Incoming CME from Sept 28th, Storms Expected

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 30th at 03:08:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 28th and most of September 29th, the solar activity was low. Numerous weak C-class events were observed, mostly from Active Regions 1575 and 1577 (AR 1575, AR 1577). New region AR 1583 emerged on the disk as a simple bipolar group. No significant changes were observed elsewhere. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed during the period. The forecast through October 2nd: The solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for M-class activity.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The Advance Composition Explorer(ACE) satellite measurements indicated a steady decline in wind speed from about 325 km/s to near 275 km/s while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field did not vary much beyond +/- 3 nT. On the 29th at about 01:00 UTC, a solar sector boundary crossing from a negative (toward) to a positive (away) orientation was observed. The forecast through October 2nd: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at predominately quiet levels through about midday on the 30th. By late on the 30th, active levels with a chance for minor to major storm periods are expected due to the arrival of the Earth-directed CME observed early on the 28th. On the 1st, continued minor to major storm conditions are expected early in the day, decreasing to mostly quiet to unsettled levels with a chance for isolated active periods as effects from the CME wane. Predominately quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on the 2nd. 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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AR 1577 C3 Flare and CME...

The above image was taken September 27th at 23:57:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a long-duration C3 solar flare, produced by Active Region 1577 (AR 1577), to the west (right) of center. The displayed image combined the AIA observations at 94, 131, and 171 Angstroms. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 27th and most of September 28th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1577 (AR 1577) produced a long-duration C3 flare on the 27th at 23:57 UTC.  The event began with a filament eruption located northwest of and adjacent to the region with a subsequent dual ribbon flare. Associated with this event was an Earth-directed, asymmetric, full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME) which was first visible in the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) LASCO C2 and C3 imagery on the 28th at 00:18 UTC and 00:30 UTC, respectively. The plane-of-sky speed through both of the instruments' fields averaged 1034 km/s with a computed radial velocity of 872 km/s. Little change was observed following. No other Earth-directed CMEs were observed. The forecast through October 1st: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity.

At home, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite measurements indicated a steady decline in wind velocity from about 400 km/s to near 325 km/s while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field did not vary much beyond +/- 2 nT.  The greater than 10 MeV proton flux at geosynchronous orbit exceeded threshold on the 28th at 03:00 UTC, reached a maximum of 28 pfu at 04:45 UTC and decayed below threshold at 10:40 UTC. Near the end of September 28th, flux levels were still elevated at about 5 pfu.  This event was believed to be associated with the C3 flare observed late on the 27th. The forecast through October 1st: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at predominately quiet levels on the 29th and through midday on the 30th. By late on the 30th, active levels with with a chance for minor to major storm periods are expected due to the arrival of the Earth-directed CME observed early on the 28th. On October 1st, continued minor to major storm conditions are expected early in the day, decreasing to mostly quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active periods as effects from the CME wane. 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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C4 Flare on September 27th...

The above image was taken September 27th at 17:20:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a C4 solar flare, produced by an undesignated region on the southeastern (lower-left) portion of the sun's disc. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 26th and most of September 27th, the solar activity has been low. The largest solar flare was a C4 on the 27th at 17:20 UTC from an unnumbered region in the southeastern portion of the sun's disc. There are currently 9 numbered sunspot regions visible, but most have remained rather stable and quiet. A non-Earth directed full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed in both STEREO A-B and LASCO imagery. The forecast through September 30th: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field has been quiet. The forecast through September 30th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be predominantly quiet. 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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C1 Flare From Newbie AR 1582 on Sept 26th...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 27th at 03:48:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 25th and most of September 26th, the solar activity was low. The new Active Region 1582 (AR 1582) rotated onto the southeast limb and produced the only C-class flare, a long duration C1, on the 26th at 12:40 UTC. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 29th: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for an M-class flare.

Above earth, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The solar wind speed, measured at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft, increased from approximately 320 km/s to 450 km/s while the total magnetic field increased from 5 nT to 9 nT. The forecast through September 29th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet with a slight chance for unsettled periods. There is a slight chance for a greater than 10 MeV proton event. 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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AR 1580's C4 Flare on Sept 25th...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 26th at 01:48:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 24th and most of September 25th, the solar activity was low. The largest flare was a C4 flare on the 25th at 17:53 UTC from Active Region 1580 (AR 1580). AR 1581 was designated. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 28th: The solar activity is expected to continue at low levels with a slight chance for M-class flares.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The forecast through September 28th: The geomagnetic field is expected to continue at mostly quiet conditions.  There is a slight chance for a greater than 10 MeV proton event from active regions rotating around the southeast limb. 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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Two C1 Flares on September 24th...

