APOD: Solar X Flare as Famous Active... (2024 May 28)

[APOD Robot]

Solar X Flare as Famous Active Region Returns

Explanation: It's back. The famous active region on the Sun that created auroras visible around the Earth earlier this month has survived its rotation around the far side of the Sun -- and returned. Yesterday, as it was beginning to reappear on the Earth-facing side, the region formerly labeled AR 3664 threw another major solar flare, again in the highest-energy X-class range. The featured video shows the emerging active region on the lower left, as it was captured by NASA's Earth-orbiting Solar Dynamics Observatory yesterday in ultraviolet light. The video is a time-lapse of the entire Sun rotating over 24 hours. Watch the lower-left region carefully at about the 2-second mark to see the powerful flare burst out. The energetic particles from that flare and associated CME are not expected to directly impact the Earth and trigger impressive auroras, but scientists will keep a close watch on this unusually active region over the next two weeks, as it faces the Earth, to see what develops.

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[Rauf]

Is it just me, or is the main APOD link (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html) not working today?

[JimB]

Is it just me, or is the main APOD link (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html) not working today?

It's not just you. Todays APOD is completely blank - really is "open space"

[Rauf]

Is it just me, or is the main APOD link (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html) not working today?

It's not just you. Todays APOD is completely blank - really is "open space"

Well, it's not so blank now!

[JimB]

Is it just me, or is the main APOD link (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html) not working today?

It's not just you. Todays APOD is completely blank - really is "open space"

Well, it's not so blank now!

OK. Slow internet (rural Devon) or software update - who knows? But it has sprung into life now so I'm happy!

[Christian G.]

First a total eclipse, then a historic sunspot leading to nearly global auroras, and now yet more! The Sun gives quite a show these days!

The spaceweather link in the caption of the APOD shows this image of the same flare with the following comment from its author : "I have not seen an explosion like this in my 40 years of observing the sun," says Karrer. "So fast, so far out into space! It was gigantic."

[RJN]

Is it just me, or is the main APOD link (https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html) not working today?

Yes. There was an unusual HTML tag error that we fixed soon after we were alerted. We apologize for the inconvenice.

[johnnydeep]

So, I presume this extremely brief flash at the 2s mark (approximately) is the flare? A split second later it vanishes.

Also, I also assume the reason it won't have much of an effect on the Earth is simply because it wasn't directed in the Earth's direction? It looks to have "fired" almost perpendicular to our line sight.

[AVAO]

So, I presume this extremely brief flash at the 2s mark (approximately) is the flare? A split second later it vanishes.


huge sp;ar f;lare from AR3664.jpg


Also, I also assume the reason it won't have much of an effect on the Earth is simply because it wasn't directed in the Earth's direction? It looks to have "fired" almost perpendicular to our line sight.

Somehow my feeling tells me that this was a good thing

Click to view full size image

jac berne (SDO-AIA 6.58-7.13)


...45 min. later...

Click to view full size image

jac berne (LASCO C2 8.00)

Now let's see how the party continues.
At the moment the thing is firing on all barrels.
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0094
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0131
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0171
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0193
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0211
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0304
https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dailymov ... _1024_0335

[Chris Peterson]

So, I presume this extremely brief flash at the 2s mark (approximately) is the flare? A split second later it vanishes.


huge sp;ar f;lare from AR3664.jpg


Also, I also assume the reason it won't have much of an effect on the Earth is simply because it wasn't directed in the Earth's direction? It looks to have "fired" almost perpendicular to our line sight.

That's not the flare (which was at the surface), but is probably a CME thrown off by the flare. CMEs at angles like that can hit the Earth, because of the complex way that the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields interact, but this CME is not expected to hit Earth.

[johnnydeep]

So, I presume this extremely brief flash at the 2s mark (approximately) is the flare? A split second later it vanishes.


huge sp;ar f;lare from AR3664.jpg


Also, I also assume the reason it won't have much of an effect on the Earth is simply because it wasn't directed in the Earth's direction? It looks to have "fired" almost perpendicular to our line sight.

