Solar information for December 8, 2023: Extra prominence and filament enjoyable
Immediately’s high information: The filament eruptions carry on coming. An enormous prominence (a filament that hangs over the sun’s edge from our perspective) lifted off the southwest limb at round 17 UTC on December 7. This enormous rope of plasma and magnetic fields carried billions of tons of solar materials out into space at tens of millions of miles an hour. The dimensions of this construction is really breathtaking when in comparison with Earth, as you possibly can see in picture beneath. Similar to yesterday’s eruption, it prolonged to a size similar to that of the sun’s diameter (about 865,000 mi or 1.4 million km) earlier than flying off into space. One other filament from the northwest lifted plasma from the sun’s decrease environment, the chromosphere, into the higher environment, the corona, between 23:48 UTC and 4:30 UTC in a single day. Each eruptions created coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that have been imaged by the SOHO spacecraft, and we await evaluation from space climate specialists to find out if both could possibly be heading towards Earth, though that is unlikely. Simply earlier than these two eruptions, the the spacecraft’s telescopes noticed a lopsided halo CME, however on condition that no supply was noticed on the Earth-facing disk, it was decided to be have been fired from the sun’s reverse aspect.
Final 24 hours: Solar exercise is again to low, with solely C class flares produced over the previous day. Between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC right now we noticed 20 C flares, a rise from the earlier day’s total of 16. The biggest flare was a C8.2 flare by sunspot group AR3513 at 20:57 UTC on December 7. This energetic area, AR3513, was additionally chargeable for the second largest flare of the interval, a C7.9 flare at 1:12 UTC on December 7. With 11 flares, sunspot area AR3511 was probably the most energetic of the previous day, with AR3513 only a hair behind at 9 flares. These two energetic areas have been the one flare producers right now. The sun presently has six energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect.
Subsequent 24 hours: The forecast is a 99% probability for C flares, a 40% probability for M flares, and a 5% probability for X flares.
Subsequent anticipated CME: Not one of the coronal mass ejections (CMEs) related to right now’s filament eruptions are prone to be headed towards Earth. Nevertheless, we await additional evaluation from space climate specialists at NOAA and NASA.
Present geomagnetic exercise: Earth’s geomagnetic field is quiet on the time of this writing (11 UTC on December 8) and is anticipated to stay quiet for the remainder of the day by December 10 as fast solar wind from the giant coronal hole wanes. The big coronal gap has now rotated out of view.
Solar information for December 7, 2023: Outstanding prominences and filaments
Immediately is a day for filaments and prominences – that’s, enormous ropes of solar materials and magnetic fields extending from the sun’s floor. A number of very massive and energetic ones erupted within the north, east and west. Most notably, an enormous one erupted off the east limb (edge), earlier than a good greater one adopted within the north. These buildings are unimaginably huge; the one within the north extends to a size of not less than 1.4 million kilometers (800,000 miles). That’s concerning the diameter of the sun itself! And each encompass billions of tons of solar plasma, threaded with the sun’s magnetic fields. When prominence eruptions present a twisting movement, as you possibly can see within the video above, that’s the magnetic discipline of the construction unraveling like an uncoiling rope and releasing its built-up vitality. You may also discover a bowl-like structure supported by a dark string that extends all the way down to the sun. See the picture beneath. Conspiracy theorists love to explain this as a spaceship being fueled by the sun. Nevertheless it’s a recognized construction – referred to as a coronal cavity – that sits up within the outer layer of the sun’s environment, the corona, over a filament or prominence. So, whereas an exciting concept, it isn’t a spaceship!
Final 24 hours: An remoted M flare has stored sun exercise at average. Between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC right now, we noticed 15 flares. AR3513, yesterday’s most energetic area, stored up its exercise, producing the most important flare of the interval: an M2.3 at 21:44 UTC on December 6. On high of that, it fired off eleven C flares. It produced a corresponding R1 (minor) radio blackout affecting an space within the South Pacific Ocean over French Polynesia. The sun has eight energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect, together with a newcomer on the northwest limb (edge) now labeled AR3514.
Solar information for December 6, 2023: Small new area brings huge motion
Yesterday’s sun information posed the query: is the sun waking up? In accordance with new energetic area, AR3513, it most definitely is! The area has produced 21 of right now’s 25 flares together with three M flares. It has additionally been spraying small concentrated jets of solar stuff to space. It isn’t a big area however generally huge issues are available in small packages. The query now’s: will this area proceed its motion and ship something huge our means? The remainder of the sun isn’t staying quiet both. We’ve got seen a number of active filaments, together with a big eruption close to the north pole and one at disk middle. It’s too early to inform, however the one at disk middle could have despatched a coronal mass ejection (CME) our means. Keep tuned for extra sun information.
Final 24 hours: Solar exercise is at a average degree with the manufacturing of three M flares. Every M flare produced a corresponding R1 (minor) radio blackout. The breakdown of M flares is:
– M1.0 by AR3513 at 21:10 UTC on December 5. R1 radio blackout over the South Pacific Ocean.
