BBC News Online: Sci/Tech

Auroral light show expected

It is an active time on the Sun (Uni of Hawaii)

Skywatchers at latitudes greater than 55 degrees north and south could be in for a fine auroral display on Tuesday and Wednesday.

On 24 September, at 1038 GMT, a huge explosion occurred on the Sun above sunspot region 9632, which hurled a giant cloud of magnetic superhot gas towards the Earth.

The first arrivals from the explosion, a mass of energetic protons, reached the Earth a few minutes later. The magnetic cloud travels more slowly and is expected to disturb the Earth's magnetosphere on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning GMT.

As a result, of this disturbance, astronomers are predicting a good chance of aurorae over the next few nights. To see them, get away from artificial lights, allow 20 minutes for your eyes to become dark-adapted and look towards the poles.

The Sun is particularly active at the moment with many sunspots scattered across its surface. Nine definite spot groups can be counted, some comprising a myriad of small spots clustered around larger ones.

Another solar disturbance buffeted the Earth on 23 September, prompting a magnificent display of aurorae captured in this stunning picture by Juha Kinnunen in Finland.

With luck, a similar display could occur in the next few days.