~Space Weather Update~ Growing Sunspot twice the size of Earth [1]
GROWING SUNSPOT: What a difference a day makes. On April 16th, sunspot AR1460 did not exist. Twenty-four hours later it was twice as big as the planet Earth. This April 17th movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows sunspot genesis in action:
[2]
The sunspot's magnetic field is still too simple for strong flares, but if the expansion continues apace, instabilities could develop that lead to explosions. Readers with solar telescopes [3] should keep an eye on AR1460. Solar flare alerts: text [4], voice [5].
SPECTACULAR EXPLOSION: Magnetic fields on the sun's northeastern limb erupted around 17:45 UT on April 16th, producing one of the most visually-spectacular explosions in years. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the blast at extreme ultraviolet wavelengths:
[6].
The explosion, which registered M1.7 on the Richter Scale of solar flares [7], was not Earth-directed, but it did hurl a CME into space. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab have analyzed the trajectory [8] of the cloud and found that it will hit NASA's STEREO-B spacecraft, the Spitzer space telescope, and the rover Curiosity [9] en route to Mars. Planets Venus and Mars could also receive a glancing blow.
Solar wind
speed: 425.4 km/sec
density: 1.2 protons/cm3
explanation [10] | more data [11]
Updated: Today at 1645 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C8 1239 UT Apr18
24-hr: C8 1239 UT Apr18
explanation [7] | more data [12]
Updated: Today at: 1600 UT
Daily Sun: 18 Apr 12
[13]
Sunspot 1460 is growing rapidly and could soon pose a threat for M-class [7] solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 78
What is the sunspot number? [14]
Updated 17 Apr 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 17 Apr 2012
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 114 sfu
explanation [15] | more data [16]
Updated 17 Apr 2012
Current Auroral Oval:
[17]
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 2 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 3 quiet
explanation [18] | more data [19]
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 3.4 nT
Bz: 1.8 nT south
explanation [20] | more data [21]
Updated: Today at 1647 UT
Coronal Holes: 18 Apr 12
[22]
There are no large coronal holes on tthe Earthside of the sun. Credit: SDO/AIA.
Category:
- Ground Crew Updates [23]