Jessý Potato
@markdownhandsup.bsky.social
The Girl with the Star Wars Tattoo. Recovering geoscientist. 56 countries. I have opinions & adventures. Reykjavík. KC born; SG bred. Founder: www.sidequesticeland.com
Hey, before we get dragged into this any further, Iceland is really great and not (currently) involved in any stock market incidents. We just got auroras, and fish, and volcanoes, and Björk, and puffins, and rainbows, and whales, and sovereignty and stuff.
#iceland
#iceland
January 21, 2026 at 2:42 PM
Hey, before we get dragged into this any further, Iceland is really great and not (currently) involved in any stock market incidents. We just got auroras, and fish, and volcanoes, and Björk, and puffins, and rainbows, and whales, and sovereignty and stuff.
#iceland
#iceland
So why are you not seeing as many stunning images of #aurora from #Iceland tonight? Some reasons:
1. Most of the island is in clouds today.
2. There's a layer of ice covering everything in Reykjavík & beyond.
3. The men's national handball team played this evening. We ALL watched.
#northernlights
1. Most of the island is in clouds today.
2. There's a layer of ice covering everything in Reykjavík & beyond.
3. The men's national handball team played this evening. We ALL watched.
#northernlights
January 20, 2026 at 10:18 PM
So why are you not seeing as many stunning images of #aurora from #Iceland tonight? Some reasons:
1. Most of the island is in clouds today.
2. There's a layer of ice covering everything in Reykjavík & beyond.
3. The men's national handball team played this evening. We ALL watched.
#northernlights
1. Most of the island is in clouds today.
2. There's a layer of ice covering everything in Reykjavík & beyond.
3. The men's national handball team played this evening. We ALL watched.
#northernlights
I'm scanning the webcams, and I'm seeing aurora as far south as the German / Austrian border and Swiss Alps. So if you're cloud-free in central or Northern Europe, look up! :)
Screen grab from Jungfraujoch, Switzerland live cam.
#northernlights #aurora #switzerland
Screen grab from Jungfraujoch, Switzerland live cam.
#northernlights #aurora #switzerland
January 20, 2026 at 7:14 PM
I'm scanning the webcams, and I'm seeing aurora as far south as the German / Austrian border and Swiss Alps. So if you're cloud-free in central or Northern Europe, look up! :)
Screen grab from Jungfraujoch, Switzerland live cam.
#northernlights #aurora #switzerland
Screen grab from Jungfraujoch, Switzerland live cam.
#northernlights #aurora #switzerland
Last night's lights were hit-or-miss due to some northerly Bz readings halfway through but overall many places got a good show (and still going in western US right now).
I've now seen reports as far south as Switzerl. and s. Germany and colorful horizons in AZ/AL.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
I've now seen reports as far south as Switzerl. and s. Germany and colorful horizons in AZ/AL.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
January 20, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Last night's lights were hit-or-miss due to some northerly Bz readings halfway through but overall many places got a good show (and still going in western US right now).
I've now seen reports as far south as Switzerl. and s. Germany and colorful horizons in AZ/AL.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
I've now seen reports as far south as Switzerl. and s. Germany and colorful horizons in AZ/AL.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
We have an early CME hit! This was the fastest I've ever seen it arrive.
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
January 19, 2026 at 7:54 PM
We have an early CME hit! This was the fastest I've ever seen it arrive.
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
I'm taking this pic standing in the middle of a typical Icelandic hail squall but you can see the aurora through breaks in the clouds. Go outside now if you're in Europe!
19:50 | Þingvellir, Iceland
#aurora #northernlights
Ok, friends. NOAA just issued a rare G4 geomagnetic storm warning. Impact predicted by model ~01:00 GMT, and a busy stormy night.
There's a chance for Kp8 in the mix, and given we're seeing the highest solar radiation since 2012, I'm intrigued to see how this storm develops.
#northernlights #aurora
There's a chance for Kp8 in the mix, and given we're seeing the highest solar radiation since 2012, I'm intrigued to see how this storm develops.
#northernlights #aurora
January 19, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Ok, friends. NOAA just issued a rare G4 geomagnetic storm warning. Impact predicted by model ~01:00 GMT, and a busy stormy night.
