Magnetic Filament and CME of August 4th

The above image is a composite of nine taken August 4th by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 131 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The progression of images show the magnetic filament between AR 1538 and AR 1540. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

On August 4th, a magnetic filament erupted between Active Regions 1538 and 1540 (AR 1538 and AR 1540). The glowing hot plasma running along the filament may be seen in the extreme ultraviolet images taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). During this time the GOES 15 satellite registered the C2-class solar X-ray flux.

The eruption produced a large coronal mass ejection (CME). But that region is not turn toward Earth. So it does not appear that the expanding cloud is heading toward Earth. Still, we may receive a glancing blow, possibly in two or three days. Stay tuned...

To monitor solar flare activity minute by minute, visit the "Today's Space Weather" page of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, URL: www.swpc.noaa.gov .

To learn more about the sun and to stay current on solar activity, visit the mission home pages of the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov .

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