Traveling sunspot group AR 1785 (July 3 – 11, 2013)

Traveling sunspot group AR 1785 (July 3 – 11, 2013)

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) released video of Active Region 1785 – one of the largest sunspot groups this year, traveling across the Earth facing solar disk in period from July 3 – July 11, 2013. AR 1785 is now out of Earth view, moving onto

Geomagnetic storm in progress

Geomagnetic storm in progress

As predicted by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field at ~03:30 UT on Sept 17th. The impact sparked a moderate geomagnetic storm (in progress) and auroras around the Arctic Circle. High-latitude sky watch

Incoming coronal mass ejection

Incoming coronal mass ejection

As predicted by analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth’s magnetic field at ~03:30 UT on Sept 17th. The impact was not strong. Nevertheless, the arrival of the CME could spark geomagnetic activity around the Arctic Circle.

New sunspots forming, Venus-directed CME

New sunspots forming, Venus-directed CME

Yesterday, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory witnessed a spectacular explosion on the sun that seemed to pass perilously close to Venus.As the movie shows, the CME passed harmlessly. There was no collision, and it wasn’t even close. Although Venus seems to be

Sun activity is getting back

Sun activity is getting back

After a few days of quiet, the sun is coming alive again. Amateur astronomers around the world report a beautiful complex of prominences dancing along the eastern limb, one of them big enough to swallow Earth:The blue dot is merely a digital image of Earth inserted

Sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts

Sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts

On July 7th, the sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts. Click on the dynamic spectrum below to play a 21 MHz sample recorded by amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft in rural New Mexico. The action begins about 18 seconds into the 2-minute…