There's a chance for Kp8 in the mix, and given we're seeing the highest solar radiation since 2012, I'm intrigued to see how this storm develops.
#northernlights #aurora
There's a chance for Kp8 in the mix, and given we're seeing the highest solar radiation since 2012, I'm intrigued to see how this storm develops.
#northernlights #aurora
Please give me grace on my typo in the last post! (My mother the editor would be appalled)
No news from NOAA yet, but NASA says impact will be THIS evening (or rather, the morning) at 1:00 GMT on Jan 20; UKMO says 4:00 GMT. There is a 7 hour error bar on these predictions.
Kp 7-9 range predicted.
No news from NOAA yet, but NASA says impact will be THIS evening (or rather, the morning) at 1:00 GMT on Jan 20; UKMO says 4:00 GMT. There is a 7 hour error bar on these predictions.
Kp 7-9 range predicted.
January 19, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Please give me grace on my typo in the last post! (My mother the editor would be appalled)
No news from NOAA yet, but NASA says impact will be THIS evening (or rather, the morning) at 1:00 GMT on Jan 20; UKMO says 4:00 GMT. There is a 7 hour error bar on these predictions.
Kp 7-9 range predicted.
No news from NOAA yet, but NASA says impact will be THIS evening (or rather, the morning) at 1:00 GMT on Jan 20; UKMO says 4:00 GMT. There is a 7 hour error bar on these predictions.
Kp 7-9 range predicted.
Excitingly, we've had our first X-class solar flare of the year: it was incredibly long-lived and full-halo'd (we're making up words over here), and most importantly, Earth directed.
It's measured at X 1.95, and is expected to make landfall between 00:00-6:00 GMT 26 Jan.
#northernlights #aurora
It's measured at X 1.95, and is expected to make landfall between 00:00-6:00 GMT 26 Jan.
#northernlights #aurora
January 18, 2026 at 10:34 PM
Excitingly, we've had our first X-class solar flare of the year: it was incredibly long-lived and full-halo'd (we're making up words over here), and most importantly, Earth directed.
It's measured at X 1.95, and is expected to make landfall between 00:00-6:00 GMT 26 Jan.
#northernlights #aurora
It's measured at X 1.95, and is expected to make landfall between 00:00-6:00 GMT 26 Jan.
#northernlights #aurora
Does France know we aren't off the southwest coast of the Iberian peninsula? Around 12-15% of Icelanders go to Tenerife each year, but do they know we live so close now?
Also, the southern tip of Greenland being around Cabo Verde? Green land, indeed.
#iceland #geography #greenland #geopolitics
Also, the southern tip of Greenland being around Cabo Verde? Green land, indeed.
#iceland #geography #greenland #geopolitics
January 15, 2026 at 2:43 PM
Does France know we aren't off the southwest coast of the Iberian peninsula? Around 12-15% of Icelanders go to Tenerife each year, but do they know we live so close now?
Also, the southern tip of Greenland being around Cabo Verde? Green land, indeed.
#iceland #geography #greenland #geopolitics
Also, the southern tip of Greenland being around Cabo Verde? Green land, indeed.
#iceland #geography #greenland #geopolitics
January 14, 2026 at 10:34 PM
We had a fantastic weekend of #northernlights here in #Iceland. We reached G2 geomagnetic storm conditions, and potentially had two CMEs cannibalize one another to create a bigger than predicted storm.
Space weather is so cool. :)
Space weather is so cool. :)
January 12, 2026 at 1:05 PM
We had a fantastic weekend of #northernlights here in #Iceland. We reached G2 geomagnetic storm conditions, and potentially had two CMEs cannibalize one another to create a bigger than predicted storm.
Space weather is so cool. :)
Space weather is so cool. :)
Northern lights currently emanating from my roof. Also Jupiter is in full opposition this weekend, so he's extra bright.
What's going on in your backyard today?
#northernlights #aurora #iceland #jupiter
What's going on in your backyard today?
#northernlights #aurora #iceland #jupiter
January 11, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Northern lights currently emanating from my roof. Also Jupiter is in full opposition this weekend, so he's extra bright.
What's going on in your backyard today?
#northernlights #aurora #iceland #jupiter
What's going on in your backyard today?
