Saturday 9 October 2021

Solar Cycle 25 continues to punch above its weight! At just before 08.00 UT this morning, sunspot AR2882 popped of a powerful M-class solar flare, the biggest since Sunspot AR2871 exploded on Sept 23rd

Credit SOHO

At just before 08.00 UT this morning, sunspot AR2882 popped of a powerful M-class solar flare, the biggest since Sunspot AR2871 exploded on Sept 23rd, producing a strong M3-class solar flare. Sunspot AR 2882 has released several more modest C-class solar flares in recent days, see graph below.

Credit GOES

According to Spaceweather.com, AR2882 is big, simple, and quiet. That's how sunspot AR2882 started the week. But now it is getting restless. The active region is crackling with C-class solar flares. Here is the latest, a powerful M2-class solar flare morning  just before 08.00 UT this morning recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

We do not yet know if this explosion produced a CME. Fresh data from SOHO might confirm the possibility later today. Meanwhile, stronger explosions may be in the offing...

New magnetic flux is emerging near the primary core of AR2882. The juxtaposition of oppositely-signed magnetic fields pressing together in AR2882 increases the odds of a significant flare from this formerly quiet sunspot. An M-flare this weekend would not be a surprise

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Gary.
This has nothing to do with solar flares but I thought you'd be interested.

https://www.zerohedge.com/covid-19/lithuanian-without-vaccine-pass-describes-life-under-medical-tyranny

Kind regards ,
Fred

Gary Walton said...

Thanks Fred.