[sci.astro] NORTHERN LIGHTS!!

heberlei@iris.ucdavis.edu (Todd) (03/15/89)

I saw the Northern Lights last night from Sacramento (actually Davis).
The light was big and pretty darn bright.  Unfortunately, by the time
I got my camera loaded up with film, the light had faded.  My father
called me from Merced (in the central valley) to tell me about it, and
my friend's sister claims to have seen it from Santa Barbara.

What surprised me the most was that I didn't see it in the 11:00 news.
I haven't seen a paper this morning, so I don't know if they mention
it.  One of the biggest astronomical events (in my eyes anyways) this
year (maybe decade), and our local news crews miss it!

Will this solar activity be any danger to the people or equipment in
the shuttle?


Todd Heberlein
heberlei@iris.ucdavis.edu	128.120.57.20

patrice@concour.CS.Concordia.CA (Patrice Scattolin) (03/16/89)

>
>Will this solar activity be any danger to the people or equipment in
>the shuttle?

	I don't know aqbout that but what I know for a fact is that
the magnetic storm causing the Northern Lights is being blame for
a province wide power failiure that lasted around 7 to 8 hours. Apparently
the change in magnetic fields induces curents in the transmission lines
making the voltage fluctuate from 736 KV to 700 KV to 800 KV and resulted
in equipement failiures.

	They are pretty but they are trouble!



_____________________________________________________________________
Patrice Scattolin.		Concordia University, Montreal Canada
patrice@concour.cs.concordia.ca
"I live so far North that Santa lives two blocks down the street."