CME TARGETS MERCURY, STEREO-A: A dense coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the sun during the late hours of May 26th will deliver a glancing blow to Mercury later today and a direct hit to NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft on May 28th. Earth is not in the line of fire. [CME forecast track]
LIMB SHOTS: The sun's southeastern limb is hopping with activity. New sunspot AR1492, which just rotated onto the Earthside of the sun, is crackling with C-class solar flares and hurling plumes of plasma off the stellar surface. Click on the image to set the scene in motion:
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the movie during the late hours of May 25th. According to the 3D Sun app, another active region is approaching just behind this one and could boost solar activity even more when it emerges in the days ahead. Stay tuned.
more images: from Cai-Uso Wohler of Bispingen, Germany
Solar wind
speed: 359.7 km/sec
density: 4.1 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1705 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 1101 UT May27
24-hr: C3 0552 UT May27
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1700 UT
Daily Sun: 26 May 12
New sunspot 1492 is crackling with C-class solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 70
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 25 May 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 25 May 2012
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 117 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 25 May 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= 2 quiet
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 3.4 nT
Bz: 1.6 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1706 UT
Coronal Holes: 26 May 12
There are no large coronal holes on the Earthside of the sun. Credit: SDO/AIA.
