Summary: A solar coronal mass ejection (CME) swept past Earth at approximately 0315 UT on Oct. 28th and triggered a G2-category geomagnetic storm. The CME (movie) left the Sun on Oct. 25th around 1500 UT when twisted magnetic fields above sunspot 9672 erupted. The explosion also sparked an X1-class solar flare.

Editor's Note: One year ago a similar geomagnetic storm erupted. See the Oct. 28, 2000, Aurora Gallery for details. Unless otherwise stated, all images are copyrighted by the photographers.

	Photographer, Location	Images	Comments
	Dennis Mammana, Mt. Laguna, 50 miles east of San Diego, CA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, more	These photos by Dennis Mammana are extraordinary not only for their beauty but also for their latitude -- Northern Lights in southern California!
	Paul Wicklund, Spokane, Washington, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, more	P. Wicklund: "We waited all day for the rain to end; finally at 2 am the clouds began to break and the auroras began. I have seen many auroras but these had the most intense reds. Yellow streaks were visible to the eye at an intensity I had seen before only in photos." Details: Minolta X 700, 28 mm lens, F2.8, Kodak Royal Gold 400, 20 sec.
	John Russell, Nome, Alaska, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, more	Photo details: Nikkor 28mm @ f1.4, 8 to 13 seconds on Fuji NHG 800.
	Carol Lakomiak, Tomahawk, Wisconsin, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6	C. Lakomiak: "The coronal activity was by far the best I've ever seen. It climaxed in a visual crimson, which flowed like the burning wings of a Phoenix. Quite a stunning display!"
	Lyndon Anderson, 15 miles north of Bismarck, North Dakota, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, more	L. Anderson: "This was a beautiful display - it didn't extend to the south like the March 30-31, 2001 event, but it had significantly more activity. Photos were taken between midnight and 5:45 a.m."
	Stan Richard, Saylorville Lake, near Des Moines, Iowa, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, more	S. Richard: "The near-full moon really brought out the colors, my first time shooting aurora under these conditions." Photo details: 20mm lens @ f/2.5, 15-30 sec exposures on Fuji NPZ 800 Professional.
	Wayne Johnson, the Hatcher Pass area of Alaska, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4	W. Johnson: "The auroras started at 7:30pm local time, and I was able to photograph them until after 5 o'clock the next morning. Chasing auroras [around here] can be challenging, but when you have a night like this, boy is it worth it!"
	Garth Arsenault, Prince Edward Island, Canada Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, more	G. Arsenault: "I was awestruck at the intensity and colors of the sky from my living room window. I spent three hours outside enjoying the sites, listening to the coyotes and shooting two rolls of Kodak Max 400 ASA film. Exposures ranged from 30-60 seconds with my Canon AV-1 camera."
	Chris VenHaus, Waukesha, Wisconsin, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, more	C. Ven Haus: "Photo #2 was an interesting shot, in that the landscape was lit by the Moon, and created an unusual color-cast to the background sky." Photo details: Canon A2E, Canon 35mm f2.0, and Fuji Superia
	Suzanne Ruby, Elk, Washington, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4	S. Ruby: "The Oct 28th show was a present for my birthday. I have trouble seeing reds in the aurora but not this night. At one point it was a solid red from east to west. It took my breath away. Now if I could just get the aurora to come earlier than 2:45 am!" Photo details: Pentex 1000 ASA 400 f - 2.8 average exposure time 12 sec.
	Dominic Cantin, near Quebec City, Quebec, Canada Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, more	D. Cantin: "This was the best display that I never saw - by far." Photo details: 28 mm @ f 2.8 , 25 seconds , Kodak supra 400.
	Jody Majko, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7	J. Majko: "I was out until 4:30 am viewing the most spectacular auroral display I've ever seen. Earlier in the evening it didn't look promising because the moon was so bright. But when she sank below the horizon, the sky literally exploded in these massive curtains of red, green and white! They were so bright, It seemed like daytime! These shots were taken in the middle of Winnipeg, and the light pollution didn't even matter. What a fantastic night!"
	John Carlson, near Hutchinson, Minnesota, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5	J. Carlson: "After an hour of watching, we took a few pictures over the lake and headed towards home. We thought the show had fizzled out. 10 minutes later the sky lit up. We turned around. Wow, what a show! Next time we will be more patient." Photo details: Konica T3 Camera with a Vivitar 24mm f/2 lens, Kodak Supra 800 Film, 15 to 60 sec.
	Robert Smith, near Stoneville, NC, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2	R. Smith: "[I captured these images] on Sunday morning, October 28th between 4 and 5 AM (EST). Compared to the previous weekend, the wind chill felt like an arctic zone!" Photo details: Lens 28mm f 2.8. Film: Fujicolor 400.
	Ronnie Sherrill, Troutman, NC, USA (lat. 36N) Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6	R. Sherrill, Piedmont Amateur Astronomers: "This was the second weekend in a row that I was able to view aurora from my latitude. Maybe the Sun will calm down now and I can get some sleep!"
	Jean-Michel Paillé, Poitiers, France Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3	J-M Paille: "Je vous envoie 3 photographies que j'ai prises de l'aurore polaire observée dans l'Ouest de la FRANCE le 28 octobre 2001. Il s'agit dans notre région d'un phénomène exceptionnel."
	Robert Falk, near Granite Falls, Washington, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2	Photo details: 28mm, f2.5, 10-20 sec, Fujicolor Superia 800 film.
	Sherry Buttnor, Metchosin (near Victoria), British Columbia, Canada Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6	S. Buttnor: "I have never seen such deep red color in an auroral display! None of these photos have been altered in any way." Photo details: Nikon FE camera, Tamron 28mm f/2.5 lens, Kodak Max 400 film with exposures of 15 to 20 seconds.
	Jesús Ojeda, St. Francis, Wisconsin, USA Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, more	J. Ojeda: "Once again we enjoyed a very nice display here in Wisconsin. The sky started to glow around 0600 UT and kept glowing all night long." Photo details: Nikon N80 camera, 28mm lens, f-stop 3.5, Fuji Superia 800 film, 20-30 sec. exposures.
	Philippe Moussette, Cap-Rouge Québec, Canada Oct. 28	#1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6	Photo details: Coolpix 995 Digital Camera