A minor solar wind stream is buffeting Earth’s magnetic field
A minor solar wind stream is buffeting Earth’s magnetic field. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras.
Solar wind
speed: 469.1 km/sec
density: 2.3 protons/cm3
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 135 sfu
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 1 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 1 quiet
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 3.4 nT
Bz: 2.3 nT south
Solar activity has been low, with only a single low level C-Class flare detected around Sunspot 1374 in the past 24 hours. A new region located on the northeast limb is now in view, and a couple of small sunspots are visible. This appears to have been a much bigger sunspot group at one point, based on its large magnetic area. Big Sunspot 1363 which turned out to be fairly inactive, rotated onto the western limb and out of direct Earth view. (SolarHam)
A very large solar filament channel that measures longer than 300,000 miles, is currently visible across the entire northeast quadrant.
The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet on December 12-14. On December 15 effects from CH488 could cause a few unsettled intervals.
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