~Space Weather Update~Chance of Storms, Mysterious Halo's, Sunspot Coming

CHANCE OF STORMS: A minor CME expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 17th is late, but NOAA forecasters still think it is coming. They estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Jan. 18th in response to the tardy impact. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

MYSTERIOUS MOON HALOS OVER FINLAND: Luminous halos around the Moon are nothing unusual, especially in wintertime Finland where the air is so often filled with ice. Crystals of frozen H₂O catch the moonlight and bend it into a circular ring of light. A few nights ago, however, Sauli Koski of Muonio, Finland, witnessed a halo that was not circular, but elliptical:

"On Jan. 15th, the weather changed. As the temperature dropped from -7C to -37C, there were all kinds of ice halos to photograph," says Koski. "The best and rarest were these elliptical forms that lasted more than 20 minutes."

Although physicists have been studying ice halos for decades, not all are understood. "Elliptical halos are one of the puzzles," says atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. " We can simulate them by invoking hexagonal plate-like crystals topped by almost flat pyramid faces.  However, the simulations do not fit very well and such crystals are unphysical. Crystal facets like to form along planes where there are lots of atoms or molecules – almost flat pyramids do not fit the bill at all.    Perhaps some peculiar distorted snowflake types instead?"

"These mysteries all add to the spice of halo observing, the beautiful, the unexpected, the unexplained, something new!"

Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery

SUNSPOT AROUND THE CORNER: A sunspot approaching from just behind the sun's southeastern limb is crackling with solar flares. The explosions are registering C2 to C8 on the Richter Scale of Flares even though they are partially eclipsed by the edge of the sun. In Athens, Greece, amateur astronomer Peter Desypris photographed the flying debris from one of the explosions:

"Indeed, something big appears to be on the way," says Desypris.

The sun's rotation is slowly turning the active region toward Earth. During the weekend its core should emerge into plain view for a better evaluation of its flare-producing potential. Stay tuned for updates. Solar flare alerts: text, voice.

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
B_total: 2.2 nT
B_z: 0.2 nT north
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1727 UT

Coronal Holes: 18 Jan 14

Solar wind flowing from the indicated coronal hole could reach Earth on Jan. 22-23.. Credit: SDO/AIA.