AR 1532's M2.7 Flare of July 27th

The above image was taken July 27th at 17:26 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The M2.7-class solar flare may be seen at the lower left. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

Alrighty then. It seems that the sun's recently-arrived Active Region 1532 (AR 1532) may have been inspired by the antics of the now-departed AR 1520. On July 27th at about 17:26 UTC (9:26 PM EDT), AR 1532 let out a M2.7-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured the flare most dramatically in its extreme ultraviolet images.

While the solar flare was respectable, it did not build and subside gradually, and so did not have an opportunity to produce a substantial coronal mass ejection (CME). But even if it had, Earth is not currently in the line of fire from AR 1532. But give it time. As that region of the sun rotates to face Earth in the coming days, anything is possible.


Meanwhile, back at Earth, the geomagnetic field is expected to be relatively quiet on July 28th as the onset of the sun's coronal hole turns more directly toward Earth. High-speed stream effects are forecasted. The affects are expected to increase on July 29th and then wane as the coronal hole turns past Earth on July 30th. 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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