The above image was taken September 24th at 15:42:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a C1 solar flare, produced by Active Region 1578 (AR 1578), to the east (left) of center on the disc. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 23rd and most of September 24th, the solar activity was low. The new Active Region 1578 (AR 1578), produced a C1 flare on the 24th at 15:42 UTC. And an undesignated region, just rotating onto the Earth-facing disc, produced a C1 flare on the 24th at 19:31 UTC. Another region rotating onto the southeast limb was designated AR 1579. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 27th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for M-class flares.

At home, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The forecast through September 27th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet. On the 26th and 27th, the greater than 10 MeV proton probability increases to a slight chance due to potential activity from active regions rotating around the southeast limb. 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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C1 X-Ray Flare on September 23rd!

The linked video presents a collection of images taken on September 23rd from 13:21:55 UTC through 15:49:43 UTC, by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) , at 304 Anstroms, aboard the  Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The images show a long-duration C1 x-ray flare from an area of enhanced emission located behind the east limb. The video was posted to YouTube by contributor "Howyouwoodoo". Image Credit: SDO/AIA

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

For the end of September 22nd and most of September 23rd, the solar activity was low. The largest event was a long-duration C1 x-ray flare on the 23rd at 15:56 UTC from an area of enhanced emission located behind the east limb. Active Region 1577 (AR 1577) gave the most change, developing numerous intermediate sunspots. The remaining regions were quiet and stable. And no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 26th: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity as active regions are expected to rotate onto the Earth-facing disc.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field was at quiet levels.  The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite measurements indicated a steady decline in wind speed from about 400 km/s to near 350 km/s while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field did not vary much beyond +/- 4 nT. The forecast through September 26th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at predominately quiet levels. 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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September 21st AR 1573 B8 Flare

The above image was taken September 21st at 12:21:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a B8 solar flare, produced by Active Region 1573 (AR 1573) near the center of the disc. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 20th and most of the 21st, the solar activity was very low. The largest x-ray event was a B8 solar flare on the 21st at 12:21 UTC produced by Active Region 1573 (AR 1573). The largest spot group on the solar disc, AR 1575 (1575), remains near 250 millionths in area with a Beta magnetic configuration. Two asymmetrical partial halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed in the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) LASCO instrument. Both events were determined to be backside sourced, and so are not expected to impact Earth. The forecast through September 24th: The solar activity is expected to be very low to low.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field was quiet, despite the influence of a weak coronal hole (CH) high-speed stream. The forecast through September 24th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet to unsettled for the 22nd as the coronal hole effects wane. Conditions are expected to be mostly quiet for the 23rd and 24th. 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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AR 1574's C1 Flare on Sept 20th

The above image was taken September 20th at 11:39:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a C1 solar flare, produced by Active Region 1574 (AR 1574) on the southwestern (lower right) limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 19th and most of the 20th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1574 (AR 1574) produced a C1 solar flare on the 20th at 11:39 UTC. And AR 1574 has grown over the period, from a simple unipolar spot to a 4-spot bipolar group. All of the other spotted ARs had little change. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 23rd: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field was at predominately quiet to unsettled levels with a period of active conditions on the 19th between 21:00 UTC and 24:00 UTC. The period began with wind speeds, as measured at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft, steady at 400 km/s while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) was mostly south at about -10 nT. At about 23:00 UTC, wind speed and temperature indicated slight increases while IMF Bz began fluctuating between +8 to -6 nT. By the 20th at about 01:00 UTC, the phi angle changed from a positive (away) to a negative (toward) orientation. These changes were all indicative of a co-rotating interaction region in advance of a coronal hole high-speed stream. By the end of the period, wind velocities were steady at about 575 km/s while IMF Bz did not vary much beyond +/- 2 nT. The forecast through September 23rd: The geomagnetic field is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active intervals for the 21st and 22nd as a coronal hole high-speed stream (CH HSS) remains geoeffective. By the 23rd, mostly quiet to unsettled levels are expected as CH HSS effects wane. 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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AR 1576 C2 Flare on the 19th

