Sunspot Activity

[Mondy]

Report from NASA..!

http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15...minexplodes.htm

[kar999]

Have just been watching some faint green aurora through broken cloud here.... Shame it's not any clearer.

It's often worth checking out the webcams at the Met Office site for Scotland which run 24/7.

http://www.metoffice.com/weather/europe/uk/webcam/ Particularly the Eskdalemuir and the Aboyne ones.

(From spacew.com)

Updated: 12:15 UTC 15 September (8:15 am EDT, 15 September):

Geomagnetic and Auroral Activity Update

The coronal mass ejection has arrived. It is currently producing periods of minor geomagnetic storm conditions. Activity has the potential to intensify toward major storm levels during the next 12 hours, with a slight chance for isolated severe storming (K-indices could range from 5 to 7). Some dark-sky mid-latitude regions may spot periods of activity. The best locations now appear to be New Zealand, Australia and northern Russia. Conditions may remain favorable for Europeans tonight as well. The prospects do not look so good for North Americans, however. The disturbance is likely to decay before darkness falls again tonight.

Solar Activity Update

Region 808 is in a gradual state of simplification. It produced another impulsive X-class flare (X1.1 at 08:38 UTC). We are uncertain if this event was associated with an Earthward-directed coronal mass ejection. There is insufficient data available at the present time.

Edited September 15, 2005 by kar999

[Mondy]

Sunspot still chucking out flares - all M or C class now. Definetly decaying.

Perhaps now solar min will occur - this was certainly unexpected.

[Mondy]

May well be very wrong, but could it be GOES 12 satellite is down because of the recent solar activity? http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/SATS/SPBULL/MSG2601624.01.txt

Subject: GI: Satellite Data Outage Goes-12

Topic: Satellite Data Outage

Message Issued: 09-17-05 / 1550z

Satellites Impacted: GOES-12

Products Impacted: images, products, etc...

Date/Time of Initial Impact: 1550z

-------------------------------

Details:

SOCC informed the Helpdesk that GOES-12 data flow is interrupted by a

satellite anomaly. It is unknown how long this may last.

Edited September 17, 2005 by Mondy

[Mondy]

Nice report on last months' solar activity..

You learn something new everyday <_<

Giant sunspot 798 unleashed nine X-class solar flares and an even greater number of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). While all this was going on, something strange happened onboard the International Space Station (ISS): radiation levels dropped. How can this be? Simple: CMEs propelled toward Earth by the explosions swept away cosmic rays that would otherwise penetrate the hull of the ISS.

Edited October 10, 2005 by Mondy

[kar999]

Live Aurora video stream from Alaska is now back up on line.

http://www.aurorawebcam.com/webcam.php?page=aurorawebcam

(Display low on the horizon currently in progress as I type this 11:06)

EDIT: Quite a powerful display now 11:25

Edited November 1, 2005 by kar999

[frogesque]

Thanks for the link kar999. Nice active display continuing.

Edited November 1, 2005 by frogesque

[kar999]

Yep, pretty active right now!

There is another webcam at Fairbanks here http://salmon.nict.go.jp/awc/live/index_e.php

I captured this image a few minutes ago.

It's a bit cold there -23.34c

[kar999]

Some nice live activity from Alaska right now... 11:10gmt

http://www.aurorawebcam.com/webcam.php?page=aurorawebcam

Edited November 3, 2005 by kar999

[frogesque]

Yep, had a look in on that this am. too. Site has been down for a few days but up and running again.

Sun is blank again today but I've been rummaging about in some dusty pc files and found this pic taken with a borowed digi camera last year on (or round about) 9th. November. It was dry cold and freezing hard! What a difference

[kar999]

At last! After a month of a blank sun, a nice M-class potential sunspot appears.

Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity

SDF Number 318 Issued at 2200Z on 14 Nov 2005

IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 13/2100Z

to 14/2100Z: Solar activity was at moderate levels. Region 822

(S06E55) produced two M-class flares: an M2.6 flare at 0421 UTC and

an M3.9 flare at 1423 UTC. A Type II radio sweep was observed in

association with the M3.9 flare. Region 822 is a magnetic

beta-gamma spot group and has grown over the past 24 hours. The

remainder of the disk was spotless.

IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be at

moderate levels. If the region continues to grow, there is a

possibility for major flare activity.

[frogesque]

Heee! If it can hold on until it rotates to face us we shoud be past full moon too. Maybe I'll finally get a chance to really put my camera through its paces.

[shuggee]

Now that is interesting - what with cold frosty clear nights on the cards til the weekend

[Mondy]

Big Sunspot Alert!

Possible aurora's soon?

Sunspot 822 is enormous. From end to end it stretches some 140,000 km, about the diameter of Jupiter.

Sunspot 822 is crackling with M-class solar flares. So far the explosions have not affected Earth, but this could change in the days ahead. The sunspot is turning to face our planet, increasing the chances of an Earth-directed eruption.

http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Mondy]

FARSIDE ACTIVITY: Something on the farside of the sun is exploding. Since Nov. 19th, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has observed at least two CMEs hurled over the sun's limb:

CME1

CME2

http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Gray-Wolf]

FARSIDE ACTIVITY: Something on the farside of the sun is exploding. Since Nov. 19th, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has observed at least two CMEs hurled over the sun's limb: :blush:

CME1

CME2

http://www.spaceweather.com/

If it's still 'hot ' when it comes round earthside we'll be at the new moon (and under freezing clear skies??) so any aurouras will be good n' groovy :blush:

[frogesque]

Space Weather

"Sunspot 826 is growing quickly. Just yesterday it was a barely visible speck. Today it is a sprawling group of spots wider than the rings of Saturn. "

See link for full item

Hope this isn't another dud! (Worth keeping an eye on though! )

[kar999]

It's kicking up a fuss!

Two M-5 flares in the last 12 hours.

http://www.sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/xray_5m_200512021316.gif

[Mondy]

Just wondering if 828 (trailing biggie 826) will grow quickly too? Would seem to be so far..

Edit: http://www.spaceweather.com/

Edited December 2, 2005 by Mondy

[frogesque]

Kp been flat as pancake for a day and a half now. Ah well, can't go on forever!

[kar999]

It'll probably perk up when we have a two week cloudy spell!!

[frogesque]

Kp has been up to 5 for the last few hours (high solar wind speed) but apears to be dropping back now. Broken cloud with some snow showers so I don't think I'll bother driving out.

[Mondy]

A-index (aurora) currently at 15 with a minor storm underway. Northern latitudes should be on the look out, but not really any point with the fog and snow all kicking about! :lol:

Norway had a stunning display last night! http://www.spaceweather.com/

[Mondy]

Something huge coming??

A few days from we'll know if it's a BIG sunspot, capable of producing aurora..

[shuggee]

In the year or so I have been looking at the monitoring of the sun/auroras - I don't think I have ever seen so little activity. Is it having a well-earned rest?