Solar Storm Threat Analysis - Impact

Impact, 2007 James A. Marusek
In March 1782, an aurora borealis overspread the whole Western Hemisphere. The light generally appears
in detached places, sometimes with a constantly tremulous motion and at others more steady. It assumes all
hues from a pale yellow through deep orange and violet to a blood color.
The Indianapolis Daily Journal, Indianapolis, Indiana, Tuesday, August 30 1859, Vol. IX, No. 59
This is a description of the 2 September 1859 Great Aurora from New Albany, Indiana (located in the extreme
southern edge of the state at latitude 38.31 degrees North). The intensity of this solar storm was so great that it
shifted the Aurora to the extreme south. At least one resident in New Albany believed he was observing the
“Southern Lights”.
Southern Lights – For some three hours - commencing about midnight of Thursday the whole heavens
were lighted up in the most brilliant manner. Waking up during the night we found our bedroom, though
partially curtained, filled with a bright light. Not knowing whether there was a fire in the neighborhood, or
it was daylight, we got up and looked at the watch, and found it to be a quarter after one - the dials on the
watch (a yellow faced one) being distinctly visible within the room. When we observed it the light
appeared to be generally diffused over the whole sky, but was reddest in a southerly direction, at an angle
of about forty five degrees. Towards the north it appeared to be whiter. To try the brilliancy of the light
we got a copy of the Ledger, and out of doors could distinctly read the smallest type on which it is printed.
This can rarely be done by moonlight.
Following so quickly upon the magnificent Aurora Borealis of Sunday night this phenomenon - the light
appearing on the opposite side of the horizon - will doubtless attract the attention of the learned. In
consequence of its appearing at so late an hour of the night, but few witnessed the splendid spectacle. It
was probably what is called the Aurora Australis or Southern Light, which was first discovered by Mr.
Foster, who made a voyage around the world with Capt. Cook in 1773. Capt. Wilkes makes frequent
mention of having seen fine colored displays in the Antarctic regions. On Feb 9th and March 17th, 1840,
there were splendid exhibitions of this phenomenon, his descriptions of which correspond in many aspects
with that of last night.
The New Albany Daily Ledger, New Albany, Indiana, Friday, September 2, 1859, Vol. XI, No. 3089
This Great Aurora was seen in the Northern Hemisphere as far south as La Union, San Salvador at latitude 13
degrees, 18 minutes north of the equator. They described “the red light was so vivid that the roofs of the houses and
the leaves of the trees appeared as if covered with blood.” 2
Sometimes the auroras blazed so brightly red that individuals and city fire departments would mistake them for large
forest fires or nearby cities burning.
• August 28, 1859 Aurora: Several fire departments were called out in Washington D.C. [Evening Star]
• August 28, 1859 Aurora: Citizens of Inagua, Bahamas panicked believing a large fire was consuming their
neighborhood. 2
• September 2, 1859 Aurora: New Orleans Fire Companies in Louisiana responded to a great conflagration
on the outskirts of the city, believing the city was being burned to the ground. [New Orleans Bee,]
• September 3, 1859 Aurora: Inhabitants of Kingston, Jamaica believed Cuba was being consumed by fire. 2
• October 14, 1870 Aurora: The fire department in New Haven, Connecticut sounded the fire alarm and
turned out to fight the illusion of a mass fire. [New York Times]
• February 13, 1892 Aurora: The citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio had mistaken an aurora and believed the city of
Hamilton, located 25 miles to the north was on fire. [The New York Times]
• March 8, 1918 Aurora: Two officers in Atlanta, Georgia mistook an aurora and chased it thinking it was a
fire. [The Atlanta Constitution]
• March 9, 1918 Aurora: The aurora had confused many into believing that the Germans had bombed
London and set it ablaze. [The Washington Post].
• March 9, 1926 Aurora: The fire department at Salzburg, Austria was sent out to put out an aurora. The
citizens thought the whole city was ablaze. [The New York Times]
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