@malcircuit@thingy.social
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

malcircuit

@malcircuit@thingy.social

Fledgling trans girl that likes to talk nerdy, perform tech wizardry, do mad science, post occasional anti-capitalist and climate-rage induced rants, and show off her latest Lego builds. There will be selfies.

Swears like a sailor, so you best be okay with that.

My views are my own and are likely wrong.

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malcircuit, to solar
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Holy crap!

The sun kicked out a X8.79 flare at about noon CT today! THAT'S HUGE!!!

If there was a CME associated with that one, we might be getting another major geomagnetic storm in a few days.

#solar #astronomy

malcircuit,
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

As I suspected, the flare came from AR3664, which has nearly rotated out of view of Earth. Probably aren't going to see any aurora from this flare. X8.8 is still impressive though. I wish the sun had been clear for me to see it (and take pics of it).

https://www.space.com/sun-solar-flare-sunspot-ar3664-x88-class-may-14-2024

malcircuit, to random
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Yooooooooo hot damn. NOAA SWPC just pushed a new forecast and they are predicting another G5 storm tonight with Kp index up to 9!

DEAR GOD IF YOU DIDN'T GO OUT LAST NIGHT GO OUT TONIGHT!!!! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH MORE I CAN STRESS HOW FUCKING COOL THE AURORA IS OTHER THAN TO TYPE IN ALL CAPS AND USE A BUNCH OF EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!

malcircuit, to random
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IT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW!!!

I had to stop and get off the interstate near the WI border because I could see the #aurora through breaks in the clouds!!!

malcircuit, to solar
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Managed to catch a just-shy-of-X1-class flare a few hours ago when I put my scope out on the deck.

The complex chaos of magnetic fields — that is much, much larger than the size of Earth — designated as Region 3664 and Region 3668 (center right sunspot smudge) has been spawning a great number of flares recently, flinging an truly stupendous amount of energy and relativistic particles out into the solar system.

malcircuit,
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So some of that stupendous amount of energy and particles that Region 3664 kicked off earlier in the week is projected to arrive here on Friday night, causing a G2 geomagnetic storm.

If you live up dare in da north and it's clear out where you are (and you have a sufficiently dark sky), I highly suggest stepping outside and looking for some possible aurora in the sky. The viewline dips as far south as Chicago.

malcircuit,
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Oh WOW! The aurora forecast for tonight has been upgraded to a G4 storm!!!

If you live in a northern state or Canada GO OUTSIDE TONIGHT!!!

I'm so excited!!!! :meong_dance:

malcircuit,
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I want to establish extra urgency to anyone living in the Seattle and (less so) Vancouver area. The weather forecast is going to be about perfect for tonight. Almost no clouds.

YOU ARE IN A PRIME AURORA VIEWING REGION. DRIVE OUT TO A DARK SKY LOCATION LATE TONIGHT (12-2AM) AND WATCH THE SHOW!!

(I have an old friend out there and I'm honestly tempted to fly out there just for tonight)

malcircuit,
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Also, much of Minnesota, including Minneapolis/St. Paul, will have prime viewing too! Anyone that lives up there should go out at around 12-2AM tonight.

THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!

I haven't been paying attention to solar activity until recently, but I get the impression that a G4 storm is kind of a big deal that doesn't happen that often. That one is happening on a Friday night is even less likely. This is probably your best chance at seeing aurora short of traveling above the Arctic Circle.

malcircuit, to random
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

Been working outside this afternoon so I can babysit my telescope while it takes a set of pics. The sun kicked off a big flare last night, so I was hoping it'd be active today and make for a good timelapse, but so far it's been relatively boring. Basically no flare activity.

At least I'm actually getting some work done out here for once lol

malcircuit,
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

The X4.5 flare in question, for the nerds like me who like that stuff 🤓

https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/news/view/530/20240506-x4-5-solar-flare.html

malcircuit,
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Finally getting some nice flare activity from good ol' Active Region 3663. Took long enough lol

#solar #astrophotography

malcircuit, to solar
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The sun from a few hours ago. I'm really enjoying this weird semi-inverted technique I've discovered. Really makes the details pop

#solar #astrophotography

malcircuit,
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

Get a #solar H-alpha scope of you're really into #astrophotography. It's an investment, but it gives you something to do when the weather isn't favorable for dark sky stuff. It's a slightly different skillset to learn and will keep things varied.

Plus, the sun is really fucking awesome. Especially for the next few years as we hit the solar maximum. The sun is different every day you look at it. If you're lucky you might catch a flare or some other transient event.

malcircuit, to random
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You jailbroke your iPhone. I jailbroke my endocrine system.

We are not the same.

malcircuit, to random
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BTW, if no one has told you, trans people are pretty awesome :trans_heart:

malcircuit, to solar
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I took a break from work to edit the final result from the H-alpha images I got on Wednesday. First is the more typical color scheme and the second is a quirky semi-inverted blue version like I did last night.

#solar #astrophotography

Same high resolution image of the sun's surface with much detail visible, except in a weird bright blue color

malcircuit, to solar
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

Gonna try to do some #solar #astrophotography inside today while I work.

One of the perks of a) working from home, and b) having a large south-facing window.

Not really ideal optically, but the only alternative is leaving my scope outside mostly unattended.

malcircuit,
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I'm in the meeting, but I don't like it. Hopefully it's quick.

malcircuit,
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I decided to put the scope outside for lunch and the seeing conditions are excellent right now. It's also a gorgeous day. Should get some good pics.

#solar #astrophotography

malcircuit,
@malcircuit@thingy.social avatar

I can't get over how fucking perfect the seeing conditions are right now. Crystal clear view of the sun.

I might have to bring my work laptop outside. Unbelievably nice outside.

#solar #astrophotography

malcircuit,
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Attempting a timelapse today. It's going to be fucking epic (if I can ever manage to get through the literal terabytes of data it will generate)

malcircuit,
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Oh YEAH, look at that prominence action going on!

It's hard to see on the picture of the preview on my laptop, but there is an elongated smudge spraying out of the sunspot. I think it's been moving and changing shape, but it's slow and the atmospheric turbulence makes it hard to keep track of what's going on.

I'm trying to do work out here, but this is too fucking cool.

#solar #astrophotography

malcircuit,
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Yeah, if you look at my first pic, that smudge is not there. It's definitely dynamic. First time I've seen something like this.

malcircuit,
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Grabbed one of the raw images to get a better look at it. Quick and dirty edit, but you might actually be able to see what I'm talking about.

malcircuit,
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