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Aurora in Slovenia November 20/21, 2003
On November 18, 2003 active region 10501 produced a moderate M3 flare that triggered a filament eruption and a comparatively large Earth-directed CME. The shock front reached the Earth at 8:05 UTC. The magnetic cloud contained an unusually strong southward magnetic component, which peaked at almost -60 nT while solar wind speed never exceeded 700 km/s. This created a severe geomagnetic storm, rating G4, that lasted 27 hours. Peak strength was reached in late UTC hours of November 20. Aurora was seen even from low latitudes, as far south as Turkey. Strong auroral activity was observed also from many locations in Slovenia, consisting of green, yellowish and red glows, pulsating rays, arcs, diffuse patches, and curtains reaching into the southern sky.
You can find individual reports and photos below.
Map of auroral sightings from Slovenia
If you also observed the aurora borealis (aka northern lights) from Slovenia, please send a report by e-mail!
Photographs from Radmirje, Slovenia (N46.32, E14.85)
by Javor Kac using 37-mm f/2.8 lens and Fuji 800 film
To visual observations from Radmirje, Slovenia...
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18:10 UT .. 60 sec
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18:14 UT .. 77 sec
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18:29 UT .. 25 sec
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18:30 UT .. 24 sec
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18:31 UT .. 13 sec
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18:34 UT .. 22 sec
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18:37 UT .. 15 sec
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18:41 UT .. 24 sec
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18:59 UT .. 26 sec
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19:09 UT .. 21 sec
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19:21 UT .. 33 sec
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19:29 UT .. 36 sec
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19:33 UT .. 35 sec
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19:35 UT .. 49 sec
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19:41 UT .. 21 sec
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19:42 UT .. 31 sec
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19:43 UT .. 19 sec
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19:45 UT .. 36 sec
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20:59 UT .. 39 sec
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21:08 UT .. 43 sec
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21:11 UT .. 35 sec
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21:13 UT .. 34 sec
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21:19 UT .. 20 sec
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21:20 UT .. 28 sec
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21:53 UT .. 88 sec
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00:37 UT .. 87 sec
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Photographs from Krvavec, Slovenia (N46.30, E14.52)
by Tone Spenko
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Photographs from Sentjur, Slovenia (N46.17, E15.48)
by Robert Gajsek using Canon EOS 300D digital camera at ISO800 with 18-mm f/5.6 lens
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22:50:28 UT .. 20 sec
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22:51:38 UT .. 20 sec
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22:52:15 UT .. 20 sec
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22:53:12 UT .. 30 sec
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22:54:07 UT .. 30 sec
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22:55:44 UT .. 30 sec
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22:56:48 UT .. 30 sec
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22:57:29 UT .. 30 sec
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22:58:16 UT .. 30 sec
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Photographs from Rogaska Slatina, Slovenia (N46.24, E15.64)
by Friderik Madarasi using Canon Powershot A40 digital camera at ISO200 & f/2.8, with 15 second exposure
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About 19:30 UT
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Photographs from Graska Gora, Slovenia (N46.43, E15.10)
by Peter Jeric and Joze Spegel using 28-mm lens and ISO400 film with 30 second exposures.
To visual observations from Graska Gora, Slovenia...
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18:42 UT
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18:43 UT
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18:45 UT
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18:50 UT
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19:00 UT
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19:06 UT
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19:06 UT
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19:09 UT
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19:10 UT
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19:25 UT
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19:28 UT
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19:31 UT
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Photographs from Kostanjevec, Slovenia (N46.39, E15.52)
by Jure Dobaj using 135-mm lens at f/3.5, and ISO 800 film.
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Individual reports
Location: Radmirje (N46.32,E14.85)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 17:05 (7 hours 30 minutes)
Observer: Jure Atanackov
Limiting magnitude: +7.2
Light pollution: none
Cloudiness: 0%
Limiting magnitude at the location of aurora: ca +3
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 130 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (discrete arcs) (rays) (curtains)
(zenithal) (colour variations) (localized pulsations)
Comments: First hour saw low to moderate activity
in the form of a greenish and reddish glow in the north
up to about 40 degrees high. Around 18:15 UT stronger
activity began, with a green arc forming low in the
north, green glow and red glow with intense rays
reaching 45 degrees high. Ten minutes later the green
arc cast shadows, intense rays reached past the zenith
with a red arc located 50 degrees high in the *south*.
High activity persisted for the next hour with a rayed
arc and curtains forming from east to west past the
zenith, with dynamic pulsating and flickering rays.
After about 20h UT the activity declined significantly
with the aurora retreating back into northern sky,
forming an arc and greenish glow between 15 and 30
degrees high. A new wave of activity started at 21h UT,
with a green arc and an intense red glow with dynamic
rays reaching 50 degrees high. High activity persisted
for 30 minutes. After that we observed low to very low
activity until 00:30 UT with faint green and red glows
reaching up to 45 degrees high and occasional weak rays
and moving green patches. Overall this display covered
more sky and was more dynamic than Oct 30/31 storm but
it lacked the brightness of the previous event.