– M1.4 by AR3513 at 21:20 UTC on December 5. R1 radio blackout over the South Pacific Ocean.
– M2.1 by AR3513 at 5:31 UTC on December 6. R1 radio blackout over South Indian Ocean.
The biggest occasion of the interval was the M2.1 flare. The total flare manufacturing was 25 flares: 22 Cs and three M flares. The lead flare producer of the interval was newcomer energetic area AR3513 with 21 flares, together with the three M flares. The sun has seven energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect.
EarthSky sun information creator Dr. C. Alex Young additionally produces @thesuntoday.
Solar information for December 5, 2023: Motion on the perimeters
EarthSky sun information creator Dr. C. Alex Young additionally produces @thesuntoday.
Is the sun waking up? We’ve been ready up to now couple of days for a big coronal hole – which has been spraying solar wind in our route – to gentle up Earth’s magnetic discipline, giving us nice auroras. Seems to be just like the motion anticipated final evening didn’t pan out. In the meantime – flare-wise – the sun itself has been comparatively quiet. That may be about to alter. We see quite a lot of exercise on the sun’s edges now. Up to now day, there’ve been a number of massive eruptions on the west (receding) limb or edge. This space will quickly rotate utterly out of view. However, a brand new area (not but labeled) on the sun’s northeast (arriving) limb has been popping off flares and jets for the final 24 hours. It produced a average sized, M1.6 flare, a couple of hours in the past as of this writing (11 UTC on December 5). Because it rotates absolutely into view, will it pump up the motion, general, on the sun? Keep tuned!
Final 24 hours: Solar exercise is now thought of average, because of the remoted M1.6 flare from the as-yet-unlabeled area on the sun’s northeast limb. This flare, which occurred just some hours in the past, at 6:39 UTC on December 5 – was the most important occasion of our observing interval (11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC right now). It precipitated an R1 (minor) radio blackout that affected an space over the center of the South Indian Ocean. The sun’s total flare manufacturing of the previous day was 16 flares: 15 Cs and the one M flare. The incoming area on the northeast limb (edge) was the lead flare producer of the day with eight flares. So, the sun has seven energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect. There’s additionally a newcomer that has emerged, now labeled AR3512.
Solar information for December 4, 2023: Ready on the solar wind!
EarthSky sun exercise creator Dr. C. Alex Young additionally produces @thesuntoday.
Aurora watchers, prepare. A solar wind stream is on its method to Earth. The enormous coronal hole continues to spew out a lot of fast solar wind in Earth’s route. The pace of the solar wind at Earth has began to extend, slowly, however as of this writing (11 UTC on December 4) the complete stream of solar stuff isn’t but blasting Earth’s magnetic discipline. The stream is anticipated to succeed in us by noon UTC right now (December 4). It’s anticipated to trigger a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm. The frenzy of solar particles ought to proceed into tomorrow (December 5) with barely calmer storms on the G1 (minor) degree. So – within the phrases of legendary Jim Morrison of The Doorways – we’re waiting for the sun. Musical accompaniment beneath.
Final 24 hours: Solar exercise is low with 15 C flares over the remark interval (11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC right now). In sun information, the big occasion was a C8.1 flare from AR3511 at 1:22 UTC December 4. AR3500 produced probably the most flares in the course of the interval at three flares. The sun has eight energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect.
Solar information for December 3, 2023: Large coronal gap spraying Earth!
EarthSky sun exercise creator Dr. C. Alex Young additionally produces @thesuntoday.
A big coronal hole spewing out a lot of fast solar wind has rotated right into a geoeffective place, that’s, a chief place for affecting Earth. In order that stream of solar stuff is because of blast Earth’s magnetic discipline, which means extra geomagnetic storms … which means extra auroras! The stream is anticipated to succeed in us by noon UTC tomorrow (December 4). It’s anticipated to trigger a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm . The frenzy of solar particles ought to proceed into the subsequent day (December 5) with barely calmer storms on the G1 (minor) degree. Aurora watchers get your heat garments and cameras prepared, and please submit your image to EarthSky’s neighborhood web page.
Final 24 hours: Solar exercise is low with 12 C flares over the remark interval (11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC right now). The big occasion was a C4.0 flare from AR3499 at 7:54 UTC December 3. AR3500 produced probably the most flares in the course of the interval at 5 C flares. The sun has six energetic areas on its Earth-facing aspect.
The sun in latest days
Solar photos from our neighborhood
Are you a fan of sun information? We invite you all to ship us your lovely latest images of sunspots and auroras. Naturally, we love receiving your images! And to these of you who’ve already posted a photograph to our neighborhood web page, thanks.
Backside line: Solar information for December 8, 2023, is low. The filament and prominence eruptions proceed, with a number of non-Earth-directed coronal mass ejections fired out right now.
