NASA is telling us that the aurora borealis will be the brightest it’s been in 50 years in 2012. Since 2007, the light show has been getting more intense every year and will peak in 2012 due to a solar maximum.
“A solar maximum is the period when the sun’s magnetic field lines are the most distorted due to the magnetic field on the solar equator rotating at a slightly faster pace than at the solar poles” – wikipedia
Those twisted magnetic field lines cause some awesome coronal mass ejections (solar flares) that send charged particles (electrons and protons) flying thru space that hit the Earth’s magnetosphere. When they hit the magnetosphere, they cause aurora borealis.
Auroras are caused by a mechanism I won’t get into here. But, wikipedia has got my back: Aurora Borealis.
If this 2012 aurora season is as big as predicted, it’s going to cause some major disruptions for cell phones, the national grid, GPS, and more.
Aurora Borealis is the single most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. People have asked me to describe it many times. I still don’t konw how to answer them.
Another good reason to go to Alaska is that Alyeska is crushing it with 361” of snow already this year, 5” of fresh snow today, and snow in the forecast. Especially if you live somewhere where is really hasn’t snowed yet this year. I won’t mention names.
