~ Space Weather Update~ WOW VERY SPOTTED SUN

VERY SPOTTED SUN: Solar activity is still relatively low, but the appearance of the sun suggests the quiet might not last. Over the weekend, a profusion of new sunspot groups peppered the solar disk with dark cores--each one a potential source of eruptions. NOAA forecasters estimate a 35% chance of M-class flares and a 5% chance of X-flares during the next 24 hours. Solar flare alerts: text, voice.

There are so many spots on the sun, even a jumbo jet cannot hide them:

Raffaello Lena took the picture on January 5 not far from the international airport in Rome, Italy. "An animation of the flyby is available here," he says.

Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery

AURORA WATCH: "With solar activity being so low lately, you wouldn't expect many auroras. Yet here in Inari, Finland," reports Andy Keen, "we've had some wonderfully clear skies and excellent displays." He photographed this scene on Jan. 5th:

"The auroras became visible at approximately 16:00 hrs and lasted until midnight," he says.

More lights are in the offing. A solar wind stream is heading for Earth and it could spark polar auroras when it arrives on Jan. 8-9. NOAA forecasters estimate a 15% - 20% chance of geomagnetic storms.

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
B_total: 5.4 nT
B_z: 1.2 nT north
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1916 UT

Coronal Holes: 06 Jan 13

Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole should reach Earth on Jan. 8-9. Credit: SDO/AIA.