Tag Archives: M Class flares

Sunspot AR1538 Getting Active

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CRACKLING SUNSPOT: Newly-numberd sunspot AR1538 is small but active. In an 18-hour period on July 30-31, it popped off more than 15 minor flares. Watch the sunspot crackle in this movie from NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory:

The nearly-constant flaring is a sign of tension in the sunspot’s magnetic field. It is not, however, a sure-fire sign that a major eruption is in the offing. On the contrary, a large number of minor flares might provide a degree of “magnetic relief” that makes a major eruption less likely.

The most likely source of a major flare today is sunspot AR1535, located more than 400,000 km north of crackling sunspot AR1538. AR1535 is relatively quiet but has a beta-gamma magnetic field that harbors energy for strong M-class eruptions.

from: spaceweather.com

Another Solar Flare

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ANOTHER BIG SUNSPOT: As one big sunspot (AR1515) turns away from Earth, another one is turning toward our planet. AR1520, now emerging over the sun’s southeastern limb, stretches more than 127,000 km (10 Earth diameters) from end to end:

AR1520 has a ‘beta-gamma’ magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class solar flares. So far, however, the sunspot’s magnetic canopy is crackling with lesser C-flares. The calm before the storm? NOAA forecasters estimate an 80% chance of M-flares during the next 24 hours.

fr/spaceweather.com

More Solar Flares

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M-FLARES: New sunspot AR1504 is crackling with impulsive M-class solar flares, including two on June 9th (1132 UT and 1650 UT) and one on June 10th (0645 UT). So far none of the blasts have been Earth directed.

NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the extreme UV flash from an M2-class flare this morning:

NOAA forecasters estimate a 45% chance of more M-flares today. Geoeffective eruptions are possible in the days ahead as AR1504 turns toward Earth.

from: spaceweather.com

Current Solar Activity

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SUNSPOT GENESIS: The solar disk is peppered with sunspots and at least three of them are crackling with C-class solar flares. Make that four. A new sunspot, AR1465, has just broken through the stellar surface to join the action. Cai-Uso Wohler photographed the emergence from his backyard observatory in Bispingen, Germany:

NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of an M-class flare during the next 24 hours. As the youngest and least stable of the sunspots, AR1465 is the most likely source. Stay tuned for solar activity

fr/spaceweather.com