Here is a picture showing the absolutely *EXTRAORDINARY* "southward IMF" of -74!!!! (And the density is positively astounding, too.   :O ) (You will note that both the solar wind speed and temperature data were "washed out" by the *EXTREME* influx of relativistic protons.

   A couple of notes about this: One, this was _the_ _largest_ southward IMF (inter-planetary magnetic field) _*EVER*_ recorded--the previous highest was around 43.  (!!!!) Two, (I tend to avoid equations on my web site.  I take the advice given Steven Hawking on the writing of "A Brief History of Time": "Each equation you put in, will cut your sales by half." People (particularly Americans) seem to really fear and loathe equations.) the power transferred to the magnetosphere is proportional to the magnetic field _SQUARED_.  The power injected into the magnetosphere during this storm was, quite literally, inconceivable.  Three, when the peeps at the G.I. saw this result, they thought that it was an _obvious_ error--so they checked the geostationary satellite data, and found _the_ _exact_ _same_ _result_.  This means that the entire magnetosphere was hammered down within geostationary distances--again, inconceivable.

   And here is some data from the dudes at NASA.  It shows storm levels of Kp8 (absolutely kickin'), and shows a PCA (polar cap absorption event) that is, quite literally, off the scale.  It was the largest I had ever seen.

   Here is the actual solar wind data.  It was taken from some solar wind site, associated with SOHO.

   On the "THE storm link," I put up my prediction/alert.  I have decided to do the same here--even though I "botched" this one.  :(

"Dear 'Aurora fans,'

   I MAJORLY screwed up on the timing on this one. I knew, on Sunday, that there was a major (X-Class) flare. It was "geoeffective," and with a very long driver time.  For aurora fans, things don't get much better than that.

>Snippage.

   The part about the disturbance lasting "for about 24 hours," was particularly encouraging--and is proably due to the abnormally long "driver time" of the flare.  So, I decided to put out a MAJOR (level 5) alert.  Later, I decided to up it to a level 6--one less than maximum.  Then, for some unfathomable reason, I lost track of what day it was.  D'oh!

   The storm actually hit last night.  Activity went to Kp8--one less than the maximum, meaning that the aurora would've been visible in North Carolina, at least.

>Snippage.

The proton levels are off the scale--literally.

   So, major alert for everybody on the list for this evening (the sixth)--hopefully the storm levels that we are seeing now, will maintain that long. And again, I'm sorry that I messed up the timing on this one."

   -Bad one to "botch. . . ." :(

   Here is a picture of the aurora over _Virginia_:

   Something _almost_ amusing about this one: Not so awfully long before this one hit, there was some "major terrorism" perpetrated in the United States.  Someboday blew up some buildings, or something---with people still in them.  :( So, there were a lot of calls in, people wanting to know if more terrorism had been perpetrated--as there were "flames" on the northern horizon.  :)