The above image was taken September 19th at 15:12:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). The image is an actually a stacking of frames taken at multiple wavelengths. Specifically, 94, 131, 171, 193, and 211 Angstroms. These images were taken at the time of the C2 solar fare produced by Active Region 1576 (AR 1576) on the eastern (left) limb and to the south. The dark triangular shape just to the right of center is a coronal hole. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 18th and most of the 19th, the solar activity was low.  The new Active Region 1576 (AR 1576) produced a few C-class flares, the largest a C2/Sf on the 19th at 15:12 UTC. Both AR 1576 and AR 1575 continue to rotate onto the Earth-facing disc and appear to have beta magnetic characteristics.  No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were detected. The forecast through September 22nd: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class activity.

At home, the geomagnetic field was at quiet to unsettled levels. The Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) satellite measurements of the solar wind observed steady velocities at about 400 km/s while the Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field varied between +8 to -10 nT. The forecast through September 22nd: The geomagnetic field is expected to remain at quiet to unsettled levels for the 20th. An increase to quiet to unsettled levels with isolated active intervals is expected for the 21st and 22nd as a coronal hole high-speed stream moves into a geoeffective position. 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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Newcomer AR 1575 Heralds Great Promise...

The above image was taken September 18th at 10:09:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 171 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of a C1 x-ray event, produced by Active Region 1575 (AR 1575) on the eastern (left) limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 17th and most of the 18th, the solar activity was at low levels. Newly-designated Active Region 1575 (AR 1575) produced the only C-class flare, which was a C1 x-ray event at on the 18th at 10:09 UTC. This AR was also responsible for the two C-class flares seen yesterday. When AR 1575 rotated onto the Earth-facing disk, it had a beta magnetic classification. No Earth directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were detected. The forecast through September 21st: The solar activity is expected to be at low levels with a slight chance for M-class events.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field has been at quiet to unsettled levels. Solar wind speeds, as measured by the the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft, indicated nominal background speeds with sustained periods of the negative Bz component of the IMF. The forecast through September 21st: The geomagnetic field is expected to remain at quiet to unsettled levels through the 20th. A slight increase to quiet to unsettled levels with chance for active periods is expected on the 21st as a coronal hole high-speed stream moves into a geoeffective position. 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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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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Sept 17th, Sun and Earth Fairly Quiet...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 17th at 03:24:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Note the coronal hole just to the left (east) of center. The high-speed stream from this hole should begin to affect Earth's magnetic field around September 19th. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 15th and most of the 16th, the solar activity was very low. The new Active Region 1573 (AR 1573) produced occasional B-class flares as it rotated into view. AR 1566 produced a B-class flare as it approached the west limb. AR 1569 showed gradual spot and penumbral decay in its intermediate and trailer portions. New AR 1574, a small reverse-polarity group, was also designated. The was no Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) activity. The forecast through September 19th: The solar activity is expected to be very low with a chance for a C-class flare.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field activity was at quiet to unsettled levels. An increase to unsettled levels occurred late in the period, associated with the onset of a solar sector boundary crossing (SSBC). Intermittent periods of weakly-southward IMF Bz along with minor increases in solar wind speeds and IMF Bt were associated with the SSBC. The forecast through September 19th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to remain at quiet to unsettled levels on the 17th due to minor changes in the solar wind. A decrease to quiet levels is expected on the 18th. Activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels on the 19th, with a slight chance for active levels, as a coronal hole high-speed stream begins to disturb the field. 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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Large Prominence Beyond the Western Limb...

The above image was taken September 15th at 16:52:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was during the time of the a large prominence beyond the western limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 14th and most of the 15th, the solar activity was very low. Low-level B-class x-ray flares occurred. Active Region 1566 (AR 1566) produced occasional B-class flares as it approached the sun's west limb. Occasional B-class flares also occurred from a yet-to-be-numbered small spot group that rotated into view late in the period. AR 1569 showed minor spot growth in its trailer portion and retained a beta-gamma magnetic configuration. And a new region was designated, AR 1572. One very spectacular event for the period was a large prominence which extended from beyond the sun's western limb, occurring on the 15th around 16:52 UTC. That being said, there were no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed. The forecast through September 18th: The solar activity is expected to be very low with a chance for isolated C-class flares.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to (briefly) unsettled levels. The forecast through September 18th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels around midday on the 16th with a chance for active levels due to the arrival of the CME associated with the filament disappearance observed on the 13th. Field activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels on the 17th as CME effects subside. A further decrease to quiet levels is expected on the 18th. 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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Sept 15, Nappy Time for Sol...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 14th at 22:44:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of Sepember 14th and most of the 14th, the solar activity decreased to very low levels. Active Region 1569 (AR 1569) produced occasional B-class flares. It showed a slight decrease in intermediate sunspots, but retained a beta-gamma magnetic configuration. No significant changes were observed in the remaining spotted regions. No new regions were numbered and no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) occurred. The forecast through September 17th: The solar activity is expected to be very low with a chance for a C-class flare.

