Sunspot 1302 continues to turn toward Earth
A powerful X1.9-flare has been recorded from sunspot 1302, which is growing and showing no signs of quieting down. The flare could deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on September 26.
Sunspot Regions
Articles tagged with Sunspot Regions
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Sunspot 1283 bristling with flares: An X1.8 and an M6.7
Sunspot 1283 has erupted with multiple flares, including an X1.8 flare on September 7 and a moderate M6.7 flare on September 8. NASA predicts that the latest coronal mass ejection may cause some aurora on the morning of September 11.
New method detects emerging sunspots deep inside the sun, provides warning of dangerous solar flares
Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new method to detect sunspots forming deep inside the sun, allowing for up to two days' warning before solar storms. The method uses acoustic waves generated by turbulent plasma and gases, and has been successfully tested four times.
NASA sees the sun having a solar blast
A medium-sized solar flare, S1-class radiation storm, and spectacular coronal mass ejection were observed on June 7, 2011. The event was recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory and Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, showing a large eruption of cool gas with temperatures less than 80,000 K.
The watched pot and fast CMEs
Solar activity has increased significantly after a three-year period of minimal sunspot activity, signaling the start of Solar Cycle 24. The longest recorded period of inactivity began in 2008 and lasted until this year.
Montana State University team solves mystery of missing sunspots, helps predict space weather
A team from Montana State University solved the mystery of missing sunspots from 2008 to 2010, which coincided with unusually weak magnetic fields at the sun's poles. The discovery allows for the prediction of space weather, influencing technology in space and on Earth.
NJIT physicist gets $2.4 million NSF grant to improve optics to see more of sun
A $2.4 million NSF grant will enable NJIT physicist Philip R. Goode to develop a new adaptive optics system, allowing for better study of sunspots and space weather. The improved optics will increase the distortion-free field of view, enabling researchers to study larger areas of the sun.
More to solar cycle than sunspots; sun also bombards Earth with high-speed streams of wind
Scientists have found that the number of sunspots provides an incomplete measure of changes in the Sun's impact on Earth over the course of the 11-year solar cycle. High-speed streams of wind from the Sun intensify the energy of Earth's outer radiation belt, posing hazards to satellites and space travelers.
Sunspots revealed in striking detail by supercomputers
A new computer model reveals striking detail about sunspots, including their structure and dynamics. The simulations capture convective flow and energy movement that underlie sunspots, enabling scientists to better understand their role in solar output and climate patterns.
NOAA: Sunspot is harbinger of new solar cycle, increasing risk for electrical systems
A new 11-year solar cycle is expected to bring increased risks for power grids, communications, GPS signals, and cell phones. The first sunspot appeared in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the beginning of Solar Cycle 24.
Sunspot abundance linked to heavy rains in East Africa
Researchers found correlations between plentiful sunspots and heavy rain in East Africa, with peak sunspot activity preceding heavy rainfall by about a year. This link could enable public health officials to prepare for insect-borne diseases and flooding.
NOAA announces next solar storm cycle will likely start next March
Scientists forecast a moderately strong or weak solar storm cycle starting in March 2008 and peaking in October 2011 or August 2012. The panel's predictions are evenly split on the intensity of the cycle, with some expecting a record-breaker.
Changes in solar brightness too weak to explain global warming
A review of existing results and new calculations by US, Swiss, and German researchers suggest that solar brightness has a negligible effect on Earth's climate. The study implies that human influences must outweigh the effects of solar changes in causing global warming over the past century.
Scientists issue unprecedented forecast of next sunspot cycle
Researchers predict Cycle 24 sunspots will span 2.5% of Sun's surface, peaking in 2012, with improved forecasting tool helioseismology used to analyze recent solar cycles and forecast future activity.
Scientists issue unprecedented forecast of next sunspot cycle
The NCAR team predicts that Cycle 24 will produce larger-than-usual sunspots, affecting satellite orbits and power systems. Scientists developed a model tracking subsurface movements of sunspot remnants for more than 98% accurate forecasts.
Solar fireworks signal new space weather mystery
A massive solar flare on January 20, 2024, produced the largest solar radiation signal in nearly 50 years, tripping radiation monitors worldwide and scrambling spacecraft detectors. The event challenged traditional theories about proton storms at Earth, suggesting that protons may have originated from the sun itself.
