Category: Solar Activity

Solar Activity Update and Hot Headlines for December 8, 2015

12/8/2015

Solar activity is expected to continue at very low levels with a chance for C-class flares all three days (08-10 Dec), and a slight chance for M-class (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) radio blackouts on days two and three (09-10 Dec) due to an increased overall flare probability from the active region noted in STEREO imagery, rotating onto the visible disc.

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Today's Solar Weather Update & Top News Headlines

10/19/2015

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Posted by Apparently Apparel in Alternative, Hot Headlines, Solar Activity

Good evening. A quick solar update as we prepare to head into Friday. Solar activity during the past 24 hours was low with a number of minor C-Flares detected. Region 2434 in the southeast quadrant was the source of much of this activity and will remain a threat for an isolated moderate M-Flare. A potential active region located just beyond the northeast limb was responsible for a C4.9 flare at 23:05 UTC Thursday evening. Attached photo captured by SDO using the 131 angstroms channel captures the aforementioned (C4.9) flare. We will get a better look during the next 24-48 hours.

Geomagnetic activity during the past 24 hours has been fairly quiet. The solar wind is currently just above 400 km/s and the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) is pointing slightly south. Sky watchers at higher latitudes should remain alert as a minor (G1) storm watch will remain in effect for the next day.

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Solar Activity Update & Top Headlines for Sep. 30th

9/30/2015

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Posted by Apparently Apparel in Alternative, Daily News, Hot Headlines, Solar Activity

An impressive coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed in coronagraph imagery today following a large prominence eruption off the west limb. The widescale plasma cloud does not appear to have an Earth directed component due to its non geoeffective positioning. Had this been directed towards Earth, major geomagnetic storming would have been likely.

Below is an up close and personal look at sunspot cluster 2422 as we head into Wednesday. The active region maintains a complex magnetic configuration with a number of relatively small delta zones present. C-Class and isolated moderate M-Class flares will be possible during the next 24 hours with a smaller threat for a major X-Class event. All imagery courtesy of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) using the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) instrument. In addition to Sunspot 2422, a large prominence is currently in the process of lifting off on Wednesday morning. Should a coronal mass ejection (CME) be associated, it will likely be directed away from Earth. Still a great looking event courtesy of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) using the 304 angstroms channel.

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Solar Activity Update & Top Headlines for Sep. 29th

9/29/2015

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Posted by Apparently Apparel in Alternative, Daily News, Solar Activity, Hot Headlines

CHANCE OF FLARES: NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of M-class solar flares and a 25% chance of X-flares on Sept. 30th. The likely source would be giant sunspot AR2422, which has an unstable 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field. Radio blackouts and radiation storms are possible if the sunspot explodes.

UNSTABLE PROMINENCE: If sunspot AR2422 does not explode today, something else might. A spectacular prominence is dancing along the western limb of the sun:

Randy Shivak took the picture from his backyard observatory in Prescott Valley, Arizona. "The prominence is huge, and seems to be lifting off the solar surface," he says.

Prominences are clouds of hot plasma held above the sun's surface by solar magnetic fields. The magnetic infrastructure of this prominence appears to be connected to an active sunspot (AR2423) just behind the sun's western limb. If that sunspot flares, it could destabilize or even destroy the prominence. Amateur astronomers with solar telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments.

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Thursday's Top Headlines & Solar Activity Update

9/26/2015

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Solar wind flowing from the indicated coronal hole should reach Earth on Sept. 26-27. Credit: SDO/AIA.

Posted by Apparently Apparel in Alternative, Daily News, Hot Headlines, Solar Activity

NO IMPACT: A CME that might have sideswiped Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 23rd did not. It missed. As a result, geomagnetic activity is low as northern fall begins. The next chance for auroras is Sept. 25-26 when a high-speed stream of solar wind arrives. Aurora alerts: text or voice

SUPERMOON ECLIPSE: This weekend's full Moon is a supermoon, the biggest and brightest full Moon of the year. And it is going to be eclipsed. On Sunday evening, Sept. 27th, the supermoon will pass through the shadow of Earth, turning the lunar disk a coppery shade of red. Click on the image, below, to view an animation of the eclipse and to find out when to look: