Tag Archives: Space Weather Prediction Center

Current solar cycle data seems to be past the peak

Posted on April 9, 2013 by

The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has updated their monthly graph set and it appears as if the slow downside from what looks like the solar max for cycle 24. Though, it is still possible we could see a second … Continue reading →

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Posted in Solar | Tagged , , | 239 Comments

February solar data shows the Sun to still be slumping – but NASA says ‘twin peaks’ may happen

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

The data from SWPC is in, and it is lethargic at best. Sunspot numbers took a hit, down to about 42,  a delta of ~50 lower compared to the red prediction line. 10.7 cm solar radio flux took a similar … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , , , | 196 Comments

Update on Solar Cycle 24 – Hathaway’s latest predictions show smallest sunspot cycle since 1906

Posted on February 5, 2013 by

The sun is currently showing two significant spots, though activity is generally quiet. Current SSN is 30, and Sunspot AR1667 (on the left) is in decay, and it is no longer crackling with C-class solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI First the … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , | 153 Comments

Our current solar cycle 24 – still in a slump – solar max reached?

Posted on December 10, 2012 by

Have we hit solar max? NOAA’s SWPC recently updated their solar metrics graphs, and it seems to me like we may have topped out for solar cycle 24. There doesn’t seem to be any evidence of resurgence in any of … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , , | 189 Comments

The sun – still slumping

Posted on September 3, 2012 by

The latest solar cycle update graphs have been released by the NOAA SWPC today, and the anemic cycle 24 continues: The current count isn’t keeping up with the prediction line in red. Not only is the sunspot count low, so … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , , | 89 Comments

Solar cycle update for April – sun still slumping

Posted on May 10, 2012 by

Got a bit sidetracked earlier in the month, this is overdue for an update. Earlier we reported that Hathaway had updated his solar cycle prediction saying “…the predicted size makes this the smallest sunspot cycle in about 100 years. “. … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , | 77 Comments

Whole lotta watts added to the atmosphere

Posted on March 22, 2012 by

I loved the way James Russell described CO2 molecules as “natural thermostats” Solar Storm Dumps Gigawatts into Earth’s Upper Atmosphere A recent flurry of eruptions on the sun did more than spark pretty auroras around the poles.  NASA-funded researchers say … Continue reading →

Posted in solar flare | Tagged , , , , , , , | 116 Comments

NOAA: Strong Solar Eruption; Earth-Directed CME Likely

Posted on March 6, 2012 by

An X-5 class solar flare just occurred from region 1429, the large active sunspot group seen below. NOAA Bulletin from the Space Weather Prediction Center: 2012-03-07 01:03   Strong Solar Eruption; Earth-Directed CME Likely

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The sun is still in a funk: sunspot numbers are dropping when they should be rising

Posted on March 2, 2012 by

The sunspot number for February from SIDC is down again, to 33.1 Here’s the source of that data: http://sidc.oma.be/DATA/monthssn.dat So far, cycle 24 is significantly lower in SSN number that the last three cycles, in addition to having a delayed … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 137 Comments

Biggest solar storm since 2005

Posted on January 24, 2012 by

It is being called by WaPo “The Biggest solar storm since 2005“. The sun erupted late on January 22nd, 2012 with an M8.7 class flare. The Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the flare as seen below. From NASA: The coronal mass … Continue reading →

Posted in solar flare | Tagged , , , , , , , | 48 Comments

Big jumps in September solar activity metrics

Posted on October 5, 2011 by

NOAA’s Space weather prediction center released their solar cycle progression updates, and it shows one of the largest jumps for all common solar metrics since cycle 24 began. Of course we know that the sunspot number has jumped significantly partly … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , | 68 Comments

Latest solar cycle update from the Space Weather Prediction Center

Posted on May 10, 2011 by

SWPC updated their solar cycle progression page…looks like the levels have held since the big uptick in March.

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , | 127 Comments

Update on solar cycle 24

Posted on April 7, 2011 by

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center posted an update to their graphs today. They show the largest gains in solar cycle 24 tracking metrics I’ve seen yet. See graphs below:

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , , | 136 Comments

Sol is finally waking up

Posted on March 10, 2011 by

Let’s hope he does get out of the wrong side of the bed. The current sunspot count and 10.7 cm radio flux have increased in the latest NOAA SWPC graphs, shown below. but curiously, the Ap magnetic index remains low. … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 138 Comments

3 CME’s headed our way – geomagnetic storminess set for earth

Posted on February 16, 2011 by

From the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, word that our recent X-class (and lesser magnitude) solar flares have released three Coronal Mass Ejections (CME’s) toward Earth: The calm before the storm. Three CMEs are enroute, all a part of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , , | 29 Comments

For the first time ever, we can image the sun in 360°

Posted on February 7, 2011 by

Latest image of the far side of the Sun based on high resolution STEREO data, taken on February 2, 2011 at 23:56 UT when there was still a small gap between the STEREO Ahead and Behind data. This gap will … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , , | 43 Comments

First Large-Scale, Physics-Based Space Weather Model Transitions Into Operation

Posted on January 28, 2011 by

Provides forecasters with one-to-four-day advance warning of ‘solar storms’ A coronal mass ejection (CME) in a model; the CME is the gray cloud toward the lower right. Credit and Larger Version From NSF: The first large-scale, physics-based space weather prediction … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , | 33 Comments

The sun is still in a slump – still not conforming to NOAA “consensus” forecasts

Posted on January 5, 2011 by

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) produced their monthly solar cycle progression update yesterday. The news is not encouraging. We’ve had a drop in solar activity again in December, The sunspot count is lower, but the really worrisome thing is … Continue reading →

Posted in Science, Solar | Tagged , , , , , , | 256 Comments

Solar Geomagnetic Ap Index Hits Zero

Posted on December 23, 2010 by

This is something you really don’t expect to see this far into solar cycle 24. But there it is, the Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite shows the sun as a cueball: The Ap index being zero, indicates that the sun’s magnetic … Continue reading →

Posted in Solar | Tagged , , , , , , , | 200 Comments

Cosmically, Heliospherically, and Terrestrially, FYI

Posted on December 18, 2010 by

Last night I decided to have a look at the Space Weather Prediction Center solar charts to see how the geoplanetary magnetic index (Ap) was doing, and decided since I was too tired, I’d put it off until this morning. … Continue reading →

Posted in Cosmic rays, Solar | Tagged , , , | 82 Comments