Check out the SOHO MDI image:
Space weather, here we come!
Showing posts with label solar cycle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label solar cycle. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Two Groups!
Wow! Looking at the sun today, you can see two scoops groups of raisins sunspots!
Check out the SOHO MDI image:
Check out the SOHO MDI image:
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Achievement Unlocked: 3rd Most Boring Solar Cycle
Today is September 1st. Time to look at the sunspot number over the past month!
The last time this happened? June, 1913. 1913!!!
Solar Cycle 23 has now secured the bronze for the longest solar cycle in recorded history at 150 months. Gold and silver go to cycles 4 and 6 with 164 and 153 months, respectively. What is the perspective of a space science blogger on these matters?
*Sunspot numbers were zero using the international sunspot number. Provisional numbers from NOAA SWPC show a sudden jump to 10 sunspots on the 31st.
The last time this happened? June, 1913. 1913!!!
Solar Cycle 23 has now secured the bronze for the longest solar cycle in recorded history at 150 months. Gold and silver go to cycles 4 and 6 with 164 and 153 months, respectively. What is the perspective of a space science blogger on these matters?
*Sunspot numbers were zero using the international sunspot number. Provisional numbers from NOAA SWPC show a sudden jump to 10 sunspots on the 31st.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Solar Activity, Ahoy!
Last week I posted concerning a sunspot on the western near-equatorial region of the sun. What I should have focused on is the new sunspot on the eastern limb as detected by the STEREO B satellite. This spot is currently hidden from Earth (the STEREO mission has two satellites that see the sides of the sun that can't bee seen from Earth) but will rotate into view in the next few days.
Yesterday, this region produced a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), a violent release of mass, radiation, and magnetic field into the solar system. While this particular CME had no chance of hitting the Earth, these are the kind of events that damage satellites, over load electrical grids, put our astronauts in danger and produce the beautiful aurora. The sun is, apparently, slowly waking from its long cycle minimum.
A movie of the CME event can be found here.
Be sure to check out the latest images from the STEREO Mission!
Yesterday, this region produced a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), a violent release of mass, radiation, and magnetic field into the solar system. While this particular CME had no chance of hitting the Earth, these are the kind of events that damage satellites, over load electrical grids, put our astronauts in danger and produce the beautiful aurora. The sun is, apparently, slowly waking from its long cycle minimum.
A movie of the CME event can be found here.
Be sure to check out the latest images from the STEREO Mission!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The sun is waking up.
Here's another image of the sun's surface. A sunspot has definitely formed; we just might be moving out of solar minimum.
What you're looking at is an image from the EIT (Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) aboard the SOHO science satellite. This picture is created by detecting 195 Angstrom wavelength light, which corresponds to temperatures of 1.5 million degrees Kelvin. The important feature is the bright area on the right side of the sun. This is a sunspot, or an area of intense magnetic activity. This is a region where solar flares can develop, which makes my job far more fun.
Be sure to check out the latest images from the SOHO satellite.
Be sure to check out the latest images from the SOHO satellite.
Monday, April 27, 2009
A bit of activity!
Ladies and gentlemen, the sun is trying its hardest to not be boring. From the Stereo satellite mission comes these images:
Is that a sunspot peeking around the side (the bright, active spot on the right hand side of the right image)? We haven't seen those lately...
EDIT: Bah! I've lost the images. See newer posts.
Is that a sunspot peeking around the side (the bright, active spot on the right hand side of the right image)? We haven't seen those lately...
EDIT: Bah! I've lost the images. See newer posts.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
I messed up!
After a period of no sunspots, the sun finally showed some activity as a single sunspot came into view. Unfortunately, I didn't jump on this news right away and now I cannot find a clear picture of the spot. This is quite disappointing, especially if I'm going to make this blog a good source of news concerning space weather. The best I can find is some questionable activity on the limbs, but nothing concrete. I'll pay better attention and post pictures as soon as we have some solar action!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Sweet Sensationalism! The sun is coming to KILL!
Step 1: Read this article.
Step 2: Roll eyes.
If one needs an explanation as to the level of credulity present in the world today, look no further than our news media. The key to this article is how they wrap some good facts and good science in pure and total sensationalistic garbage to scare up as many readers as possible (isn't that how they all work?)
Good: Discussion of the effects of space weather, mention of the Carrington Event, mention of the solar cycle, and recognition of Dan Baker's constant work to raise awareness, especially among our leaders, of the problems space weather can pose.
Bad: Saying that the next solar storm of Carrington-proportions will happen within three years during what will likely be the weakest solar cycle this century! I've already discussed how our current solar cycle is exceptionally unspectacular; I'll be expanding on this shortly. Let me emphasize, however, that as far as we currently understand, we are not "due" for anything except the next solar maximum.
