All posts tagged: Solar Flare

Sun Unleash a 600,000-Mile Filament in Fiery Eruption

Sun Unleash a 600,000-Mile Filament in Fiery Eruption

Published by Webster

A stunning solar eruption captured on video on the night of May 12-13 has revealed a 600,000-mile-long filament blasting away from the sun’s northern hemisphere. The outburst occurred around 8 p.m. EDT (0000 GMT) and spanned a distance more than twice that between Earth and the moon. A massive solar filament suspended above the sun’s surface became unstable and erupted, blasting a CME into space along with a cloud of plasma and magnetic energy. Preliminary models show Earth is nowhere in the firing range of this fiery ejection, but researchers are still watching the phenomenon closely. Sun’s 600,000-Mile-Long ‘Angel-Wing’ Eruption Stuns Skywatchers, Signals Rising Solar Activity As per the Space.com report, the eruption originated from a filament structure composed of dense, cooler solar plasma held aloft by magnetic fields. These structures often appear as dark ribbons across the sun’s disk and can become unstable without warning. Solar observers noted that this latest eruption dwarfed similar recent events, both in scale and intensity. Aurora chaser Jure Atanackov remarked that the CME from the blast was among the most …

Aditya-L1’s SUIT Telescope Captures First-Ever Solar Flare Kernel, Revealing Unseen Solar Activity

Aditya-L1’s SUIT Telescope Captures First-Ever Solar Flare Kernel, Revealing Unseen Solar Activity

Published by Webster

India’s space-based solar observatory, Aditya-L1, has recorded a never-before-seen solar flare phenomenon, marking a major step in solar research. The Solar Ultra-violet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) onboard the spacecraft captured an image of a solar flare ‘kernel’ in the lower solar atmosphere. The observation was made in the Near Ultra-violet (NUV) spectrum, revealing crucial insights into solar activity and its potential effects on Earth. The mission, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on September 2, 2023, continues to provide significant scientific data. Findings from the Study According to research published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the SUIT instrument observed an X6.3-class solar flare on February 22, 2024. The flare’s intensity, classified among the most powerful solar eruptions, was studied in the NUV wavelength range (200-400 nm) for the first time in such detail. The recorded data suggests that energy from the flare spreads through different atmospheric layers, reinforcing theories about solar dynamics while offering new insights into plasma behaviour. How Aditya-L1 Observes Solar Flares Aditya-L1’s position at the first Earth-Sun Lagrange Point (L1), located …

Severe Solar Storm Warning: NOAA Predicts Auroras Across US, Possible Power Grid Impact

Severe Solar Storm Warning: NOAA Predicts Auroras Across US, Possible Power Grid Impact

Published by Webster

A powerful solar storm is predicted to reach Earth on Thursday, 10th October, according to forecasters from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The storm could generate stunning auroras and affect radio communications, power grids, and satellites. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Centre (SWPC) has issued a G4-class geomagnetic storm warning, the second-highest level on their scale. A similar storm was last seen in May of this year, causing dramatic auroral displays. The solar flare and its consequences This event stems from a massive solar flare, classified as X1.8, which erupted from the sun on the night of 8th October. The flare was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME), which is now speeding towards Earth. Shawn Dahl, service coordinator at SWPC, explained that the impact could vary depending on how the CME’s magnetic field aligns with Earth’s. A direct connection would heighten the storm’s intensity, while a mismatch might lessen its impact. Impact on auroras and communications The SWPC estimates that the solar storm could impact communications, power grids, and satellites. Auroral displays, …

What Causes A Solar Storm? Indian Scientist Explains

Published by Webster

The chance of solar flares coming out at this time are more New Delhi: A celestial event is unfolding as solar flares and coronal mass ejections dazzle the skies, potentially extending the spectacle as far south as Alabama and Northern California in the US. However, alongside the beautiful auroras, there are concerns over potential disruptions to Earth’s communications networks this weekend. Explaining the phenomenon, a scientist said solar flares are common and so happen all the time. “It happens when the sun gets to the peak of its activity of the 11-year circle. After every 11 years, the activity of the sun goes from high to low and in 2025 the activity is going to be at its peak,” scientific officer at the Institute for Plasma Research Centre Dr Ravi AV Kumar told news agency ANI. The rarity of this solar storm harks back to October 2003, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) space weather prediction centre, marking a significant celestial occurrence not seen in many years. The chance of solar …

Solar Flares Seen During Total Solar Eclipse. Here’s What It Means

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Solar flares can persist for hours or only a few minutes. Millions of people in the United States, Canada and Mexico looked up to the sky in awe as they watched the rare total solar eclipse on Monday. The path of totality, a tiny area where the Moon completely obscures the Sun, crossed across cities and sent the United States into a frenzy. Many people also reported spotting solar flares during the total eclipse. the solar flare’s dance behind the moon 📸 by my dad pic.twitter.com/hBR9ypsztJ — jexi 𑁍 (@boricuajexi) April 9, 2024 Today’s total solar eclipse from Houlton, Maine! This timelapse (mastered in HDR) captured the progression from second contact (C2) through totality to third contact (C3), which only lasted little over 3 minutes! Can you see the sun’s corona and prominent solar flare activity.. pic.twitter.com/x3hyZ4upoV — 𝕏 أحمد السعيد (ن) (@nourefidel) April 9, 2024 On Monday, the sun was expected to be at its “solar maximum,” or peak activity, during its 11-year solar cycle. During this period, the sun produced more solar flares …

Odysseus moon lander still operational, in final hours before battery dies | World News

Published by Parlour News

Odysseus, the first U.S. spacecraft to land on the moon since 1972, neared the end of its fifth day on the lunar surface still operational, but with its battery in its final hours before the vehicle is expected to go dark, according to flight controllers. Texas-based Intuitive Machines said in an online update on Tuesday that its control center in Houston remained in contact with the lander as it “efficiently sent payload science data and imagery in furtherance of the company’s mission objectives.” The spacecraft reached the lunar surface last Thursday after an 11th-hour navigational glitch and white-knuckle descent that ended with Odysseus landing in a sideways or sharply tilted position that has impeded its communications and solar-charging capability. Intuitive Machines said the next day that human error was to blame for the navigational issue. Flight readiness teams had neglected to manually unlock a safety switch before launch, preventing subsequent activation of the vehicle’s laser-guided range finders and forcing flight engineers to hurriedly improvise an alternative during lunar orbit. An Intuitive executive told Reuters on …