#northernlights #aurora #iceland #jupiter
Had just come in from a grocery run / small aurora spotting; was boiling some water, refrigerated food still on the counter, when I got an alert of a geomagnetic storm incoming.
I dropped everything.
Here's video I shot running through my neighborhood to the coast.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
I dropped everything.
Here's video I shot running through my neighborhood to the coast.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
January 10, 2026 at 9:31 PM
Had just come in from a grocery run / small aurora spotting; was boiling some water, refrigerated food still on the counter, when I got an alert of a geomagnetic storm incoming.
I dropped everything.
Here's video I shot running through my neighborhood to the coast.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
I dropped everything.
Here's video I shot running through my neighborhood to the coast.
#northernlights #aurora #iceland
Only 215 days until a 100% full solar eclipse happens down the street from my house 🤩
(baring any cloud cover, which if you know anything about the weather here, it's entirely possible to be a blizzard lol)
(baring any cloud cover, which if you know anything about the weather here, it's entirely possible to be a blizzard lol)
'Only' 215 days until a 90% Partial Solar Eclipse is visible from my front garden. 🔭 🧪
January 9, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Only 215 days until a 100% full solar eclipse happens down the street from my house 🤩
(baring any cloud cover, which if you know anything about the weather here, it's entirely possible to be a blizzard lol)
(baring any cloud cover, which if you know anything about the weather here, it's entirely possible to be a blizzard lol)
Something different than my usual content but I'll be facilitating a workshop in Reykjavík to kick start the new year: "Dimension 2026: Roll for Initiative"
I help participants choose a theme or guiding word for the year, then craft vision boards, goal bingo cards, & task punch cards. Here's mine:
I help participants choose a theme or guiding word for the year, then craft vision boards, goal bingo cards, & task punch cards. Here's mine:
January 9, 2026 at 6:17 PM
Something different than my usual content but I'll be facilitating a workshop in Reykjavík to kick start the new year: "Dimension 2026: Roll for Initiative"
I help participants choose a theme or guiding word for the year, then craft vision boards, goal bingo cards, & task punch cards. Here's mine:
I help participants choose a theme or guiding word for the year, then craft vision boards, goal bingo cards, & task punch cards. Here's mine:
Reykjavík weather update.
The average precipitation in January for the city is 75 mm (rain/snow).
So far, we've had 0.5 mm this year. Next week's forecast shows zero precip., and one small chance thru the 26th.
Great for aurora hunting, terrible for the flora and fauna.
#northernlights #iceland
The average precipitation in January for the city is 75 mm (rain/snow).
So far, we've had 0.5 mm this year. Next week's forecast shows zero precip., and one small chance thru the 26th.
Great for aurora hunting, terrible for the flora and fauna.
#northernlights #iceland
January 7, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Reykjavík weather update.
The average precipitation in January for the city is 75 mm (rain/snow).
So far, we've had 0.5 mm this year. Next week's forecast shows zero precip., and one small chance thru the 26th.
Great for aurora hunting, terrible for the flora and fauna.
#northernlights #iceland
The average precipitation in January for the city is 75 mm (rain/snow).
So far, we've had 0.5 mm this year. Next week's forecast shows zero precip., and one small chance thru the 26th.
Great for aurora hunting, terrible for the flora and fauna.
#northernlights #iceland
Did you think you'd seen the last of the Christmas posts? Today is Þrettándinn, or The 13th. It's the final night of Christmas season (Epiphany) and in Icelandic folklore, the Yule Lads head back up into the Highlands now.
We celebrate with bonfires, Santa antics, fireworks, and music.
#iceland
We celebrate with bonfires, Santa antics, fireworks, and music.
#iceland
January 6, 2026 at 4:59 PM
Did you think you'd seen the last of the Christmas posts? Today is Þrettándinn, or The 13th. It's the final night of Christmas season (Epiphany) and in Icelandic folklore, the Yule Lads head back up into the Highlands now.
We celebrate with bonfires, Santa antics, fireworks, and music.
#iceland
We celebrate with bonfires, Santa antics, fireworks, and music.
#iceland
Everything may seem awful and dumb, so here's some gorgeous scenery from my hike today. Viðey is a small island off the coast of Reykjavík, Esjan is the mountain behind it.
