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What's up in space |  |
ALMOST
X-FLARE: Big sunspot AR1515 erupted
on July 2nd at 10:52 UT, producing an M5.6-class
solar flare that almost crossed the threshold into
X-territory.
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme
ultraviolet flash:
A pulse of x-rays and UV radiation
from the flare illuminated Earth's upper atmosphere,
producing waves of ionization over Europe. Such
waves alter the propagation of low-frequency radio
transmissions. In Lofoten, Norway, Rob Stammes recorded
the ionospheric disturbance using a 60 kHz receiver:
data.
The eruption also hurled a CME into
space, but not directly toward Earth. The south-traveling
cloud could deliver a glancing blow to our planet's
magnetosphere on July 4th or 5th. Stay tuned for
updates. [SDO
movie]
POLAR
MAGNETIC STORMS: Auroras are dancing
around the poles in response to a high-speed solar
wind stream buffeting Earth's magnetic field. Stefan
Christmann sends this picture from icy Atka Bay
in Antarctica:
"On July 1st we enjoyed a beautiful
display of aurora australis over the German Antarctic
Research Station Neumayer
III" says Christmann. "The air temperature
was -30°C with 10 knots of wind. Even so, this was
one of the most beautiful expierences so far."
NOAA forecasters estimate a 35% chance
of continued geomagnetic activity as the solar wind
continues to blow. Aurora
alerts: text,
voice.
MASSIVE
PROMINENCE: Amateur astronomers
around the world are monitoring a massive, active
prominence dancing along the sun's southeastern
limb. Andre van der Hoeven sends this picture from
HI-Ambacht, the Netherlands:
Prominences are filaments of magnetism
filled with glowing-hot plasma. This beautiful "prom"
rises more than 40,000 km above the stellar surface
and stretches more than 20 Earth-diameters from
end to end. Such structures are naturally unstable,
and this one could collapse at any time. Keep and
eye on the latest
images for developments.
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