At home, The geomagnetic field was quiet. The forecast through September 17th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to increase to quiet to unsettled levels the 15th due to a coronal hole high-speed stream. A further increase to unsettled levels is expected on the 16th with a chance for active levels due to the arrival of the CME associated with the filament disappearance on the 13th. Field activity is expected to decrease to quiet to unsettled levels the 17th. 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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AR 1564 Gone, But Not Forgotten...

The above image was taken September 13th at 05:08:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was the time of the long-duration C2 flare produced by Active Region 1564 (AR 1564), passed the southwest limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 12th and most of the 13th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) rotated around the west limb on the 12th, but produced the largest event; a long-duration C2 flare on the 13th at 05:08 UTC. AR 1569 increased in magnetic complexity and is now considered a beta-gamma type group. A filament eruption occurred and the associated coronal mass ejection (CME) had an estimated speed of 536 km/s. The forecast through September 16th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for M-class flares, mainly from AR 1569.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field was mostly quiet with an isolated unsettled period observed on the 13th from 00:00 UTC to 03:00 UTC. Solar wind speeds increased from approximately 290 km/s to 400 km/s due to the effects of a weak coronal hole high-speed stream. The forecast through September 16th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet on the 14th. Quiet to unsettled conditions are expected on the 15th due to effects from another coronal hole high-speed stream. Activity is expected to increase to unsettled levels on the 16th with a chance for active periods due the arrival of the CME associated with the 13th's filament eruption. 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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More Parting Shots From AR 1564...

The above image was taken September 11th at 22:07:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 131 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was the time of the long-duration C4 flare produced by Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) on the southwest limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 11th and most of the 12th, the solar activity was at low levels. Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) was the most active, producing several C-class flares as it rotated off the west limb. The largest flare produced was a long-duration C4 on the 11th at 22:07 UTC. And two new regions were designated: AR 1570 and AR 1571, the latter of which just rotated onto the facing disc. There were no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The forecast through September 15th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for an isolated M-class flare on the 13th. This M-class probability is expected to decrease for the for the 14th and 15th as AR 1564 rotates further beyond the limb.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field activity was at mostly quiet levels. There was an isolated period of major storming at high latitudes during the 12th from 09:00 UTC to 12:00 UTC. A solar sector boundary crossing was observed at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft on the 11th at 22:00 UTC. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels. The forecast through the 15th: The geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet with a slight chance for unsettled levels on the 13th and 14th. An increase from quiet to unsettled levels with a slight chance for an active period is expected on the 15th due to a favorably positioned coronal hole. 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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C Flares Abound as AR 1564 Prepares to Depart...

The above image was taken September 10th at 23:56:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was the time of the C6 flare produced by Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) near the southwest limb. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 10th and most of the 11th, the solar activity was at low levels.  Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) was the most active of the designated regions, with several C-class flares. The largest of these was a C6 flare on the 10th at 23:56 UTC. AR 1567 and AR 1569 also contributed to the C-class flare activity. AR 1567 decayed throughout this period. There were no Earth-directed CMEs. The forecast through September 14th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an isolated M-class flare on the 12th. And this M-class probability is expected to decrease for the the 13th and 14th as AR 1564 rotates out of view.

