~Space Weather Update~ Quiet [1]

CHANCE OF AURORAS: NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on Jan. 30th in response to a possible glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection (CME). The CME is from last Friday's off-center X-flare. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text [2], voice [3].

 

On Jan. 28th, pilot Brian Whittaker [4] was flying 34,000 feet over Greenland when he saw the Moon shining down on a vibrant blanket of auroras:

 

[5]

 

"Jupiter, Venus, and the Moon were lined up just above the auroras," says Whittaker. "It was a very pretty scene."

more images: from Peter Rosen [6] of Abisko, Sweden; from Dionys Moser [7] of Tromsö, Norway; from Arild Heitmann [8] of Sandstrand, Troms, Norway

January 2012 Aurora Gallery [9]
[previous Januaries: 2010 [10], 2009 [11], 2008 [12], 2007 [13], 2005 [14], 2004 [15]]

 

Solar wind
speed: 341.1 km/sec
density: 0.1 protons/cm³
explanation [16] | more data [17]
Updated: Today at 1446 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 1307 UT Jan30
24-hr: C1 0440 UT Jan30
explanation [18] | more data [19]
Updated: Today at: 1400 UT

Daily Sun: 30 Jan 12

[20]

A new sunspot is emerging just south of AR1410. Otherwise, solar activity is very low. Credit: SDO/HMI

Sunspot number: 74
What is the sunspot number? [21]
Updated 29 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 29 Jan 2012

The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 110 sfu
explanation [22] | more data [23]
Updated 29 Jan 2012

Current Auroral Oval: