Major X-class Solar Flare

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 6, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: On Sept. 6, 2017, at 12:02UT, active sunspot AR2673 unleashed an X9.3-class solar flare--the strongest solar flare in more than a decade. The explosion also hurled a CME into space, and possibly toward Earth. Analysis of the event is still underway.

Visit Spaceweather.com for updates and more information about the historical context of today's remarkable flare.

Above: The extreme UV flash from today's X9-class flare. Credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory

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.

New Sunspot Emerges and Explodes

Source - Space Weather News for June 1, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

ACTIVE SUNSPOT: On June 1st, a small but surprisingly active sunspot rotated over the sun's eastern limb. In less than 24 hours, it has unleashed nearly a dozen C-class solar flares and hurled a pair of CMEs into space--an impressive display of fireworks. So far, none of the explosions have targeted Earth, but this could change in the days ahead as the active region rotates toward our planet.

Visit Spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

Big Sunspot Faces Earth

Source - Space Weather News for April 1, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOT FACES EARTH: 2017 has been a year of few sunspots. That makes AR2645 even more remarkable. In recent days, the young sunspot has grown rapidly into a behemoth more than 150,000 km wide with a magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class (moderately strong) solar flares. Because it is directly facing Earth, any eruptions this weekend could partially ionize the top of our planet's atmosphere and alter the normal propagation of radio transmissions around the globe.

Visit Spaceweather.com to view a movie of the growing sunspot.

Quiet Sunspot Wakes Up, Explodes

 
Source - Space Weather News for April 18, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOT ERUPTS: Surprise! Quiet sunspot AR2529 isn't so quiet, after all. The heart-shaped active region erupted on April 18th (00:39 UT), producing a strong M6.7-class solar flare and shortwave radio blackouts around the Pacific. Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.

Big Sunspot Gets Bigger

Source - Space Weather News for April 10, 2016: http://spaceweather.com

BIG SUNSPOT GETS BIGGER: The sun's headlong plunge into solar minimum has been interrupted by the surprise emergence of a big sunspot. Wide enough to swallow Earth with room to spare, AR2529 doubled in size over the weekend. The behemoth is now being photographed by amateur astronomers around the world and closely monitored by NASA spacecraft.

Visit Spaceweather.com for more information.

Solar flare and Earth-directed CME

Source - Space Weather News for Dec. 28, 2015: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR FLARE AND CME: Big sunspot AR2473 erupted on Dec. 28th, producing an M1.9-class solar flare, a minor radio blackout in the southern hemisphere, and a coronal mass ejection (CME) that appears to be heading directly for Earth.  This explosion sets the stage for possible geomagnetic storms later this week when the CME reaches our planet.  Visit Spaceweather.com for more information.

POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS: For the second time this month, Arctic sky watchers are reporting a rare outbreak of super-colorful polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs).  Photos and observing tips are featured on today's edition of 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.

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

X-class Solar Flare

Source - Space Weather News for Feb. 25, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

X-FLARE:  Long-lived sunspot AR1967 returned to the Earthside of the sun on Feb. 25th and promptly erupted, producing an X4.9-class solar flare.  This is the strongest flare of the year so far and one of the strongest of the current solar cycle. 

Check http://spaceweather.com for updates about this eruption and the possibility of more to come.

Auroras for Valentine's Day?

Source - Space Weather News for Feb 14, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

AURORAS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY? Three CMEs are heading for Earth. Individually they are minor clouds. However, by striking Earth's magnetic field in quick succession on Feb 14-15, they could cause significant geomagnetic activity around the poles. Check http://spaceweather.com for updates about possible auroras on Valentine's Day.

SOLAR FLARE ALERTS:  Big sunspot AR1974 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong flares.  

X-flare alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (voice).

New Year's Day Solar Flares

Source - Space Weather News for Jan. 2, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: The New Year began with a burst of solar activity.  Active sunspot AR1936 is crackling with strong M-class solar flares, including an M9.9 event on Jan. 1st that stopped just short of becoming a powerful X-flare. Also on New Year's Day, another large sunspot emerged over the sun's eastern limb: AR1944 appears set to add its own contribution to the fusillade of explosions.

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

X-Flare on May 13th

Source - Space Weather News for May 13, 2013: http://spaceweather.com

X-FLARE: A sunspot hiding behind the sun's eastern limb erupted on May 13th at 02:17 UT, producing the strongest solar flare of the year so far (X1.7).  The blast site  will turn toward Earth in a few days. This will give forecasters a better view of the active region and allow them to gauge its potential for more explosions. Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates and images of today's X-flare.

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).