01/20/2026
When I got the notification of a X1.9 flare i started packing to chase Aurora again.
The hit of the CME happened in the afternoon yesterday. Europe got a show, we just needed to wait for the darkness. Weather was terrible but I found a clear sky spot near Brockville, 200km away from Montreal. I decided to go.
When I arrived there, a bummer. Aurora was pretty weak. The orientation of the interplanetary magnetic field was pointing northwards but it started trending down, so I decided to wait. After one hour of negative orientation, Aurora was still the same or even worse. I decided to come back home. The density was pretty low and we needed better numbers to see the lights. When it got better it was already 5am and I couldn’t see the best part of the show because Montreal was under the clouds and I had to work in the next morning.
We have chances again tonight but yesterday was a lesson for me about reliability of ovation model when solar wind speed is high.
I understand it’s part of the game. Chasing Aurora in middle latitudes is tough and we always need to be prepared for the worst. I’m still in!