Browse Archive

  • Aurora as seen in Marquette, Michigan on May 18, 2013.

    Auroras Visible in Continental U.S.

    05.20.13 - Coronal mass ejections that accompanied X-class flares early last week, arrived at Earth over the weekend and sparked a geomagnetic storm and aurora.

  • A combined view from two NASA satellites of the coronal mass ejection that occurred on May 17, 2013, at 5:36 EDT.

    NASA’s STEREO Detects a CME From the Sun

    05.17.13 - On 5:24 a.m. EDT on May 17, 2013, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection or CME, a solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space.

  • three side-by-side SDO images showing May 12-13 solar flares

    Three X-class Solar Flares in 24 Hours

    05.14.13 - The sun's third significant solar flare in under 24 hours -- and the strongest so far of 2013 -- peaked at 9:11 p.m. EDT on May 13, 2013.

    › Impacts of Strong Flares
  • SDO image of a solar flare on 3 May 2013

    Sun Emits Mid-Level Flare

    05.03.13 - The sun emitted a mid-level solar flare on May 3. Large enough flares can disrupt radio signals, but this flare's "blackout" has already subsided.

  • SOHO captured this image of a coronal mass ejection escaping the sun on the morning of April 25, 2013, at 6:00 a.m. EDT.

    The Sun Sends Two CMEs Toward Mercury

    04.25.13 - On the night of April 24 and the morning of April 25, 2013, the sun erupted with two coronal mass ejections (CMEs), solar phenomena that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space.

  • SOHO image of a CME

    Three Solar Eruptions in 2 Days

    04.21.13 - The sun erupted three times over April 20 and 21, sending billions of tons of solar particles into space. The eruptions (called CMEs) were not Earth-directed.

  • Aurora as seen in Keller, Washington on April 14, 2013.

    Spring Fling: Sun Emits a Mid-Level Flare

    04.16.13 - The CME impact on April 13 was weak but it still produced high latitude aurora. The sun emitted a mid-level flare, peaking at 3:16 a.m. EDT on April 11, 2013 accompanied by an Earth-directed CME.

  • Aurora, Prudhoe Bay Alaska. March 17, 2013

    Solar Storm Near Earth Caused by Fast CME

    03.17.13 - Friday's fast moving CME has reached Earth and sparked a mild geomagnetic storm. Will higher latitude skies be turned green for St. Patrick's Day?

  • SOHO captured this image of a coronal mass ejection bursting off the left side of the image at 9:25 p.m. EDT on March 12, 2013.

    Sun Spits Out Two CMEs

    03.13.13 - A coronal mass ejection (CME) began at 8:36 p.m. EDT on March 12, 2013, and may pass by three NASA satellites: Spitzer, Kepler and Epoxi. A second CME began at 6:54 a.m. EDT on March 13, 2013 and may pass Earth.

  • Views over time of the CME release by the sun on Feb. 9, 2013.

    Earth-Directed CME Release by Long Duration Solar Flare

    02.09.13 - A Coronal Mass Ejection was released by a long duration solar flare early on February 9, 2013.

  • The second of two CMEs from the evening of Feb. 5, 2013, can be seen bursting away from the sun in the upper left hand side of this image, which was captured SOHO at 11:12pm EST.

    The Sun Produces Two CMEs

    02.07.13 - In the evening of Feb. 5, 2013, the sun erupted with two coronal mass ejections or CMEs that may glance near-Earth space.

  • SOHO captured this image of a CME erupting on the left side of the sun early in the morning of Jan 31, 2013.

    A Coronal Mass Ejection Erupts From the Sun

    01.31.13 - A small, Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejection erupted early this morning.

  • The second of two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on Jan. 23, 2013.

    Sun Shoots Out 2 Coronal Mass Ejections

    01.24.13 - One of the two slow-moving ejections from Jan. 23 is Earth-directed. In the past, CMEs of this speed have not caused substantial geomagnetic storms.

  • This triptych shows a coronal mass ejection or CME as it burst off of the sun in the morning of Jan. 13, 2013.

    New Sunspots Producing Space Weather

    01.14.13 - On Jan. 13, 2013, at 2:24 a.m. EST, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection or CME. The CME left the sun at speeds of 330 miles per second and is expected to impact Earth around Jan. 16.

  • SOHO captured this image of a CME erupting on the left side of the sun, on Nov. 23, 2012, at 1:30 p.m. EST

    Continuing Thanksgiving Eruptions On the Sun

    11.24.12 - On Nov. 23, 2012, at 8:54 a.m. EST, the sun released an Earth-directed, slow-moving CME. This is the third Earth-directed CME since Nov. 20.

  • Thanksgiving CME

    NASA Spacecraft Observe a Thanksgiving CME

    11.22.12 - On Nov. 21, 2012, at 11:24 a.m. EST, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection or CME

  • STEREO image of 11/20/12 CME

    NASA Spacecraft Observe Nov. 20 Solar Eruption

    11.20.12 - On Nov. 20, 2012, at 7:09 a.m. EST, the sun erupted with a coronal mass ejection.

  • The Sun erupted with two prominence eruptions, one after the other over a four-hour period (Nov. 16, 2012).

    Double Trouble

    11.16.12 - The Sun erupted with two prominence eruptions, one after the other over a four-hour period on Nov. 16, 2012, between the hours of 1 and 5 a.m. EST.

  • The sun emitted an M6 solar flare on Nov. 13, 2012.

    Sun Emits a Mid-level Flare

    11.13.12 - On Nov. 12, 2012, the sun emitted a mid-level solar flare, an M6-class, peaking at 9:04 p.m. EST.

  • Left: Image of CME on Nov. 9, 2012 as seen from SOHO.

    Sun Releases Slow Moving CME

    11.09.12 - The sun released an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection at 10:24am EST on Nov. 9, 2012.