Solar Cycle 24

[TrevorM]

I just took my H-alpha scope this morning to check out the spot and the surrounding activity. Although it isn't the largest system I've ever seen, it certainly ranks among the most activity I've seen. There are also quite a few notable prominences currently.

[Christopher K.]

Tom has been taking some excellent images of the Sun (optical and hydrogen-alpha) during the past three months. Hopefully before the month is out, he'll give some to Fred to post on the Members' Astrophotos page.

A picture of coronal loops on the Sun is the June image for the 2014 Astronomy calendar from Brown Trout Publishers.

[Christopher K.]

HRPO will offer solar viewing in projected, optical and hydrogen-alpha light Saturdays from 8 February to 15 March. The sessions will be from 12pm to 2pm, right after Science Academy.

This is the second time HRPO solar viewing is expanded from monthly to weekly. It was expanded during the first peak of Cycle 24, last summer.

More information:
http://hrpo.lsu.edu/programs/special.html

[Christopher K.]

In the last forty-eight hours there was a Level 1 geomagnetic storm and a Level 2 solar radiation storm. In the past twenty-four hours there was a Level 1 radio blackout. There is currently a Level 1 solar radiation storm. Definitely the solar activity seen during viewing this afternoon reflected this. No fewer than ten sunspots, four prominences and three flares.

There are only two more solar viewing sessions left during this heavy activity period. The sessions are on 8 March and 15 March.

[Christopher K.]

There was a Level 1 geomagnetic storm and a Level 1 radio blackout in the past twenty-four hours. Also, sunspot AR1996 erupted yesterday at 5:17pm CDT, producing an M9 blast that almost crossed into the X region.

Remember, solar viewing is on Saturday from 12pm to 2pm; the next scheduled solar viewing session will be 26 April (although considering the current high level of activity, there will probably be solar viewing offered during NanoDays, which is 5 April from 2pm to 6pm).

Classifying solar flares:
http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html

[Christopher K.]

I had occasion with Amy Brouilette to view the Sun through h-alpha this morning. There was at least one nice sunspot (visible in that wavelength), a long filament, a blunt flare and a good prominence.

Free solar viewing will take place tomorrow from 12pm to 2pm at the Highland Road Park Observatory.

[Christopher K.]

The ISES Solar Cycle Sunspot Number for June was around seventy-five. In a few days we'll know if that number has rallied a little for July or is still slipping.

Free solar viewing will take place on Saturday, 26 July from 12pm to 2pm at the Highland Road Park Observatory.

[Christopher K.]

There was a Level 1 geomagnetic storm in the past twenty-four hours. Due to a blow from a pair of CMEs yesterday, Alan Dyer got this shot this week...
http://www.spaceweather.com/images2014/ ... da90v4v3a4

The ISES Solar Cycle Sunspot Number for early August was around seventy-two; the good action is hanging around a least for the next four to twelve weeks. Free solar viewing will take place on Saturday, 27 September from 12pm to 2pm at the Highland Road Park Observatory.

[Christopher K.]

The Highland Road Park Observatory will offer solar viewing in projected, optical and hydrogen-alpha light on Saturday 22 November from 12pm to 2pm. The viewing is free admission. Solar viewers will also be available for sale.

There was a Level 1 radio blackout in the last twenty-four hours.

[Christopher K.]

A weak CME due at Earth yesterday didn't seem to have a measurable effect.

The last two regularly-scheduled solar viewing sessions for the year at the Highland Road Park Observatory will be tomorrow and Saturday, 27 December from 12pm to 2pm.

NOAA's forecast for tomorrow is as follows...
sky cover, 66%
precipitation potential, 36%
relative humidity, 63%
temperature, 22˚C
surface wind, SE 21 km/h
If this forecast holds, HRPO will close one hour early, at 1pm.

However, keep in mind that there is also scheduled solar viewing during the Orion First Flight event on Thursday, 4 December.