56° and Clear
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Tonight's visibility will not materialize, expectations were between 9pm and 2am 1/19/26. Keep posted for tomorrow night. Info online may be tied to #aurora
According to OrangeCountyOutdoors "Get out to a dark place away from city lights where you can look north, the higher the better. This may be visible in Orange County but it is not possible to know for sure. If you’re willing to put in some effort, the best local spot will be North Pole Tubing Park at Mt High Ski Resort." and "UPDATE: Likely not happening tonight since it arrived much earlier than expected" Instagram
According to Space.com When is the best time to look for the northern lights tonight?
"If skies are clear, make sure to look for the northern lights as soon as it gets dark tonight, as geomagnetic activity is already elevated following the early arrival of today's CME. While the official forecast still shows the strongest (G4) storming between 1 and 4 a.m. EST (0600–0900 GMT) on Jan. 20, severe conditions have already been observed much earlier than anticipated.
That means the northern lights could appear sooner than expected, so it's worth keeping an eye on the sky throughout the evening." Northern lights may be visible in 24 states Jan. 19 as a massive CME slams into Earth | Space
According to NOAA's 3-day forecast, geomagnetic storm activity is expected to be best at the following times:
|
EST |
GMT |
Activity |
|---|---|---|
|
7 p.m. - 10 p.m. (Jan. 19) |
0000-0300 (Jan. 20) |
Minor (G1) geomagnetic storming possible) |
|
10 p.m. - 1 a.m. (Jan. 20) |
0300-0600 (Jan. 20) |
Moderate (G2) geomagnetic storming possible |
|
1 a.m. - 4 a.m. (Jan. 20) |
0600-0900 (Jan. 20) |
Severe (G4) geomagnetic storming possible |
|
4 a.m. - 7 a.m. (Jan. 20) |
0900-1200 (Jan. 20) |
Moderate (G2) geomagnetic storming possible |
|
7 a.m. - 10 a.m. (Jan. 20) |
1200-1500 (Jan. 20) |
Strong (G3) geomagnetic storming possible |
|
10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Jan. 20) |
1500-1800 (Jan. 20) |
Moderate (G2) geomagnetic storming possible |
|
1 p.m. - 1 a.m. (Jan 21) |
1800-0600 (Jan. 21) |
Minor (G1) geomagnetic storming possible |
Northern Hemisphere aurora forecast courtesy of the U.K. Met Office https://data.consumer-digital.api.metoffice.gov.uk/models/ovation/forec…
There is no mention on the Griffith Observatory website related to visibility, although they are open 12:00 noon - 10:00 p.m. Keep in mind flying a drone is prohibited in all City parks, including in Griffith Park and at the Observatory.
Anyone can be an observer, and we are here to help. Look through our free public telescopes or use our astronomical information to observe on your own. Mounted in the copper-clad domes on either end of the building, the Zeiss and solar telescopes are free to the public every day and night the building is open, and the sky is clear. Observing the Sky - Griffith Observatory - Southern California’s gateway to the cosmos!
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