The Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this view as the Sun let loose with its biggest solar flare of the year so far. It’s not a real big one — a mid-level flare classified as an M6.5 – but an associated coronal mass ejection is heading towards Earth and could spur some nice auroae by this weekend. Spaceweather.com predicts the expanding cloud (see animation below) will probably deliver a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field late on April 12th or more likely April 13th. The NOAA Space Prediction Center forecasts this event to cause moderate (G2) Geomagnetic Storm activity, and predicts geomagnetic activity to start in the mid to latter part (UTC) of April 13. They add that the source region is still potent and well-positioned for more geoeffective activity in the next few days.
See this NASA page for info on solar flares, CMEs, and more.
In 1963, the Arecibo Observatory became operational on the island of Puerto Rico. Measuring 305…
The theory of black holes has several mathematical oddities. Recent research shows our understanding of…
When we think of exoplanets that may be able to support life, we hone in…
Nine years ago, Blue Origin revealed the plans for their New Glenn rocket, a heavy-lift…
NASA's TESS mission has turned up thousands of exoplanet candidates in almost as many different…
Many people think of the James Webb Space Telescope as a sort of Hubble 2.…