NASA helps visually impaired students touch the sun
A new NASA book, 'Touch the Sun,' allows visually impaired students to explore solar science through embossed color pictures, Braille, and large-print descriptions. The book features 16 photographs of the sun and space weather, selected by Dr. Joseph Gurman and Steele Hill.
The sun is more active now than over the last 8000 years
Researchers have reconstructed sunspot activity over the last 11,400 years and found that the current level of high solar activity is unique within the past 8,000 years. This study suggests that the Sun's magnetic field is the origin and energy source of these phenomena.
How strongly does the sun influence the global climate?
Researchers at Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research found a moderate correlation between solar activity and climate change. However, their study suggests that the Sun's influence on global warming is relatively small over the last 20-30 years.
NASA goes to the 'SORCE' of Earth sun-blockers
Scientists measured a 0.1% reduction in sunlight reaching Earth during a June 8 Venus transit using NASA's SORCE satellite data. This event is comparable to the estimated 50-year decrease in sunlight that occurred during the Little Ice Age in the 17th century.
17th century solar oddity believed linked to global cooling is rare among nearby stars
Astronomers searched for sun-like stars exhibiting Maunder minimums, but most are not like the sun. Nearly all stars identified as Maunder minima are actually much brighter and different from the sun.
Breakthrough research to improve forecasts of sunspot cycle
Scientists at NCAR's High Altitude Observatory developed a new model that accounts for the evolution of sunspots caused by plasma circulation. The forecast predicts solar storms and cycle 24 starting around 2007-2008, with potential implications for understanding stars similar to the Sun.
Ice cores show volcanic eruptions interfere with the effect of sunspots on global climate
Researchers found that volcanic eruptions can completely reverse the influence of sunspots on global climate, contradicting previous assumptions about their relationship. By studying ice cores, they discovered that explosive volcanic activity coincides with correlation reversals between sunspot activity and climate.
Giant loops in the solar atmosphere may trigger Sun's magnetic poles reversals, new study reveals
Researchers at Stanford University have discovered that giant loops of hot, electrified gas linked to sunspots near the equator may cause polar reversals. The findings help predict violent solar flares and eruptions that interfere with Earth's communications.
The sun's chilly impact on Earth
A new NASA climate model suggests that low solar activity during the Little Ice Age (1400s-1700s) triggered regional cooling in Europe and North America. The study found that a dimmer sun reduced westerly winds, leading to cold temperatures during winter.
Scientists produce first detailed image of the inside of a sunspot
Researchers analyzed sound waves from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory to map the temperature and flow structure beneath sunspots. The study revealed fast-moving streams of hot plasma converging into a gigantic vortex that penetrates the solar surface.
Improving space weather forecasting by detecting active regions on the far side of the sun
Detecting active regions on the far side of the Sun allows for up to two weeks' advance warning of strong solar winds. The method uses Lyman alpha radiation to track sunspot activity and predict severe space weather.
Sunspot Cycle Closely Following Prediction
Scientists at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center have accurately predicted the current phase of Cycle 23 of the sunspot cycle. The team predicts that Cycle 23 will be above average but not a record setter, with the sun now on the upswing of its 23rd activity cycle.
Giant Convective Cells Found On Sun After 30-Year Search
Scientists have discovered giant convection cells on the sun, which could play a major role in its rotation and solar activity. These cells are large enough to swallow Jupiter and last for long periods, influencing space weather.
New Sunspot Cycle To Be Bigger Than Average
Scientists predict that the new sunspot cycle will rise faster than normal, reaching its peak in late 1999 or early 2000. The cycle is expected to continue until 2006, when the next cycle begins. This may lead to increased solar activity, potentially affecting satellite communications and Earth's outer atmosphere.
Astrophysicists Solve Mystery Of Gas Flow From Sunspots
Researchers John H. Thomas and Benjamin Montesinos present a more realistic version of the siphon-flow model, predicting how gas flows from sunspots into the solar atmosphere. Their results match observations in considerable detail, shedding light on astrophysical processes involving strong magnetic fields and jets of gas.