SWPC expects strong auroral shows tonight. Aurorae are expected across the northern U.S., and could be seen as far south as Alabama. 

The aurora’s dazzling light display happens when charged particles from the Sun slam into Earth’s upper atmosphere, igniting a geomagnetic storm. The so-called northern and southern lights are most often visible near Earth’s poles because our magnetosphere — the global magnetic field generated by our spinning planet’s liquid metal interior — funnels them there. But when solar storms strike Earth with enough strength — like today — the aurora can be seen far beyond the poles. 

Sour Side of Storms

Such intense geomagnetic activity can cause other, less savory effects. Communications signals that must pass through the upper atmosphere are subject to distortion and can become unreliable. This includes GPS and many global systems used for shipping. The charged particles and high energy levels can damage satellites themselves. With warning, many satellites can be put into standby modes; without it, strong enough solar weather can be devastating.

Aviators can also be affected by disruptions to radio communications. As of 12:45 UTC on October 10, the International Civil Aviation Organization was reporting severe impacts on high-frequency radio communications at high latitudes, potentially impacting long-haul flights.

On the ground, the influx of energy into Earth’s geomagnetic system can strain power grids. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), warns that systems already weakened by recent hurricanes Helene and Milton may be particularly at risk, and is actively working with the North American power grid to mitigate disruptions.

Cycle of Storms

The current solar watch comes six months after another news-making auroral display. In May, a G4 watch turned into a G5 event, as aurorae lit the skies worldwide from east to west, as far south as Puerto Rico, and as far north (for the southern lights, or aurora australis) as southern Brazil.  

The activity is somewhat expected, as our Sun is near the peak of its 11-year cycle, but this year has been especially dramatic. Added to that, solar cycles are irregular, lasting anywhere from 9–14 years, and are inconsistent in how quiet or dramatic the Sun’s changes are. The current cycle is designated Cycle 25, and was originally expected to peak in 2025. But in December 2023, SWPC updated their forecast, predicting a peak in 2024.

At an October 9 press conference, SWPC scientists said the timing is still uncertain; we may have already reached the peak of this cycle, or it may strengthen until 2025. The previous Cycle 24 was the weakest in 100 years, so it has been decades since such strong, recurrent solar activity has been observed. 

Solar weather, like regular weather, can be unpredictable. NOAA uses a watch/warning system akin to terrestrial storm systems. A watch is a prediction based on data constantly flowing from a fleet of solar observatories. A warning is issued once that solar weather arrives at Earth. SWPC issued a G4-level watch on October 9, and will update as the situation evolves at www.spaceweather.gov.

How to Spot Them

To look for the aurora in your skies, find the darkest spot you can, even if that’s your backyard with the house lights off. Aurorae often look like curtain-shaped clouds, flickering or shifting in a non-cloud way. Colors, unless the aurorae are truly spectacular, usually require photography to appear. But a simple phone camera (in night mode, if possible) can work — and will frequently reveal aurorae that may not be visible to the naked eye.

Editor’s Note: This article first appeared on Astronomy.

The post Solar Storm Hits ‘Severe’ G4 Level appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

The prediction prompted a warning for pilots from the FAA.

“Geomagnetic storms can disrupt navigational aids and high frequency radio transmissions used in aviation. The FAA advises airlines and pilots to plan ahead to mitigate possible disruptions,” the agency said in a statement.

NOAA issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch and states these watches will be updated through the weekend.

First G4 (Severe) geomagnetic since 2005 has been issued.

The aurora tonight (5/10) /tomorrow morning (5/11) may become visible over much of the northern half of the country, & possibly as far south as Alabama to northern California. https://t.co/upPlNYuNev@NWSSWPC @NWS pic.twitter.com/JTHmXtRKOc

— NOAA (@NOAA) May 10, 2024

According to NOAA, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. These storms can disrupt satellites and infrastructure in near-Earth orbit, “potentially disrupting communications, the electric power grid, navigation, [and] radio and satellite operations.”

The agency refers to the situation as “an unusual and potentially historic event” and warns satellite navigation (GPS) may be degraded or inoperable for hours, and high frequency radio propagation could be sporadic or blacked out.

These storms are also visible from the Earth as displays of aurora and  may result in displays being seen as far south as Alabama.

READ MORE: How to see the northern lights: Tonight may be the best chance in years

WATCH: NOAA’s GOES-16 satellite captured activity at sunspot AR3664 at around 2 p.m. EDT, Thursday

The post Strong Geomagnetic Storm Could Impact GPS Navigation, FAA Warns appeared first on FLYING Magazine.

Satcom Direct (SD) announced its plan to acquire satcom equipment maker TrueNorth Avionics at the National Business Aviation Association’s convention in Orlando, Florida, this week.

The acquisition of TrueNorth, which develops and manufactures satellite communications products for business jets and avionics OEMs, will broaden SD’s avionics portfolio, says SD CEO Jim Jensen.

“The ingenuity behind the Satcom Direct Router (SDR) and our SD Pro flight operations platform combined with TrueNorth’s highly advanced avionics will give aircraft operators an unrivaled ability to manage their aircraft communications systems, while giving passengers a user experience which exceeds their expectations,” said Jensen.

The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year, allowing TrueNorth to continue developing avionics technology as a business unit of SD.

The post Satcom Direct Acquires TrueNorth appeared first on FLYING Magazine.