This was equivalent to approximately 17:30 EST and the sun would have been one hour and five minutes from sunset (18:35 EST) on that date in New York City; therefore, conditions would have been impossible for observing the onset of the magnetic storm on the East Coast of the United States, during the period of maximum intensity, and the rest of the country would have been in full sunlight for several more hours. Standardized Time Zones would not be established in the United States until 1883. "The New York Times" report on the Stewart Super Flare for August 30, 1859 was on page one, above the fold, upper right corner and two full columns in length. This was the major news story for that date. The later reports on the Carrington Super Flare did not enjoy the same level of coverage, even though some of the displays may have been more spectacular given the timing of the events. Reports Associated With the Carrington Super Flare  Balfour Stewart reported that the magnetic storm from the Carrington Super Flare began at 05:00 GMT on the morning of September 2, 1859 as recorded by self-recording magnetograph at the Kew Observatory. This was equivalent to approximately midnight 00:00 EST in New York City. In all areas of the United States, not obscured by clouds, viewing conditions would have been ideal while the magnetic storm was at maximum intensity. Note that some locations in the Western United States could have reported events for late in the evening of September 1, 1859. "The New York Times" report from Boston is of particular note because it may provide enough information to calculate the minimum illumination generated by the aurora. The Auroral Display in Boston Boston, Friday, Sept. 2  There was another display on the aurora last night, so brilliant that at about one o'clock ordinary print could be read by the light. The effect continued through this forenoon considerably affecting the working of the telegraph lines. The auroral currents from east to west were so regular that the operators on the Eastern lines were able to hold communication and transmit messages over the line between this city and Portland, the usual batteries being discontinued from the wire. The same effects were experienced upon the Cape Cod and other lines. One o'clock Boston time on Friday September 2, would have been 6:00 GMT and the self-recording magnetograph at the Kew Observatory was recording the geomagnetic storm, which was then one hour old, at its full intensity; this is amazingly accurate news reporting. Reports Associated With Both Super Flares  In George Bartlett Prescott's book, Chapter XIX on Terrestrial Magnetism (pp. 305–332) contains multiple reports of Auroral events disrupting telegraph communications, the times for which are in remarkable good agreement with the times reports by Balfour Stewart for the two magnetic storms between August 28 and September 2, 1859.