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."