Surprise: The Sun is Flaring Again

Source - Space Weather News for April 2, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

THE SUN WAKES UP: Suddenly, solar flare activity is high. Following months of quiet with negligible flares, new sunspot AR2644 unleashed a series of M-class explosions on April 1st and 2nd. Each blast produced a shortwave radio blackout over a different part of our planet. The powerful explosions also sent beams of radio energy toward Earth, causing roars of static to issue from the loudspeakers of some shortwave receivers. Listen to a sample audio file on today's edition of Spaceweather.com, and stay tuned for more flares on April 3rd as the sunspot shows little sign of quieting.

Where did all the sunspots go?

Source - Space Weather News for June 4, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

WHERE DID ALL THE SUNSPOTS GO? Something interesting is happening on the sun.  On Friday, June 3rd, the sunspot number dropped to 0, and the solar disk is still blank this weekend. This is a sign that the sun is slowly shifting into a new phase of the solar cycle.  Learn more about the transformation on Spaceweather.com.

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH:  NOAA forecasters say there is a 70% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on June 4th and 5th as Earth enters a stream of fast-moving solar wind.  This is the same stream, by the way, that triggered the fabulous Mother's Day Storm last month, when auroras were photographed in the USA as far south as Kansas and Arkansas. Visit Spaceweather.com for more information and updates

Did Cosmic Rays Kill the Martian?

DID COSMIC RAYS KILL THE MARTIAN?  A senior space weather analyst has calculated the odds that astronauts in the hit film The Martian could have survived solar flares and cosmic rays during their travels to Mars. Learn more about the science behind the blockbuster on today's edition of  http://spaceweather.com.

BEAUTIFUL ERUPTION:  Earlier today, a massive and beautiful plume of plasma erupted near the sun's southeastern limb. The event could herald the approach of an active sunspot and an increase in solar activity this weekend.  

Check http://spaceweather.com for update.

Deep Quiet on the Sun

Source - Space Weather News for April 30, 2015: http://spaceweather.com

DEEP QUIET: Everyone knows that high solar activity has a profound effect on the space around Earth.  Less well known is that *low* solar activity can be equally transformative. This week, the sun is plunging into a quiet state with almost no sunspots and a vanishing chance of flares. Find out what this means on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com

OTHER STORIES: we are following on http://spaceweather.com today: (1) A 10,000 km-long plume of sulfurous gas from Chile's Calbuco volcano is now crossing the Atlantic Ocean en route to Africa; and (2) On April 28th, microbes sent to the edge of space to test their response to cosmic radiation crash-landed in the California desert--and it did not go well for the microbes.

Solar Activity Picks Up

Source - Space Weather News for August 22, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: Solar activity has been low for weeks. A new sunspot turning toward Earth could change that. AR2149 announced itself on August 21st with a M3-class solar flare that sent waves of ionization coursing through Earth's upper atmosphere.  The active region appears capable of more eruptions in the days ahead.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates.

MORNING SKY SHOW:  Set your alarm for dawn--again.  The crescent Moon is joining Jupiter and Venus to form a bright triangle in the early morning sky. The best time to look is August 23rd about 30 to 45 minutes before local sunrise. Photos of the encounter may be found at http://spaceweathergallery.com

Weekend fireballs kick off annual Perseid meteor shower

Space Weather News for July 27, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

WEEKEND FIREBALLS:  Fireballs detected this weekend by NASA meteor cameras signal the start of the annual Perseid meteor shower.  The shower's peak isn't due until August, but now might be the best time to look.  Find out why at http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR FLARE SURPRISE? Lately, the sun has been remarkably quiet. Statistics show, however, that the most potent eruptions often occur during the declining phase of the solar cycle, taking forecasters by complete surprise. 

More than ever, now is the time for X-flare alerts available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Eerie Quiet Descends on the Sun

Source - Space Weather News for July 17, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

SUDDEN QUIET: Less than two weeks ago, the sun was peppered with large active regions.  Now, the face of the sun is almost completely blank.  Suddenly, the sunspot number and the sun's x-ray output have dropped to their lowest levels in years.  Is Solar Maximum finished?  Probably not, but the ongoing quiet spell is remarkable. 

Check http://spaceweather.com for forecasts and further discussion.

Strong Solar Activity on Oct. 25th

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 25, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

GLOBAL SOLAR ACTIVITY: Solar activity is high and intensifying. This morning, new sunspot AR1882 unleashed an X1-class solar flare.  The flare was bracketed by two erupting magnetic filaments--an ensemble of explosions that involved more than half of the solar disk.

For more information on these blasts and possible Earth-effects, visit http://spaceweather.com

The Sun Goes Strangely Quiet

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 14, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

QUIET SUN: Right in the middle of Solar Max, the sun has entered one of its deepest quiet spells in years. Flare activity has subsided and the sun's x-ray output has flatlined.  This event highlights the unpredictability of the solar cycle.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and commentary.

AURORAS ANYWAY: Even during a period of low solar activity, geomagnetic storms and auroras are possible as solar wind streams buffet Earth's magnetic field. Earth is inside such a stream right now. Geomagnetic storm alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

First Perseid fireballs reach Earth

Source - Space Weather News for August 2, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

PERSEID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is entering a broad stream of debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although the shower won't peak until August 12-13, when Earth hits the densest part of the stream, the first Perseids are already arriving. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

QUIET SUN: Many readers are asking about a recent media report, which stated that a Carrington-class solar storm narrowly missed Earth two weeks ago. That report is inaccurate.  Solar activity was low throughout July and remains low as August begins. Details at http://spaceweather.com.

