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About Solar Flare Night
Solar Flare Night is an interactive art project that visualizes real-time geomagnetic activity in the style of Van Gogh's Starry Night. The artwork dynamically changes based on the current Kp index, a measure of geomagnetic activity.
How it works
The application fetches data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center to determine the current geomagnetic conditions. These conditions influence various aspects of the artwork:
- The intensity and movement of the aurora-like formations
- The number and brightness of stars
- The overall energy and dynamism of the scene
About the Kp Index
The Kp index is a global geomagnetic activity indicator that ranges from 0 to 9. Higher values indicate more intense geomagnetic activity, which can lead to more dramatic auroral displays in the real world.
Activity Scale
- 0-2: Quiet conditions
- 3-4: Unsettled conditions
- 5: Minor storm
- 6: Moderate storm
- 7: Strong storm
- 8-9: Severe storm
Technical Details
This project uses HTML5 Canvas for rendering and JavaScript for data processing and animation. The artwork updates every 15 minutes to match NOAA's data refresh rate.