A Solar Storm is Coming

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 5, 2017:  http://spaceweather.com

A SOLAR STORM IS COMING: Yesterday, during a flurry of M-class solar flares, sunspot AR2673 hurled a CME toward Earth. NOAA forecasters say the cloud is likely to arrive late on Sept. 6th, causing moderately-strong (G2-class) geomagnetic storms with isolated periods of strong (G3-class) storming on Sept. 6th and 7th.

Visit Spaceweather.com to view the aurora forecast and a movie of the CME leaving the sun.

 

Above: The source of the incoming solar storm is huge sunspot AR2673, shown here in a Sept. 5th photo taken by amateur astronomer Philippe Tosi of Nîmes, France. An image of Earth was inserted for scale. More pictures of this sunspot may be found in the Space Weather Photo Gallery. 

Image credit:  Philippe TOSI on September 5, 2017 @ FRANCE - Nîmes

Big Sunspots Facing Earth

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 3, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

SUNSPOT GENESIS: Two big sunspot groups are now facing Earth. Behemoth AR2674 has been growing for days, while newcomer AR2673 has suddenly quadrupled in size, with multiple dark cores breaching the surface of the sun in just the past 24 hours. The rapid development of these regions could herald Earth-directed flares in the days ahead.

Visit Spaceweather.com for movies of sunspot genesis in action.

A Big Sunspot is Turning Toward Earth

Source - Space Weather News for July 7, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOT TURNS TOWARD EARTH: A new and large sunspot is rapidly growing on the solar disk, temporarily arresting the sun's plunge into Solar Minimum. Stretching more than 70,000 km from end to end, the active region numbered AR2665 has more than doubled in size in 24 hours. This makes it an easy target for backyard solar telescopes. So far the growing sunspot has not produced any strong flares, but this could change if its rapid growth continues apace and destabilizes the sunspot's magnetic field.

Visit Spaceweather.com for movies and updates.

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.

Sunspot Surprise

Source - Space Weather News for Jan. 25, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

SUNSPOT SURPRISE: Barely visible only 24 hours ago, a new sunspot group big enough to swallow Earth is bubbling up through the solar surface. So far the active region poses no threat for strong solar flares, but this could change if its rapid growth continues. Visit today's edition of Spaceweather.com to view a movie of sunspot genesis, and to learn how this development fits in with the recent "crash" of the sunspot cycle.

HIGH-LATITUDE AURORA WATCH: A hole in the sun's atmosphere is spewing a stream of solar wind toward Earth. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the stream arrives on Jan. 27-28. Monitor the realtimeaurora gallery for sightings.

Weird Upper-Atmospheric Wave Ripples across China

Source - Space Weather News for Nov. 30, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

WEIRD ATMOSPHERIC WAVE RIPPLES OVER CHINA: On Nov. 24th, a deep-rippling wave at the edge of space crossed the night sky above China. Eye-witnesses saw the airglow layer split in two, and at least one photographer captured beautiful images of the event.  It might be a type of exotic wave called a "mesospheric bore."

Visit Spaceweather.com to see the photos and learn more.

UNEXPECTED SOLAR FLARES: Catching forecasters off guard, a new sunspot (AR2615) has emerged and it is crackling with M-class solar flares. Minor radio blackouts are underway on Nov. 29-30 as pulses of UV and X-radiation ionize the top of Earth's atmosphere.  This is *not* a major space weather event, but it is a break from the sun's recent deepening quiet.

The Strongest Solar Flare of 2016

Source - Space Weather News for July 23, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR FLARES: Departing sunspot complex AR2565-AR2567 unleashed a pair of rapid-fire solar flares during the early hours of July 23rd. One of them was the strongest flare of the year so far.  The explosions caused shortwave radio blackouts on the dayside of Earth and may have hurled CMEs into space.

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

Big Sunspots Staring at Earth

Source - Space Weather News  for July 17, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOTS STARING AT EARTH: Solar activity has been low for months.  That could soon change.  Two big sunspots are staring directly at Earth, and one of them has an unstable magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class solar flares. Images and updates are available at http://spaceweather.com

NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS INVADE THE USA: For the first time this summer, bright noctilucent clouds have crossed the Canadian border into the continental USA.  Formed by wisps of summertime water vapor freezing around meteor smoke, the electric-blue ripples were sighted by multiple observers in Seattle and surrounding areas. Check out the video on http://spaceweather.com.