SOLAR FLARE ALERTS: Would you like a call when solar flares are underway? X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Strong Solar Activity Continues

Source - Space Weather News for May 14, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

Solar activity is high.  During a 24 hour period straddling May 13th and 14th, the sun unleashed three X-class solar flares.  These are the strongest flares of the year so far, and they signal a significant increase in solar activity.  The source of the flares, a large sunspot on the sun's eastern limb, appears poised to erupt again as it turns toward Earth.

Check http://spaceweather.com for updates and more information.

Solar Cycle Update: Twin Peaks?

Source - NASA Science News for March 1, 2013

Something unexpected is happening on the sun. 2013 is supposed to be the year of Solar Max, but solar activity is lower than expected. At least one leading forecaster expects the sun to rebound with a double-peaked maximum later this year.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/01mar_twinpeaks/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6j4bl57D_1U



License: Standard YouTube License

The UN Braces for Stormy Space Weather

Source - NASA Science News for Feb. 13, 2013

Forecasters say solar maximum is due in 2013. To prepare, the United Nations is taking steps to organize an international response to stormy space weather.

From the article: "Space weather might play a role in Earth’s climate, too.  For example, the Maunder minimum, a 70-year period almost devoid of sunspots in the late 17th to early 18th century, coincided with prolonged, very cold winters in the northern hemisphere.  Researchers are increasingly convinced that variations in solar activity have regional effects on climate and weather that pay no attention to national boundaries, and thus can only be studied in meaningful detail by international consortia."

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2013/13feb_copuos/

Solar Activity Moderately High

Source - Space Weather News for August 18, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY PICKS UP: Following a week of quiet, solar activity is picking up again with a series of M-class solar flares off the sun's northeastern limb.  So far none of the eruptions has been Earth-directed.  This could change, however, with the approach of an active farside sunspot that appears set to turn toward our planet in the days ahead.  Check http://spaceweather.com for movies and forecasts.

SOLAR FLARE ALERTS: Would you like a call when solar flares are underway? X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

High Solar Activity Produces CMEs, Radio Bursts

Source - Space Weather News for July 5, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

HIGH SOLAR ACTIVITY: Sunspot AR1515 has grown into a behemoth more than 10 times wider than Earth. The active region is crackling with M-class solar flares and seems poised to produce even stronger X-flares in the days ahead.  At least one CME is en route to Earth, and ham radio operators are reporting shortwave solar radio bursts roaring from the loudspeakers of their receivers.  Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

X-FLARE ALERTS: Would you like a call when solar flares are underway? X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Solar Storm Dumps Gigawatts into Earth's Upper Atmosphere

Source - NASA Science News for March 22, 2012

A flurry of solar activity in early March dumped enough heat in Earth's upper atmosphere to power every residence in New York City for two years. The heat has since dissipated, but there's more to come as the solar cycle intensifies.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/22mar_saber/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEFQHDSYP1I

A Remarkable Display of Solar Activity

Source - Space Weather News for Nov. 13, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: The sun is putting on one of its best displays of the new solar cycle--not with sunspots and flares, but rather with towering walls of plasma and filaments of magnetism. One dark filament is stretching more than a million kilometers across the face of the sun, about three times the distance between Earth and the Moon. Visit http://spaceweather.com for pictures and more information about these remarkable structures.

DON'T MISS THE NEXT FLARE: Would you like a call when strong flares are in progress? Realtime solar activity alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Strong Solar Activity Continues

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 24, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: New sunspot 1302 is crackling with strong solar flares. This morning it unleashed an X2-class flare--its second X-flare in two days--quickly followed by an M7-class eruption. So far the blasts have not been Earth-directed, but this could change in the days ahead as the sunspot turns toward our planet. The sunspot is growing and there is no sign that it will quiet down soon. Visit http://spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

DON'T MISS THE NEXT FLARE: Would you like a call when X-flares are in progress? Realtime solar activity alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Strong Solar Activity Could Spark Auroras

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 7, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: On Sept. 6th, active sunspot 1283 produced two major eruptions including an impulsive X2-class solar flare. The blasts hurled a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) toward Earth, which could spark geomagnetic activity when they arrive on Sept. 8-10.

High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead. Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

DON'T MISS THE STORM: Would you like a call when geomagnetic storms are in progress? Storm alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Major Solar Flare on August 9th

Source - Space Weather News for August 9, 2011: http://spaceweather.com

X-FLARE: This morning at 0805 UT, sunspot 1263 produced an X7-class solar flare--so far the most powerful flare of new Solar Cycle 24. The brunt of the explosion was not Earth directed. Even so, a minor solar proton storm is in progress around our planet, and the flare also created waves of ionization in Earth's upper atmosphere. Visit http://spaceweather.com for images and more information.

SOLAR FLARE ALERTS: Did you miss the eruption? Next time get a solar flare alert: http://spaceweathertext.com (text) or http://spaceweatherpone.com (voice).