EVENING CONJUNCTION: When the sun sets tonight, go outside and look east for Jupiter and the Moon. The two bright heavenly bodies are only 4o apart, a beautiful conjunction and a nice way to end the day. Images: #1, #2.
FARSIDE ERUPTION: Departing sunspot AR1384, currently located just behind the sun's western limb, erupted today around 14:45 UT. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the debris flying over the edge of the solar disk:
The eruption appears to be connected to magnetic filaments snaking over the horizon to the Earthside of the sun. Will this event affect our planet? Probably not. It is located too far from disk center. Stay tuned, however, to see what kind of CME the blast produced.
Solar wind
speed: 387.8 km/sec
density: 8.0 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1806 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C2 1524 UT Jan02
24-hr: C2 1524 UT Jan02
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1800 UT
Daily Sun: 02 Jan 12
Sunspot 1389 is in decay and poses a declining threat for M-class solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 61
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 01 Jan 2012
Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
2012 total: 0 days (0%)
2011 total: 2 days (<1%)
2010 total: 51 days (14%)
2009 total: 260 days (71%)
Since 2004: 821 days
Typical Solar Min: 486 days
Updated 01 Jan 2012
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 130 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 01 Jan 2012
Current Auroral Oval:
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 1 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 1 quiet
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 10.9 nT
Bz: 5.9 nT north
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1806 UT
Coronal Holes: 02 Jan 12
Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole will buffet Earth's magnetic field from now until ~Jan. 2. Credit: SDO/AIA.
