EXPANDING SUNSPOT: Sunspot 1393 is growing rapidly, more than tripling in area since Friday. So far, however, the active region has not produced any strong flares. Solar activity remains low.
GEOMAGNETIC ACTIVITY: Forecasters said a CME might deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 7th, and indeed it might have. There was no sharp change in the solar wind speed signaling a CME's passage. There was, however, a surge in ground currents in northern Norway during the late hours of Jan. 7th. Rob Stammes recorded the disturbance from his laboratory in Lofoten. Ground currents often herald auroras, and true to form the skies turned vivid green:
"We witnessed a brief but beautiful outburst of auroras," says photographer Bjørn Jørgensen of Sommaroy, Norway. "Even the sea has turned green from the color of the auroras."
Solar wind
speed: 443.6 km/sec
density: 2.2 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1343 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 0806 UT Jan08
24-hr: C4 0227 UT Jan08
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1300 UT
Daily Sun: 08 Jan 12
Sunspot 1393 is growing rapidly while a new sunspot (circled) is emerging over the northeast limb. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 110
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 07 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 07 Jan 2012
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 141 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 07 Jan 2012
Current Auroral Oval:
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 0 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 2 quiet
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 4.7 nT
Bz: 2.7 nT north
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1346 UT
Coronal Holes: 08 Jan 12
A minor solar wind stream flowing from the indicated coronal hole should reach Earth on Jan. 13-14. Credit: SDO/AIA.
SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts
Updated at: 2012 Jan 07 2200 UTC
Geomagnetic Storms:
Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor storm, severe storm
Updated at: 2012 Jan 07 2200 UTC
