Feisty and Yet to Be Named...

The linked YouTube video was produced by Helioviewer.org. The images were captured by  the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The image times extend from September 17th at 23:55:31 UTC through the 18th at 00:55:07 UTC. The video provides a closeup view of a flare and coronal mass ejection (CME) along the sun's eastern limb, one of several from a yet-to-be-designated region. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.

For the end of September 16th and most of the 17th, the solar activity was at low levels. Two low-level C-class flares were observed from around the southeast limb, from a region yet to be officially designated. The five remaining Earth-facing active regions remain stable and quiet. Three coronal mass ejections were observed, but none appear to be Earth-directed. The forecast through September 20th: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class flares.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field has been at predominantly quiet levels. The forecast through September 20th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at mostly quiet levels on the 18th and 19th. But on the 20th, quiet to unsettled levels are expected as a coronal hole high-speed solar wind stream should begin affecting Earth. Stay tuned...

To monitor solar flare activity minute by minute, visit the "Today's Space Weather" page of NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (www.swpc.noaa.gov/today.html).

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), the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) (sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov), the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) (www.srl.caltech.edu/ACE), and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) (stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov).

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