar Power Plant [ http://www.epcor.ca/Environment/Environmental+Commitment/Statements+and+Policies/Environmental+Statement+of+Clover+Bar+and+Rossdale+Generating+Stations.htm ] was photographed from the banks of the North Saskatchewan River [ http://www.chrs.ca/Rivers/NorthSask/NorthSask_e.htm ] in Edmonton [ http://www.gov.edmonton.ab.ca/ ], Alberta [ http://www.gov.ab.ca/ ], Canada [ http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ca.html ]. A small pond in the foreground reflects predominantly green aurora [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010402.html ] light far in the distance. Two days ago, again unexpectedly, another large solar flare [ http://space.com/scienceastronomy/solar_flares_031103.html ] occurred from sunspot group 10486 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031027.html ], the site of other recent major flares. This unusually active solar region is now rotating to the far side of the Sun.
Explanation
false