The astronauts are seeing it from the space station. You and I just might too. A G2 moderate auroral storm kicked up this afternoon and early evening, and according to NOAA space weather experts, is expected to continue into the night.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) caused by a filament or plume of hydrogen gas ejected a few days ago caused the sudden surge. The Kp index , a reliable indicator of magnetic activity in Earth's upper atmosphere hit 6 earlier this evening. Should it 'stick' there, skywatchers in Canada and across the northern U.S. stand a good chance of seeing auroras tonight. Look to the north at the onset of night. I'll keep you posted.
* Update 11 p.m. CDT: The Kp has plummeted to 2! That's not good. It's always possible that activity will shoot up again overnight. If you're out tonight, take a look before going to bed.
