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caused a coronal mass ejection (CME), whose interaction with Earth's magnetic field is highly likely to cause auroras, although no one knows precisely how far south they'll be seen.
• Likewise, the exact time of the aurora can't be predicted. But space weather forecasters can predict when the CME will arrive with some certainty. It will be Saturday July 14, 2012 at 9:17 UTC plus/minus 7 hours. Here's how to convert UTC to your time zone.
• For us in the U.S, it means we might get a auroral display - a display of northern lights - in the hours between midnight and dawn on Saturday, July 14.
• Source of the auroras: X-flare from giant sunspot group 1520
• Bottom line: An X1.4-class solar flare that erupted from giant sunspot group 1520 on July 12 sent a coronal mass ejection, or CME, directly toward Earth. It will cause the geomagnetic field to become active and likely produce auroras. Space weather forecasters are saying the auroras might be seen further south than usual. The exact time of the aurora can't be predicted. Likewise, no one can predict exactly how far south they will be seen on Earth's globe. But space weather forecasters can predict the arrival of the CME. It will be Saturday July 14, 2012 at 9:17 UTC plus/minus 7 hours. That is between midnight and dawn in the U.S.
• What causes the aurora borealis, or northern lights?