Space Weather
Space Weather
Space weather describes changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter, which have been ejected from the Sun, can interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and surrounding magnetic field to produce a variety of effects.
Space weather notifications
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
No significant aurora activity is currently expected through the coming days.
Southern Hemisphere
No significant aurora activity is currently expected through the coming days.
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Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Fast solar winds easing, with an increasing risk of Moderate solar flares.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity is low. There are currently seven numbered sunspot regions, with the small AR4224 no longer discernible. AR4216 continues to maintain faint trailing spots, with a slight simplification of the magnetic structure in the leading portion. Both AR4217 and AR4221 remain larger but magnetically simple. AR4220 remains the most developmental region on the disk, with continued modest growth. AR4223 also holds some complexity, appearing to show a north-south magnetic configuration and will be monitored as it moves away from the southeast limb although so far appears largely stable. The remaining regions are either smaller or magnetically simple.
No obviously Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) have been observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar wind speeds were on a declining trend, starting around 700 km/s and ending around 580 km/s. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field strength, Bt, was Weak. The important north-south component, Bz, was variable and Weak. Geomagnetic activity Quiet to Unsettled (Kp1-3).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (High energy protons) was at Background, with no Solar Radiation Storms occurring.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Overall solar activity is expected to remain generally Low, but with an increasing chance of Moderate solar flares bringing periods of Moderate activity.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are no Earth-directed CMEs currently expected. Ongoing fast solar wind influence expected to steadily ease through the period, with no further sources of enhancement currently forecast.
Geomagnetic activity is forecast to be at mainly Quiet to Unsettled levels through this period, with a decreasing chance of Active intervals.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (High energy protons) is forecast to persist at Background, with no Solar Radiation Storms occurring
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Solar imagery
SDO AIA-193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
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SDO AIA-304
This channel is especially good at showing areas where cooler dense plumes of plasma (filaments and prominences) are located above the visible surface of the Sun. Many of these features either can't be seen or appear as dark lines in the other channels. The bright areas show places where the plasma has a high density.
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