NORTHERN LIGHTS AND PLANETARY SIGHTS TONIGHT

 Hey, Space Placers!

                                                                  IPHONE PIC OF PLANETS 6/3/26

GREG REDFERN

As it gets dark tonight be sure to look to the West and see the FABULOUS planetary line up of Jupiter, Venus and Mercury  https://wtop.com/the-space-place/2026/06/eyes-to-the-skies-for-june-summer-solstice-a-strawberry-moon-and-milky-way-visible-at-night/ . This planetary spectacle will continue into the weekend so be sure to see it and photograph it with your smartphone.

MY SHADOW SELFIE IS TO LEFT OF ROADWAY DURING LAST YEAR AURORA

GREG REDFERN

And while you are outside. Last Night the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC)  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/  issued this statement  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/update-g3-watch-4-5-june-utc-days:

UPDATE ON G3 WATCH FOR 4-5 JUNE UTC DAYS

“The current forecast calls for combined CME https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/coronal-mass-ejections   arrival around mid-afternoon EDT of June 4, with up to G3 levels possible afterwards. CME passage would likely continue into the evening and possibly overnight hours of June 5.”

What makes this forecast rather intriguing is explained by spaceweather.com: 

“Sky watchers in Europe and North America might see auroras tonight (June 4-5) if, as expected, a Cannibal CME  https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20067   strikes Earth. The impact could spark strong (G3) geomagnetic storms  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/phenomena/geomagnetic-storms  with isolated periods of severe (G4) activity. During similar storms in the past, naked-eye auroras have been visible in more than 25 US states. Pro tip: Get away from city lights! CME Impact.”

“WHAT IS A CANNIBAL CME? Just what it sounds like. A CME that eats other CMEs. Yesterday, sunspot 4455 exploded several times and hurled multiple CMEs into space. One of the CMEs was so fast, it caught a slower CME and swallowed it.” 

“The combined Cannibal CME is expected to reach Earth during the late hours of June 4th or June 5th. This is good news for sky watchers because Cannibal CMEs are very good at producing geomagnetic storms and auroras. Remember the great geomagnetic storm of May 2024? That was caused in part by a Cannibal CME. Tonight's storm will not be as intense as May 2024, but it could be good if NOAA's model is correct ” 

If their forecasts hold - readers need to keep checking the NOAA website for updates - Aurora conditions for the DMV might - emphasizing “might” here - develop tonight. I’m providing this forecast to you because of the unique circumstances involved which are a story in their own right as well as the possibility of Aurora. 

It will be worth taking a look to the North tonight after dark until dawn from a dark sky site with a clear horizon. You might be able to visually detect some color in the sky if bright Aurora are present but they will likely be low on the Northern horizon.

Your camera and/or smartphone significantly improve your chances of detecting and imaging the Aurora due to their digital sensors. Even if you do not see Aurora, photograph the Northern horizon to possibly get an image of them.

Use a camera or smartphone that can take exposures of several seconds - including using “Night Sky” or “Low Light” settings if your camera has them - of the Northern horizon. Steady the camera or use a tripod for best image results. The camera can capture Aurora that your eyes did not  https://www.space.com/how-to-photograph-the-aurora .

Our weather is looking promising so our best bet is to monitor Clear Sky Chart (input your location) https://www.cleardarksky.com/c/WashingtonDCkey.html?1 for sky conditions, NOAA https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/  and space related social media sites  spaceweatherlive.com ,   EarthSky.org , space.com for Aurora viewing updates. There also are Aurora apps available as well to help you; I use Aurora Pro and Glendale App.

Good luck, Aurora chasers…….

Sky Guy in VA