The Northern Lights attracts millions of sky watchers each year, and this fall, those sky watchers could be treated to a spectacular Northern Lights display. Just as was the case earlier in the summer, solar blasts sent tons of plasma towards Earth, scientists say. Scientists at Harvard University say after a long period of quiet, the sun is becoming active, blasting tons of ionized atoms into interplanetary space in what is called a coronal mass ejection, a university release said.
"This eruption is directed right at us, and is expected to get here early in the day on August 4th," astronomer Leon Golub of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said. "It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time."
"We got a beautiful view of this eruption," said Golub. "And there might be more beautiful views to come, if it triggers aurorae."
Read more: [url]http://www.thirdage.com/news/northern-lights-display-expected-be-strong-fall-2010_9-22-2010#ixzz10UdK74Qi[/URL]
"This eruption is directed right at us, and is expected to get here early in the day on August 4th," astronomer Leon Golub of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics said. "It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time."
"We got a beautiful view of this eruption," said Golub. "And there might be more beautiful views to come, if it triggers aurorae."
Read more: [url]http://www.thirdage.com/news/northern-lights-display-expected-be-strong-fall-2010_9-22-2010#ixzz10UdK74Qi[/URL]