Tonight: Geomagnetic Storms

Heads up for a free light show!

If you live in the U.S. or nearby, you may be able to see some geomagnetic storms in the sky in the pre-morning hours tomorrow (Wednesday, August 4, 2010).

Sky viewers might get to enjoy some spectacular Northern Lights, or aurorae, tomorrow. After a long slumber, the Sun is waking up. Early Sunday morning, the Sun's surface erupted and blasted tons of plasma (ionized atoms) into interplanetary space. That plasma is headed our way, and when it arrives, it could create a spectacular light show.

"This eruption is directed right at us, and is expected to get here early in the day on August 4th," said astronomer Leon Golub of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA). "It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time."

More here.

Hat tip to Pam Williams! Thanks, Pam!