At home, the geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels. The forecast through September 14th: The geomagnetic activity is expected to be quiet with a slight chance for unsettled levels on the 12th and 13th. An increase to quiet to unsettled levels with a slight chance for an active period is expected on the 14th due to a favorably positioned coronal hole. 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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Sept 9th M1 Flare and CME From AR 1564

The above image was taken September 9th at 22:36:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was the time of the M1 flare produced by Active Region 1564 (AR 1564). Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 9th and most of the 10th, the solar activity increased to moderate levels. Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) produced an M1 flare on the 9th at 22:36 UTC. In addition, AR 1564 and AR 1567 produced occasional C-class flares. On the 10th, at 10:00 UTC, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) observed a filament eruption from the southwest quadrant of the sun's disc. And an associated coronal mass ejection (CME) was observed over the south pole with an estimated plane of sky speed of 420 km/s. But pending further analysis, that CME is not expected to affect Earth. A new region rolled into view and was designated AR 1569. It's an A-type Hax  sunspot group, although additional trailer spots appeared to be rotating into view. The forecast through September 13th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an isolated M-class flare.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field activity was at quiet levels. A solar sector boundary crossing was observed at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft at about 13:00 UTC. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during the period. The forecast through September 13th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels with a chance for unsettled levels. 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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Sept 10th, Sol Going Back to Bed...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 10th at 01:40:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 8th and most of the 9th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) produced two low-level C-class flares. AR 1568 was designated and produced low-level C-class flare. There were no Earth-directed CME activity. The forecast through September 12th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an isolated M-class flare.

At home, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit reached high levels during the period. The forecast through September 12th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels with a chance for unsettled levels. Also, there is a slight chance for active levels on the 12th due to the onset of a coronal hole high-speed stream. 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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M1 Flare, CME from AR 1564 / 1562 Interaction

The linked video, prepared by Helioviewer.org, shows images taken on September 8th from about 14:59 UTC to 19:17 UTC, by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 131 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), during the time of the long-duration M1 solar flare involving Active Regions 1564 and 1562 (AR 1562 and AR 1562). Image Credit: SDO/AIA.  captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

CLICK HERE to view the video at YouTube.

For the end of September 7th and most of the 8th, the solar activity was moderate. On the 8th at 17:59 UTC, a long-duration M1 solar flare was observed, appearing to involve an interaction between Active Regions 1564 and 1562 (AR 1564 and AR 1562). At the moment, AR 1564 appears to be the largest region on the sun's disc. At 10:00 UTC, Solar Heliospheric Observatory's (SOHO's) LASCO C2 instrument observed a coronal mass ejection off the west limb. And according to the STEREO-A COR2 imagery, it appears to be a full halo CME. But this CME is not expected to affect Earth. The forecast through September 11th: The solar activity is expected to remain low with a chance for an M-flare on the 9th and 10th, decreasing to a slight chance on day the 11th.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field ranged from quiet to unsettled levels, with one period of active conditions at high latitudes. The solar wind speed at the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft remained near 400 km/s.  The Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field ranged from about +/- 5nT and Earth remained in the positive sector. A slow rise in high-energy particles at ACE was observed beginning on the 9th around 11:00 UTC. This rise is believed to be associated with that CME observed around 10:00 UTC. The forecast through September 11th: The geomagnetic field is expected to be mostly quiet. 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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September 8th, Nighty Night, Sol...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 8th at 02:44:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 6th and most of the 7th, the solar activity was low. Active Regions 1560 and 1562 (AR 1560 and AR 1562) each produced a few low-level C-class flares. AR 1562 continued to grow in area. AR 1567 was designated on the 7th. Its a simple Bxo-beta type spot group. All other regions on the sun's disc were quiet and stable. And no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed. The forecast through September 10th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a slight chance for isolated M-class flare activity.

At home, the geomagnetic field was mostly quiet. The forecast through September 10th: The geomagnetic field is expected to remain mostly quiet. 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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M1 Flare on Sept 6th From AR 1560...

The above image was taken September 6th at 04:13:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 94 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was the time of the M1 x-ray flare produced by Active Region 1560 (AR 1560). Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of September 5th and most of the 6th, the solar activity was moderate (Wow. Not "low" or "very low"...). Active Region 1560 (AR 1560) produced an impulsive M1 x-ray flare on the 6th at 04:13 UTC, as well as occasional low-level C-class solar flares. No obvious changes were noted in AR 1560, but its closeness to the limb hampered any analysis. AR 1564 also produced occasional low-level C-class flares. It showed minor sunspot and penumbral growth in its interior portion. AR 1562 showed gradual spot and penumbral growth during the period. No new regions were designated. And no Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME) activity occurred during the period. The forecast through September 9th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an isolated M-class flare on the 7th. This will drop to a slight chance for the 8th and 9th.