Big Sunspot Crackles with Flares

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 29, 2015: http://spaceweather.com

HIGH SOLAR ACTIVITY: Big sunspot AR2422 is crackling with M-class solar flares and it has an unstable magnetic field that harbors energy for even stronger eruptions. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance of powerful X-class solar flares during the next 24 hours. 

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

The Mystery of Nanoflares

Source - NASA Science News for March 19, 2015

Tiny solar flares on the Sun may be having an outsized effect on the temperature of the sun's atmosphere. To investigate, scientists will observe these "nano flares" using a space telescope built for black holes.

The complete article can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2015/19mar_nanoflares/

A companion video is posted below and can also be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjB9JtTU7SU&feature=youtu.be



License: Standard YouTube License

Solar Flare and Radio Blackout

Source - Space Weather News for March 7, 2015: http://spaceweather.com

ACTIVE SUNSPOT: A sunspot has emerged near the sun's southeastern limb, and it is crackling with strong flares.  The most powerful so far, an M9-class explosion on March 7th, produced a moderately-strong radio blackout over the Pacific side of Earth. 

Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

Rapid-fire X-flares from Giant Sunspot 2192

Space Weather News for Oct. 25, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

Solar activity continues to be at high levels this weekend as giant sunspot AR2192 crackles with strong flares, including two X-class explosions in less than 24 hours. The flares are causing intermittent HF radio blackouts around the dayside of Earth.  However, no major CMEs are yet heading in our direction. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

DID YOU MISS THE FLARES? Next time get a phone call. Real-time solar activity alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Meteor Activity Intensifies

Source - Space Weather News for August 4, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

METEOR ACTIVITY: Meteor activity is increasing as Earth plunges deeper into the debris stream of Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Last night alone, NASA cameras recorded more than a dozen Perseid fireballs along with one sporadic bolide (exploding meteor) that might have dropped pieces of itself over the southeastern USA.  

Visit http://spaceweather.com for video and observing tips.

CHANCE OF FLARES: Sunspot AR2130 is directly facing Earth and it has a complex 'delta-class' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong flares.  X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

New Sunspot Sparks Double X-Flare

Source - Space Weather News for June 10, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

DOUBLE X-FLARE:  Breaking a weeks-long spell of quiet, the sun erupted on June 10th, producing not one but two X-class solar flares. The source is a new sunspot just emerging over the sun's southeastern limb. This active region is not squarely facing our planet.  However, it will become increasingly geoeffective as it turns toward Earth in the days ahead.

Check http://spaceweather.com for details and updates.

Huge Sunspot Erupts

Source - Space Weather News for Jan. 7, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY:  One of the largest sunspots in years, AR1944, has turned toward  Earth and it is crackling with strong flares.  So far on Jan. 7th, the active region has produced M7- and X1-class eruptions, and more appear to be in the offing.  As this alert is being issued, analysts are waiting for more data from solar observatories to clarify the possibility of CME impacts and geomagnetic storms in the days ahead.

For updates, stay tuned to: http://spaceweather.com.

SOLAR FLARE ALERTS:  Would you like a call the next time sunspot AR1944 erupts? X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

Solar Activity is High as a Big Sunspot Turns to Face Earth

Source - Space Weather News for Nov. 8, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

HIGH SOLAR ACTIVITY: This week, Jupiter-sized sunspot AR1890 unleashed two brief but intense X-class solar flares and numerous M-class solar flares. More eruptions are in the offing as the sunspot turns to directly face Earth over the weekend.

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.

A Big Sunspot Turns Toward Earth

Source - Space Weather News for Jan. 11, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

ACTIVE SUNSPOT:  One of the biggest sunspots of the current solar cycle is now turning toward Earth. Named AR1654, the active region is crackling with medium-sized (M-class) flares and could be poised to break the recent spell of calm space weather around our planet.  Check http://spaceweather.com for images and updates.

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).

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).

Curiosity's First Daredevil Stunt: Solar Flares

Source - NASA Science News for August 2, 2012

When Curiosity enters the Martian atmosphere on August 6th, setting in motion "the seven minutes of terror" that people are buzzing about, the rover will actually be performing the mission's second daredevil stunt. The first was completed in July.

The full story can be found here: http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/02aug_rad2/