Location: Radmirje (N46.32,E14.85)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 17:05 (7 hours 30 minutes)
Observer: Javor Kac
Limiting magnitude: +6.7
Light pollution: none
Cloudiness: 0%
Limiting magnitude at the location of aurora: ca +3
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 130 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (discrete arcs) (rays) (curtains)
(zenithal) (colour variations) (localized pulsations)
Comments: Low to moderate activity with green and
red glow in the north up to 40 degrees high in the first
hour. Around 18:15 UT stronger activity began, with a
green arc forming low in the north, green glow and red
glow with intense rays reaching 45 degrees high. Ten
minutes later the green arc cast shadows, intense rays
reached past the zenith with a red arc located 50 degrees
high in the *south*. High activity persisted for the next
hour with a rayed arc and curtains forming from east to
west past the zenith, with dynamic pulsating and
flickering rays. After about 20h UT the activity declined
significantly with the aurora retreating back into
northern sky, forming an arc and greenish glow between 15
and 30 degrees high. A new wave of activity started at
21h UT, with a green arc and an intense red glow with
dynamic rays reaching 50 degrees high. High activity
persisted for 30 minutes. After that we observed low to
very low activity until 00:40 UT with faint green and red
glows reaching up to 45 degrees high and occasional weak
rays and moving green patches.
Location: Celje (N46.24,E15.27)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 20:00 (1 hour)
Observer: Melanija and Branko Hace
Light pollution: high
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 50 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows)
Comments: It was a special event as it was our first
aurora sighting. It was as if the sky was burning red.
Location: Maribor (N46.5,E15.6)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 21:45 (15 minutes)
Observer: Kazimir Gomilsek
Light pollution: very high
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 40 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows)
Location: Novo mesto (N45.78,E15.22)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 18:30 (3 hours 39 minutes)
Observer: Nejc Ucman
Limiting magnitude: +6
Light pollution: low
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: moderate
Elevation of activity: 110 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (rays) (zenithal)
(localized pulsations) (wave-like pulsations)
Comments: I saw two waves of activity. The first was
characterized by white-green rays hanging from the
zenith down to about 55 degrees above northern horizon,
sometimes even starting at 70 degrees above SOUTHERN
horizon. The glows were predominantly green with very
little red. The second wave had nice red glows.
Location: Smihel nad Mozirjem (N46.38,E14.95)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 19:30 (3 hours)
Observer: Katka Kranjc
Light pollution: very low
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 110 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (discrete arcs) (rays)
(curtains) (zenithal) (colour variations)
(localized pulsations) (wave-like pulsations)
Comments: This was my first aurora. The first wave
between 19:30 and 20:00 UT was observed from the
location with rather high N-W horizon. It started as a
red glow on the N-NE then intensified and suddenly
white rays appeared in the zenith. I saw the second
wave from about 21h UT on from a much better location
regarding the northern horizon. Red glows spanned from
E to W. The red curtain was waving and moving west.
After about 21:30 UT I did not notice any activity.
Location: Dramlje (N46.28,E15.40)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 18:15 (2 hours 45 minutes)
Observer: Srecko Lavbic
Limiting magnitude: +6
Light pollution: low
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 90 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (discrete arcs) (rays) (curtains)
(zenithal) (colour variations) (localized pulsations)
Comments: Activity came in waves - there was not
much going on for a few minutes then there came
pulsating rays that extended from Orion in the E to
Aquila in the W. Diffuse glow, discrete rays and arcs,
colours from intense fluorescent green to orange to
red to deep red. The curtains glowed for a few seconds.
The rays were flickering in the zenith and were as
bright as the Milky way. It was as if some strong wind
raced thin clouds over the clear skies. Intensified
activity usually came with the appearance of the green
glow which transformed into a bright aura that looked
like a huge ball which then spread in seconds into
vertical curtains, and later to rays. It was as if the
higher activity arrived in huge round packets.
Location: Graska Gora (N46.43,E15.10)
UTC Time and Date: 20.11.2003 - 18:30 (3 hours)
Observers: Peter Jeric, Joze Spegel, Miran Jeric
Limiting magnitude: +6
Light pollution: low
Cloudiness: 0%
Auroral activity: high
Elevation of activity: 100 degrees
Types of activity:
(diffuse glows) (discrete arcs) (rays)
(zenithal) (colour variations) (localized pulsations)
(wave-like pulsations)
Comments: This was our first sighting of the aurora.
The colours were constantly changing. Northern skies
were glowing in green, while to the east and west there
was red-orange glow. At about 20h UT red rays formed in
the zenith. They were still but became more numerous in
seconds. Rays then started to pulsate, it was like a
light-show, fantastic! Few seconds later rays in the
zenith dissapeared. The activity over the horizon also
subsided in the next half hour.
The text on this page is © 2003 by MBK Team.
Photos on this page are © 2003 by their corresponding authors.
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