NASA | Why are we seeing so many sungrazing comets?

NASA | Why are we seeing so many sungrazing comets?

Before 1979, there were less than a dozen known sungrazing comets. As of December 2012, we know of 2,500. Why did this number increase? With solar observatories like SOHO, STEREO, and SDO, we have not only better means of viewing the sun, but also the comets that

SOHO’s Greatest Hits – Volume 7

SOHO’s Greatest Hits – Volume 7

The following images are compilations of the best anomalies found from the SOHO probe by SolarWatcher. SOHO, the Solar & Heliospheric Observatory, is a project of international collaboration between ESA and NASA to study the Sun from its deep core to the

JHelioviewer software: A different way to watch the Sun

JHelioviewer software: A different way to watch the Sun

JHelioviewer is visualization software that enables everyone, anywhere to explore the Sun. Developed as part of the ESA/NASA Helioviewer Project, it provides a desktop program that enables users to call up images of the Sun from the past 15 years. Software contains

What is happening with solar observing instruments right now?!

What is happening with solar observing instruments right now?!

While trying to access SOHO’s coronograph data we noticed that the latest LASCO C2 image is updated on August 18 at 13:36 and LASCO C3 at 13:30. Also, SOHO’s EIT 304 latest image is from August 17 at 13:19, EIT 195 is from August 16 at 13:13 while EIT 171 and 284 show

Comet 96P/Machholz visible on SOHO’s LASCO C3 between July 12 – 17

Comet 96P/Machholz visible on SOHO’s LASCO C3 between July 12 – 17

Comet 96P/Machholz will next come to perihelion on July 14, 2012. Between July 12-17, 2012, comet Machholz will be visible in the SOHO LASCO/C3 field of view and will brighten to about magnitude +2.  It should be visible from both STEREO A and B between July

SOHO fully operational again on May 11, 2012

SOHO fully operational again on May 11, 2012

SOHO is back up and running after what officials call “a technical glitch” temporarily sidelined the observatory for just over a week.The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), which is jointly managed by NASA and the European Space Agency continued sending

Note for Solarwatchers: SOHO EIT is in “the keyhole”

Note for Solarwatchers: SOHO EIT is in “the keyhole”

We recieve lots of questions from our readers considering SOHO EIT data. SOHO’s near-real time images from EIT instruments stop uploading in January 6, however there is nothing wrong with SOHO instruments  because EIT is in a telemetry keyhole. The lack of fresh

Significant CME heading toward Mars

Significant CME heading toward Mars

A significant CME blasted off the sun today, Oct. 22nd, around 1100 UT. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say the cloud is heading for Mars, due to hit the Red Planet on Oct. 26th.  (movie, forecast track)While looking at the latest STEREO Ahead images,

Sundiving comet recorded by Lasco C3

Sundiving comet recorded by Lasco C3

Sundiving or Sun-Grazing comet has been found on the Soho Lasco C3 instrument during October 18th. Impact is expected late Oct 19th or early Oct 20th. Here is the video by SolarWatcher recorded from SOHO Lasco C3 instruments:The Sun is pretty quiet for now

Double eruption on Sun

Double eruption on Sun

On October 1st around 10:17 UT, widely-spaced sunspots 1302 and 1305 erupted in quick succession, revealing a long-distance entanglement which was not obvious before. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the movie of the double blast:Since it was