~Space Weather Update~ 12~3~11~ The Huge Eruption~
ERUPTING FILAMENT: Today, with little warning, a magnetic filament rapidly erupted on the sun. Between 10:30 and 11:30 UT, observers in Europe watched tendrils of hot plasma rocket away from the sun's NW limb. Debris from the explosion is not expected to hit Earth.
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| Image taken: |
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| Dec. 3, 2011 |
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| Location: |
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| Coleshill, North Warwickshire, UK. |
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| Details: |
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| This is why I find solar astronomy so fascinating... The unexpected can happen so fast! 3 December 2011, 10:35UT - 11:20UT. 60mm SolarMax / BF30 80mm Vixen F11.4 Camera DMK31AU03.AS |
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Solar wind
speed: 465.0 km/sec
density: 4.8 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 0215 UT
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X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 2119 UT Dec03
24-hr: C1 1123 UT Dec03
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2359 UT
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Daily Sun: 03 Dec 11
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New sunspot 1365 is growing rapidly. Credit: SDO/HMI
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Sunspot number: 106
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 02 Dec 2011
Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
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 02 Dec 2011
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 157 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 02 Dec 2011
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Current Auroral Oval:
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Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
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Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 3 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 3 quiet
explanation | more data
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Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 4.5 nT
Bz: 1.8 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 0215 UT
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Coronal Holes: 03 Dec 11
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Earth is inside a minor solar wind stream flowing from the indicated coronal hole. Credit: SDO/AIA.
NORTHERN LIGHTS: Auroras are flickering around the Arctic Circle in response to a minor solar wind stream, which is buffeting Earth's magnetic field. Ronn Murray sends this Dec. 3rd snapshot from Murphy Dome in Fairbanks, Alaska:
"I photographed my friend Marketa enjoying the view during a very beautful spell of auroras," says Murray.
The lights were caused not by a strong magnetic storm but rather by small magnetic fluctuations in the solar wind. During the early hours of Dec. 3rd, the IMF tipped south, partially cancelling Earth's north-pointing magnetic field; solar wind poured through the breach to fuel the display. NOAA forecasters estimate a 14% chance of similar events tonight.
