Uploaded on Mar 10, 2009
Part 3 of a video series about the importance of Solar Sotrms. In this episode, Astronomer Sten Odenwald looks at one of the major blackouts due to space weather - the 1989 Blackout in Montreal and Quebec.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/comment/270045

www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales .....daily observations of emp's etc.

1989 massive solar flare over Quebec, Canada could be seen in Colombia, Central America and Brazil.

I was a few km from epicentre. The Aurora was, to say the least, the most spectacular event I have ever seen or probably will ever see again. It danced and flowed with a cascade of every imaginable colour. There was a central vortex that developed directly overhead. Electric Colours emanated from the centre and flowed slowly downwards changing as they went. This was only the beginning. What was to follow for the next five hours was truly mind numbing.

The colour of the aurora changed to bright red. It began to pulse. The faster the pulses became the more the colour changed to an electric, almost blinding pink. St Elmos Fire manifested on every metallic object in my yard. The static buildup could be felt on the back of ones' neck. My dog buried itself under a brushpile and refused to come out. The snow on the mountains around me reflected pink. The world as I knew it became an electric mist of pink.

It was deliciously terrifying!

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Prophet Freddy has the answer!