As the Sun Turns: Solar Minimums and Maximums

[Maria]

Today we had an M1.9 Solar Class flare (very close to an M2) at 12:49 UT with a Coronal Mass Ejections (CME) projected to hit the earth on or about Dec. 31, 2015. This CME could trigger brilliant auroras for the New Year.

[Maria]

Tonight and tomorrow, Dec. 29 to 30, 2015, starting at 0000 UTC on Dec. 30, 2015, we have a G3 warning.

For the latest warnings, please see http://services.swpc.noaa.gov/images/no ... meline.png

Below is pdf document defining what problems can occur with a G3. People who live as far south as Oregon, Idaho, and Illinois latitudes should be able to see auroras tonight. Bundle up in this cold weather.

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/sites/default/ ... scales.pdf

[Maria]

Here are some auroras that are predicted to occur with this G3 CME warning:

Taken by AT Frosted Lens on December 26, 2015 @ Yellowknife, NWT
It was a frosty -48C with wind chill outside when these beautiful shapes appear in the sky. Standing on a frozen lake made the experience even more memorable.

http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_up ... et6qjrm5j0

[Barbara]

• 48 degrees centigrade : that's - 55 degrees Fahrenheit ! Imagine that wind chill.

Beautiful picture. Wouldn't want to live THERE, though !

[Maria]

- 48 degrees centigrade : that's - 55 degrees Fahrenheit ! Imagine that wind chill.

Beautiful picture. Wouldn't want to live THERE, though !

Yes, that is too cold.

BTW, we just had a very unexpected M2.3 solar flare this afternoon at 4:11 PM PST.

It was recorded at 0011 UT on January 2, 2016. Since it had a very slow decay, it irradiated the earth for six hours.

[Maria]

Three new sunspots displayed on the left side

http://www.sidc.be/LatestSWData/LatestSWData.php (gives current information)

Here is the video of the M2.3 solar flare at 0011 UTC on January 2, 2016 (4:11 PM PST on Jan. 1, 2016).
This flare took a long time to decline and you can see why. It gave off some spectacular fireworks.

http://sdowww.lmsal.com/sdomedia/h264/2 ... 26-211.mov

[Maria]

Although we have not had any recent significant solar flares, solar winds have caused a G-1 storm so that the auroras are brilliant especially in the Scandinavian countries of Finland and Norway.

Here are a couple: This one is taken by Øystein Lunde Ingvaldsen on January 6, 2016 from Norway.

This panorama below consists of eight photos taken by Anne Birgitte Fyhn on January 7, 2016 @ Kvaløya, Tromsø, Norway