Solar Flare Causes "Ground Level Event"

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 12, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

GROUND LEVEL RADIATION EVENT: Sunday's powerful X8-class solar flare from departing sunspot AR2673 accelerated a swarm of protons toward Earth, producing a strong solar radiation storm and a "ground level event" (GLE). High-energy particles normally held at bay by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field penetrated all the way to the ground on Sept. 10th. A leading analyst of GLEs says that radiation dose rates onboard commercial jets flying at high latitudes may have briefly doubled during the episode.

Learn more about GLEs and what caused this solar flare to be so effective on today's edition of Spaceweather.com

Above: The 'snow' in this Sept. 10th image from a coronagraph onboard the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) is caused by a blizzard of energetic particles striking the spacecraft's digital camera. The solar radiation storm was so strong, some of these particles reached the surface of Earth. 

Another Major Solar Flare on Sept. 10th

Source - Space Weather News for Sept. 10, 2017: http://spaceweather.com

ANOTHER X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Departing sunspot AR2673 erupted again on Sept.10th (1606 UT), producing a major X8-class solar flare. A moderately strong solar radiation storm is underway as protons accelerated by the blast swarm around our planet. Shortwave radio blackouts over the Americas and around Earth's poles have also been observed in the aftermath of the explosion.

Visit Spaceweather.com for updates and more information.

Above: The extreme ultraviolet flash from today's X8-class flare as seen by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. More snapshots of the flare may be found in the Space Weather Photo Gallery.

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

X2-flare and Radio Blackout on March 11, 2015

Source - Space Weather News for March 11, 2015: http://spaceweather.com

EARTH DIRECTED X-FLARE: On March 11th at approximately 16:22 UT (09:22 PDT) sunspot AR2297 unleashed a strong X2-class solar flare. Extreme UV radiation from the blast is causing HF radio fade-outs and other propagation effects on the dayside of Earth, primarily over the Americas. 

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

X-flare on Dec. 20th

Space Weather News for Dec. 20, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

Solar activity is high.  A pair of large sunspots is crossing the center of the solar disk, and both are crackling with flares.  The strongest so far, an X1.8-class flare on Dec. 20th, caused a strong HF radio blackout over the South Pacific and might have hurled a CME toward Earth. 

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

Resurgent old sunspot crackles with flares

Space Weather News for Nov. 16, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

Back for a second trip across the face of the Sun, old sunspot AR2192 is growing again and crackling with M-class solar flares.  The active region has an unstable magnetic field that harbors energy for even stronger X-flares. Future eruptions could affect Earth as the sunspot turns toward our planet in the days ahead. 

Check http://spaceweather.com for updates.

X-flare and Martian Meteor Shower

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

MARTIAN METEOR SHOWER: NASA and European spacecraft have detected evidence of a "spectacular" meteor shower on Mars caused by the close approach of Comet Siding Spring last month.  If a human had been standing on the Red Planet at the time, they might have seen thousands of meteors per hour followed by a widespread yellow afterglow that lasted for days.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information.

X-FLARE!  Active sunspot AR2205 produced a potent X1-class solar flare on Nov. 7th, causing a strong HF radio blackout on the dayside of our planet. More X-flares are in the offing as the sunspot turns toward Earth this weekend.  Visit http://spaceweather.com for 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).

Big Sunspot Produces X-Flare

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 19, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

X-FLARE: Solar activity increased sharply on Oct. 19th when huge sunspot AR2192 unleashed an X1-class solar flare.  The blast produced an HF radio blackout on the dayside of Earth and it likely hurled a CME into space.

Check http://spaceweather.com for pictures of the flare and more information about possible Earth-effects.

Earth-Directed X-flare

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

X-FLARE:  Active sunspot AR2158 erupted on Sept. 10th, producing a strong X1.6-class solar flare.  Because the sunspot is directly facing Earth, this is a geoeffective event.  HF radio blackouts and other communications disturbances have already been observed on the day-lit side of Earth. 

Stay tuned to http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates about the possibility of an Earth-directed CME and geomagnetic storms in the days ahead.

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.

X-Flare Produces 'Magnetic Crochet'

Source - Space Weather News for March 30, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

X-FLARE:  The magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2017 erupted yesterday, March 29th, producing an impulsive X1-class solar flare.  Ionizing radiation from the flare produced electrical currents in Earth's upper atmosphere and a ripple in Earth's magnetic field detected by magnetometers across the dayside of our planet. 

Read more about this rare "magnetic crochet" and the possibility of more X-flares this weekend on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com.

CME Impact and Geomagnetic Storm

Souce - Space Weather News for Feb. 27, 2014: http://spaceweather.com

CME IMPACT: As expected, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field today (Feb. 27th @ 1645 UT), and the impact has triggered geomagnetic storms around Earth's poles.  The CME is an after-effect of the X4.9 class solar flare reported on Feb. 25th.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for updates about this developing space weather event.

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.

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).

Solar Activity Alert: New Sunspot Crackles with M-flares

Source - Space Weather News for Nov. 21, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

SOLAR ACTIVITY: A big new sunspot (AR1618) has emerged near the center of the solar disk, and it is crackling with strong M-class solar flares.  NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of more M-flares today, and a 15% chance of powerful X-flares.  If the rapid growth of AR1618 continues apace, the Thanksgiving holiday (USA) could be filled with stormy space weather.  Check http://spaceweather.com for 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).

X-class Solar Flare on Oct. 23rd

Source - Space Weather News for Oct. 23, 2012: http://spaceweather.com

HIGH SOLAR ACTIVITY:  New sunspot AR1598 has boosted solar activity to high levels.  This morning, Oct. 23rd, it produced a powerful X1-class solar flare.  There have been four significant flares since the active region emerged three days ago, and it seems that more could be in the offing. Check 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).