Amateur Skywatchers Spot New Atmospheric Phenomenon

smithsonian.com ^ | April 24, 2017 | Erin Blakemore

[LouieFisk]

When they weren’t calling the purple, ribbon-like light Steve, the Facebook group referred to it as a “proton arc,” notes ABC News. But when a Canadian physicist and astronomer who studies aurorae looked at the photos, he suspected something more was afoot—especially since proton aurorae, which happen when protons from solar winds hit Earth's magnetic field, are usually too dark to be visible.

[LouieFisk]

It's name is "Steve". But people call it......"Steve".

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

It's name is "Steve". But people call it......"Steve".

As long as it's not Jeffrey...

[Celtic Conservative]

“The force is with you, young Starwatcher, but you are not a Jedi yet!”

CC

[LouieFisk]

“As long as it’s not Jeffrey...”
~~~~~~~~~~
Or Bruce.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

The Poles are gonna reverse!

[LouieFisk]

“The Poles are gonna reverse!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Poland just can never make up it’s mind!

[LouieFisk]

Steve, apparently posing for a photograph.

[silverleaf]

What they’re gonna invade Germany?

[Boogieman]

“the data didn’t show a proton aurora. Instead, it showed something that had never been observed before: a temperature spike of over 5400 degrees Fahrenheit in a spot about 186 miles above Earth’s surface combined with a gas ribbon over 15 miles wide that was flowing west more slowly than the other gases that surrounded it.”

Sounds like plasma in the arc phase to me.

[Enchante]

wait, if the temp. spikes 5400F at that location, wouldn’t that mean any spacecraft, satellite, etc. passing near that spot would melt/vaporize? Is this the Bermuda Triangle of satellites? Have we lost any of them mysteriously, or is it that the odds of hitting these phenomena at just the right time and place are so small? Sounds like Russian Roulette for spacecraft!

[Bookshelf]

In the Sudan, isn’t this phenomenon called ‘the zodiac lights’?

[Swordmaker]

Astronomers mistake Electric Universe event for something else, as usual.

If you want on or off the Electric Universe Ping List, Freepmail me.

[Swordmaker]

Thanks for the heads up for the Electric Universe List Ping.

[EEGator]

[Political Junkie Too]

Or Bruce.

-PJ

[NorthMountain]

It’s 186 miles high. That’s above the minimum altitude of the ISS ... not much atmosphere up there. The individual particles might be very energetic (that’s the meaning of “temperature” in a gas), but there are so few that the total energy they can transfer to a passing object won’t do it any mechanical damage.

[Enchante]

interesting, thanks for the explanation, I should have thought of that but it’s been a long time since my high school physics!

[mistfree]

The data didn’t show a proton aurora. Instead, it showed something that had never been observed before:

The phenomenon may have been newly spotted, but it turns out it’s pretty common.

OK, WHICH IS IT? PRETTY COMMON OR NEVER OBSERVED BEFORE?

[NorthMountain]

It’s also a “small” (space is big” phenomenon, and transient. I doubt any satellites passed through it.

[PA Engineer]

Thanks for the ping. Have been following the phenomena. This is plasma.



In another couple of years, we may be hanging Michael Mann upside down from a lightning rod.