Left: taken just after sunrise, right before noon.
Right: taken at astronomical midday, right around 13:30.
#iceland #nature
Left: taken just after sunrise, right before noon.
Right: taken at astronomical midday, right around 13:30.
#iceland #nature
January 5, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Between Jan 1-3, Reykjavík takes an advertisement break. The majority of electronic ad space across the city turns into thought-provoking artwork annually.
This year, science meets art: Sólarhringur, a digital sundial that mimics the unique winter hues of the lower arctic.
#iceland #goldenhour #art
This year, science meets art: Sólarhringur, a digital sundial that mimics the unique winter hues of the lower arctic.
#iceland #goldenhour #art
January 4, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Between Jan 1-3, Reykjavík takes an advertisement break. The majority of electronic ad space across the city turns into thought-provoking artwork annually.
This year, science meets art: Sólarhringur, a digital sundial that mimics the unique winter hues of the lower arctic.
#iceland #goldenhour #art
This year, science meets art: Sólarhringur, a digital sundial that mimics the unique winter hues of the lower arctic.
#iceland #goldenhour #art
Last night over Reykjavík's skyline. Simply magical to live with this in your skies.
#northernlights #aurora #fullmoon
#northernlights #aurora #fullmoon
January 3, 2026 at 12:10 PM
Last night over Reykjavík's skyline. Simply magical to live with this in your skies.
#northernlights #aurora #fullmoon
#northernlights #aurora #fullmoon
For those who watch Stranger Things, the final scene was shot in Iceland this past summer. I'll say no more to avoid spoilers.
These are remote waterfalls, Háifoss and Granni, in the southern Highlands; no town exists beyond them. (That's CGI) Gorgeous, nonetheless.
#iceland #strangerthings #nature
These are remote waterfalls, Háifoss and Granni, in the southern Highlands; no town exists beyond them. (That's CGI) Gorgeous, nonetheless.
#iceland #strangerthings #nature
January 2, 2026 at 1:56 PM
For those who watch Stranger Things, the final scene was shot in Iceland this past summer. I'll say no more to avoid spoilers.
These are remote waterfalls, Háifoss and Granni, in the southern Highlands; no town exists beyond them. (That's CGI) Gorgeous, nonetheless.
#iceland #strangerthings #nature
These are remote waterfalls, Háifoss and Granni, in the southern Highlands; no town exists beyond them. (That's CGI) Gorgeous, nonetheless.
#iceland #strangerthings #nature
In what is possibly the scariest thing I've attempted, I am officially launching my new nerd-focused travel experiences company here in Iceland.
I promise this account will remain mostly sharing the beauty and science of Iceland, but we're going live today and I'm proud.
www.sidequesticeland.com
I promise this account will remain mostly sharing the beauty and science of Iceland, but we're going live today and I'm proud.
www.sidequesticeland.com
Sidequest: Iceland Home Base
Welcome to Sidequest: Iceland, where we believe every great journey deserves a few epic side quests. Private tours and events for nerds.
www.sidequesticeland.com
January 1, 2026 at 12:32 PM
In what is possibly the scariest thing I've attempted, I am officially launching my new nerd-focused travel experiences company here in Iceland.
I promise this account will remain mostly sharing the beauty and science of Iceland, but we're going live today and I'm proud.
www.sidequesticeland.com
I promise this account will remain mostly sharing the beauty and science of Iceland, but we're going live today and I'm proud.
www.sidequesticeland.com
And finally, my favorite December 2025 photo is of my city, Reykjavík, looking cozy and beautiful in midnight snowfall.
Thanks everyone for looking back at the year with me and being such a great group of people. Happy New Year!
#yearinreview #winter #newyearseve
Thanks everyone for looking back at the year with me and being such a great group of people. Happy New Year!
#yearinreview #winter #newyearseve
December 31, 2025 at 2:15 PM
And finally, my favorite December 2025 photo is of my city, Reykjavík, looking cozy and beautiful in midnight snowfall.
Thanks everyone for looking back at the year with me and being such a great group of people. Happy New Year!
#yearinreview #winter #newyearseve
Thanks everyone for looking back at the year with me and being such a great group of people. Happy New Year!
#yearinreview #winter #newyearseve