That's not the flare (which was at the surface), but is probably a CME thrown off by the flare. CMEs at angles like that can hit the Earth, because of the complex way that the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields interact, but this CME is not expected to hit Earth.

Thanks. Once again, reality is more complicated than quick amateur theorizing!

[Chris Peterson]

So, I presume this extremely brief flash at the 2s mark (approximately) is the flare? A split second later it vanishes.


huge sp;ar f;lare from AR3664.jpg


Also, I also assume the reason it won't have much of an effect on the Earth is simply because it wasn't directed in the Earth's direction? It looks to have "fired" almost perpendicular to our line sight.

That's not the flare (which was at the surface), but is probably a CME thrown off by the flare. CMEs at angles like that can hit the Earth, because of the complex way that the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields interact, but this CME is not expected to hit Earth.

Thanks. Once again, reality is more complicated than quick amateur theorizing!

Check out the heliospheric current sheet to see the spiral path that charged particles can follow. This makes flares on the trailing limb of the Sun (those just disappearing behind the Sun) particularly able to fling CMEs which will intersect Earth.

[johnnydeep]

That's not the flare (which was at the surface), but is probably a CME thrown off by the flare. CMEs at angles like that can hit the Earth, because of the complex way that the Sun's and Earth's magnetic fields interact, but this CME is not expected to hit Earth.

Thanks. Once again, reality is more complicated than quick amateur theorizing!

Check out the heliospheric current sheet to see the spiral path that charged particles can follow. This makes flares on the trailing limb of the Sun (those just disappearing behind the Sun) particularly able to fling CMEs which will intersect Earth.

Yup , that makes it pretty clear! (And I guess those tiny balls lost in the folds folds of the sheet are the inner planets. With Jupiter in the black area on the outskirts but apparently still able to be affected.)

he heliospheric current sheet, or interplanetary current sheet, is a surface separating regions of the heliosphere where the interplanetary magnetic field points toward and away from the Sun.[1] A small electrical current with a current density of about 10−10 A/m2 flows within this surface, forming a current sheet confined to this surface.[2][3][4] The shape of the current sheet results from the influence of the Sun's rotating magnetic field on the plasma in the interplanetary medium.[5] The thickness of the current sheet is about 10,000 km (6,200 mi) near the orbit of the Earth.

---

[bls0326]

"Check out the heliospheric current sheet to see the spiral path that charged particles can follow. This makes flares on the trailing limb of the Sun (those just disappearing behind the Sun) particularly able to fling CMEs which will intersect Earth."

Chris - Thanks for the links and explanations. They are really helpful.

Brian

[Avalon]

So I have been waiting to see photos taken from the ISS or any other orbiting spacecraft/satellite that shows the auroras of May 10-11 in color from space. I haven't run across a single such image and really don't know where to look for them. Does someone know where I can view such photos?

[Chris Peterson]

So I have been waiting to see photos taken from the ISS or any other orbiting spacecraft/satellite that shows the auroras of May 10-11 in color from space. I haven't run across a single such image and really don't know where to look for them. Does someone know where I can view such photos?

I've seen some satellite images of the aurora, but nothing in color from the ISS.

[AVAO]

So I have been waiting to see photos taken from the ISS or any other orbiting spacecraft/satellite that shows the auroras of May 10-11 in color from space. I haven't run across a single such image and really don't know where to look for them. Does someone know where I can view such photos?

That's right. There are suspiciously few pictures...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJtgxsltvlk

...actually, that would be expected...
https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/auroras-uhd-1.3544527

Click to view full size image

Astronaut Bob Hines shares some breathtaking photos of the northern lights taken from space station. Twitter/Bob “Farmer” Hines

Click to view full size image

A map from the Space Weather Prediction Center shows the aurora forecast for the U.S. on May 10, 2024. / Credit: Space Weather Prediction Center © Provided by CBS News

... 4 the next run, see ...
https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/auro ... perimental