Posts tagged space weather
Sun Unleashes THREE Record X-Class Flares
The weekend ended with the biggest solar flare of the year — an X-class flare measuring X1.7. X-class flares are the most energetic type of flare, but an X1.7 is at the lower end of that scale. Obviously disappointed by its 2013 personal best, the sun let rip with not one, but TWO more X-class flares within 24 hours, each bigger than the last.
The X1.7 erupted at 9:17 p.m. EST (Sunday), and then a X2.8 followed-up at 11:09 a.m. EST (Monday). Then, the biggest flare completed the hat-trick at 8:17 p.m. EST with a new 2013 record of X3.2. The largest flare of the day is nearly 3 times more energetic than the first X1.7 flare.
Big Pic: Aurora Light Up Antarctic Night: If the aurora glows over Antarctic and there’s no one to see it, does it have any color?
Beautiful, fine detail in the auroral structure. Must’ve been quite a show!
Chance of Thanksgiving Day Solar Flare, Aurorae?
It seems likely that AR1618 flare activity will continue through Thanksgiving, and if you live at high latitudes, you may be lucky enough to see some Thanksgiving Day aurorae. The sun is currently bathing our planet in a moderate-speed stream of solar wind. Although a full-blown geomagnetic storm isn’t expected, there’s a chance of some heightened auroral activity near the Arctic Circle.
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Giant Sun Eruption Captured in NASA Video: The sun unleashed a monster eruption of super-hot plasma Friday (Nov. 16) in back-to-back solar storms captured on camera by a NASA spacecraft.
Oh, hai today’s sun. Why you so angry?
The Sun is having a party… and it looks like we’re invited! Eek!
Continuing its increasingly active trend, the sun erupted with an X-class solar flare on Thursday. Only last week, another active region (AR1515) delivered an impressive parting shot — an X1.1 flare — as it rotated toward the solar limb. Today’s more energetic X1.4 flare however was directed right at us.
Ever wondered what the view would be like when looking down the barrel of a stellar gun? Look no further, this is it.