As if complete ignorance of the solar conditions both now and in the near future isn't bad enough, the author completely negates his fear-inducing title in his own article.
Title:
Third-to-last line:
So, it may not come in three years - or even fourteen - but you DAMN WELL BETTER BE READY! And just to show you what the sun will look like on that fateful day:
In case you missed it, the caption of the picture is "Trouble ahead: How the sun storm might look in London." Dear readers, I assure you- if the sun ever looks like this, the last thing we will worry about is the electricity going out.
Step 2: Roll eyes.
If one needs an explanation as to the level of credulity present in the world today, look no further than our news media. The key to this article is how they wrap some good facts and good science in pure and total sensationalistic garbage to scare up as many readers as possible (isn't that how they all work?)
Good: Discussion of the effects of space weather, mention of the Carrington Event, mention of the solar cycle, and recognition of Dan Baker's constant work to raise awareness, especially among our leaders, of the problems space weather can pose.
Bad: Saying that the next solar storm of Carrington-proportions will happen within three years during what will likely be the weakest solar cycle this century! I've already discussed how our current solar cycle is exceptionally unspectacular; I'll be expanding on this shortly. Let me emphasize, however, that as far as we currently understand, we are not "due" for anything except the next solar maximum.
As if complete ignorance of the solar conditions both now and in the near future isn't bad enough, the author completely negates his fear-inducing title in his own article.
Title:
Meltdown! A solar superstorm could send us back into the dark ages - and one is due in just THREE years
Third-to-last line:
Of course, it may not happen in 2012 - it may not happen in 2023, the year of the next solar maximum.
So, it may not come in three years - or even fourteen - but you DAMN WELL BETTER BE READY! And just to show you what the sun will look like on that fateful day:
In case you missed it, the caption of the picture is "Trouble ahead: How the sun storm might look in London." Dear readers, I assure you- if the sun ever looks like this, the last thing we will worry about is the electricity going out.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Apparently I am a Psychic.
Minutes after posting about how little solar activity there is at the moment, I have found out that it's even calmer than I thought! We are currently in the fourth longest solar cycle in recorded history and will likely climb further up the list as the sun spot number (SSN) continues to fall. In March, we experienced 28 days without a sun spot (last year, March saw only 17 days without a blemish.) The averaged sunspot number values imply that we are likely to dip lower in the solar cycle, with fewer sunspots in April and possibly May.
Boring.
What are we missing out on? Check out this and this.
Solar min sucks.
Boring.
What are we missing out on? Check out this and this.
Solar min sucks.
All's quiet on the space weather front.
I may have made a critical mistake by instituting this blog during solar minimum. Space weather is boring right now. booorrrriiinnnggg.
The solar cycle is the 11 year period in the number of sunspots appearing on the surface of the sun. During maximum, the number of spots is at a peak and solar storms occur frequently. This leads to great videos of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, space weather storms at Earth, strong aurora, and bad impacts on technology (more on that in forthcoming posts.)
Right now, we're in solar minimum. What's happening in space? Jack crap, that's what. Just to give you an idea of how boring the sun is, examine the following:
This graph, from the Space Weather Prediction Center, is up-to-date as of the end of February. The blue/black lines are actual data; the red line is the sunspot forecast. As far as sunspots, we have bottomed out. This limits the amount of space weather news I can blog about -- especially exciting stuff.
As for the forecast, this is an extremely difficult prediction and rarely is accurate. In a few weeks, SWPC's annual Space Weather Workshop will commence and an updated prediction will be reported. While I won't be attending this year, I will blog on any important news that I hear from it.
The solar cycle is the 11 year period in the number of sunspots appearing on the surface of the sun. During maximum, the number of spots is at a peak and solar storms occur frequently. This leads to great videos of solar flares and coronal mass ejections, space weather storms at Earth, strong aurora, and bad impacts on technology (more on that in forthcoming posts.)
Right now, we're in solar minimum. What's happening in space? Jack crap, that's what. Just to give you an idea of how boring the sun is, examine the following:
This graph, from the Space Weather Prediction Center, is up-to-date as of the end of February. The blue/black lines are actual data; the red line is the sunspot forecast. As far as sunspots, we have bottomed out. This limits the amount of space weather news I can blog about -- especially exciting stuff.
As for the forecast, this is an extremely difficult prediction and rarely is accurate. In a few weeks, SWPC's annual Space Weather Workshop will commence and an updated prediction will be reported. While I won't be attending this year, I will blog on any important news that I hear from it.
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