Earth's geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to active levels. Active levels occurred on the 6th during 00:00 UTC to 03:00 UTC due to periods of southward IMF Bz and enhanced IMF Bt associated with a solar sector boundary change. Field activity decreased to mostly quiet levels after 03:00 UTC. The forecast through September 9th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet levels with a chance for unsettled levels. 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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Sept 6th, Maybe an M-Class Flare...

The above image presents four charts: the GOES-13 satellite Proton Flux reading (top), the GOES-13 satellite Electron Flux reading (upper-middle), the GOES-13 satellite Hp reading (lower-middle), and the GOES-15 Estimated Kp reading. Image Credit: NOAA/SWPC Boulder, Colorado, USA

For the end of September 4th and most of the 5th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1564 (AR 15464) produced occasional C-class solar flares including a C6 flare on the 5th at 03:47 UTC and a C7 flare at 08:06 UTC, neither of which were associated with significant radio emission. AR 1564 showed gradual sunspot and penumbral decay during the period, but retained a beta-gamma configuration due to polarity mixing in the vicinity of its intermediate spots. AR 1560 showed minor sunspot loss in its trailer portion during the period. It retained a change within its intermediate sunspots, but the change appeared to be dissipating. The remaining spotted region were unremarkable. No new regions were designated and Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) occurred during the period. The forecast through September 8th: The solar activity is expected to be low, with a chance for an isolated M-class flare during the 6th and 7th.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to major storm levels with a brief period of severe storm levels at high latitudes. An interplanetary shock passed the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft on the 4th at 22:03 UTC, indicating the arrival of the CMEs observed on the 2nd. Field activity increased to major storm levels during the 5th over 00:00 UTC to 03:00 UTC following the shock, then decreased to minor storm levels during 03:00 UTC to 06:00 UTC. A further decrease to active levels occurred during 06:00 UTC to 09:00 UTC. Quiet to unsettled levels occurred during the rest of the period with active to minor storm levels detected at high latitudes. The forecast through September 8th: The geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels with a chance for active levels on the 6th due to possible weak coronal hole high-speed stream effects. 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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Sept 5th, More CMEs...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 5th at 00:52:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 3rd and most of the 4th, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1564 (AR 1564) was the most active, producing occasional low-level C-class solar flares. And the region's spot count increased and decreased over this period. AR 1560 showed a slight decrease in spots and area. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed during the period. The forecast through September 7th: The solar activity is expected to be low, with a chance for an isolated M-class flare.

Here at home, the geomagnetic field activity level ranged from quiet to minor storm levels with some major storms at high latitudes, all from the residual effects from an earlier CME. The forecast through September 7th: For the 5th and 6th, the level of geomagnetic field activity is expected to range from quiet to unsettled with a chance for active levels. This is due to the arrival of the September 2nd CME, along with a co-rotating interaction region in advance of a coronal hole high-speed stream. The CMEs are expected to arrive around midday on the 5th. And the high-speed stream is expected to commence on the 6th. Field activity is expected to be at quiet to unsettled levels on the 7th as the effects of the high-speed stream subside. 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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Sept 4th, Aug 31st CME was Felt...

The above image presents four charts: the GOES-13 satellite Proton Flux reading (top), the GOES-13 satellite Electron Flux reading (upper-middle), the GOES-13 satellite Hp reading (lower-middle), and the GOES-15 Estimated Kp reading. Image Credit: NOAA/SWPC Boulder, Colorado, USA

For the end of September 2nd and most of the 3rd, the solar activity was low. Active Regions 1560 and 1564 (AR 1560 and AR 1564) each produced occasional C-class solar flares. And AR 1560 increased in magnetic complexity. AR 1564 also had gradual growth and increased in magnetic complexity. AR 1553 produced occasional occasional optical subflares as it neared the west limb. And a new region was designated, AR 1566. There were no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed. The forecast through September 6th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for isolated M-class flares.

Back at Earth, the geomagnetic field activity ranged from unsettled to major storm levels with a brief period of severe storm levels at high latitudes. An interplanetary shock passed the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft on the 3rd at 11:23 UTC, indicating the arrival of the Halo CME observed on August 31st. This was followed by a geomagnetic sudden impulse at 12:14 UTC. Field activity increased to major storm levels during 12:00 UTC to 15:00 UTC following the sudden impulse, then decreased to active levels for the rest of the period, with minor storm periods detected at high latitudes. The greater than 10 MeV proton event at geosynchronous orbit that began on September 1st at 13:35 UTC, reached a maximum of 60 pfu on the 2nd at 08:50 UTC, and was in progress as the period ended. The forecast through September 6th: On September 4th, the geomagnetic field activity is expected to be at unsettled to active levels with a chance for minor storm levels as CME effects wind down. On the 5th and 6th, quiet to unsettled conditions are expected with a chance for active levels due to arrival of Earth-directed CMEs observed on September 2nd, along with a co-rotating interaction region ahead of a coronal hole high-speed stream. this stream is expected to commence on the 6th. The greater than 10 MeV proton event at geosynchronous orbit is expected to end on the 4th. 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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Sept 3rd, Possible Storms From Aug 31st CME...

The above X-ray image of the sun was taken September 3rd at 01:48:00 UTC by the Solar X-ray Imager (SXI) aboard the GOES-15 satellite. Image Credit: NOAA

For the end of September 1st and most of the 2nd, the solar activity was low. The largest flare was a C5 flare produced by Active Region 1560 (AR 1560) on the 2nd at 18:10 UTC. And this remains the largest and most magnetically complex region, with a beta-gamma configuration. Two potentially Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed with estimated speeds of 570 and 530 km/s, and a Type IV radio sweep occurred at 04:35 UTC. The forecast through September 5th: The solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for an M-class flare.

At home, the geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to unsettled levels. The forecast through the 4th: On September 2nd, the geomagnetic activity is expected to range from quiet to unsettled. On the 3rd, the activity is expected to increase to minor storm levels with a chance for major storm levels with the arrival of the August 31st coronal mass ejecting (CME), and there is a chance of reaching severe storm levels at high latitudes. On the 4th, the activity is expected to decrease to mostly unsettled conditions as the CME effects wane. Stay tuned...

The forecast through September 5th: September 3rd will see the arrival of the CME from August 31st. The high latitudes have a chance of severe storms. On the 4th and 5th, activity is expected to decrease to mostly unsettled conditions with continuing CME effects. And the two CMEs observed on the 2nd, along with the coronal hold high-speed stream, are expected to arrive on the 5th. 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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September 2nd, the CME is Coming...

The above image was taken September 1st at 19:25:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of August 31th and most of September 1st, the solar activity was low. The largest flare was a C3 flare from Active Region 1554 (AR 1554) at 00:39 UTC. AR 1560 is still the largest and most complex on the sun's disc. The forecast through September 4th: The solar activity level is expected to be low with a chance for moderate activity.

Back at Earth, the geomagnetic field activity ranged from quiet to unsettled levels. The forecast through the 4th: On September 2nd, the geomagnetic activity is expected to range from quiet to unsettled. On the 3rd, the activity is expected to increase to minor storm levels with a chance for major storm levels with the arrival of the August 31st coronal mass ejecting (CME), and there is a chance of reaching severe storm levels at high latitudes. On the 4th, the activity is expected to decrease to mostly unsettled conditions as the CME effects wane. 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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Now That's a CME!

The above image was taken August 31st at 19:49:00 UTC by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). This was four minutes after SDO/AIA first confirmed the coronal mass ejection (CME) stretching out from the southeastern portion of the sun's disc. Image Credit: SDO/AIA

For the end of August 30h and most of the 31st, the solar activity was low. Active Region 1560, 1563 and newly numbered 1564 (which just rotated around the east limb) each produced low-level C-class flares. AR 1560 grew in area and became more magnetically complex, with a beta-gamma magnetic configuration. Late on the 31st, things got interesting. At 19:45 UTC, coronal mass ejection (CME) was first observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), at 304 Angstroms, aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Later, at 20:43 UTC, there was observed a C8 solar flare associated with a large filament eruption. This eruption was associated with a Type II (estimated speed 515 km/s) and Type IV radio sweeps. Further evaluation of the CME is expected from SOHO's LASCO instruments. The forecast through September 3rd: The solar activity level is expected to be low with a chance for moderate activity.

Above Earth, the geomagnetic field was quiet. The forecast through September 3rd: The geomagnetic field is expected to remain quiet. 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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