Browse Archive

  • Weekend aurora as seen in Badlands, South Dakota.

    UPDATE: Two CMEs Hit Earth’s Magnetosphere

    06.18.12 - Two CMEs from AR 1504 on June 13-14, delivered a combined blow over the weekend and sparked bright aurora, with some appearing at lower latitudes than usual.

  • World map show visibility of transit of Venus on June 5-6, 2012.

    The 2012 Transit of Venus

    05.24.12 - On June 5th, 2012, Venus will pass across the face of the sun, producing a silhouette that no one alive today will likely see again.

  • Spectacular images from the Hinode spacecraft show the solar eclipse, which darkened the sky in parts of the Western United States and Southeast Asia yesterday. This image shows the maximum eclipse.

    Hinode Witnesses Solar Eclipse

    05.20.12 - Spectacular images from the Hinode spacecraft show the solar eclipse, which darkened the sky in parts of the world yesterday.

  • The sun erupted with a coronal mass ejection traveling at over 900 miles per second.

    More Eruptions from Active Region 1476

    05.17.12 - The sun erupted with an M-class flare that peaked at 9:47 PM EDT on May 17, 2012. A CME also burst from the sun at 9:48 PM EDT, traveling at over 930 miles per second.

  • Image of solar prominence eruption associated with M1.7 class solar flare.

    Giant Prominence Erupts

    04.16.12 - On April 16, 2012 a giant prominence erupted from the left/east side of the sun in association with an M1.7 class solar flare.

  • solar flare seen by SDO

    Big Sunspot Remains Active

    03.13.12 - On March 13, 2012, the sun erupted with an M7.9-class flare from the same region that has been producing flares and coronal mass ejections all week.

  • This bright area is sunspot region 1429 which has released M and X class flares all week.

    Moderate Geomagnetic Storm at Earth

    03.12.12 - Geomagnetic storms at Earth are currently at a rating of G2 (moderate) on a scale of G1 to G5.

  • An aurora on March 8, 2012 shimmering over snow-covered mountains in Faskrudsfjordur, Iceland.

    Geomagnetic Storm Strength Increases

    03.09.12 - Geomagnetic storms due to CMEs earlier in the week have increased in strength, and are now rated a G3 on a scale from G1 to G5.

  • This image is from the March 6, 2012 X5.4 flare, captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the 171 Angstrom wavelength.

    Second Biggest Flare Of the Solar Cycle

    03.07.12 - The sun erupted with one of the largest solar flares of this solar cycle on March 6, 2012 at 7PM EST, an X5.4.

  • Screen capture of X1 class flare eruption on March 5, 2012.

    Active Region on the Sun Spits Out Three Flares

    03.05.12 - On March 2, 2012 a new active region on the sun, region 1429, rotated into view. Since arriving, it has let loose two M-class flares on March 2 and 4 and one X1 class flare this morning.

  • Finland aurora resulting from CME impact on Feb. 26, 2012.

    Beautiful Aurora Result From Active Solar Weekend

    02.27.12 - The weak CME on February 26, 2012 did produce some amazing aurora for high latitude observers.

  • A CME explodes from the sun on Jan. 27, 2012.

    X1.8 Solar Flare and CME - 01.27.12

    01.27.12 - Sunspot 1402 fires a parting shot as it rotates around the edge of the sun -- an X1.8 class solar flare and CME.

  • Still from video of earth directed CME.

    01.23.12: M8.7 Solar Flare and Earth Directed CME-UPDATED

    01.25.12 - The sun erupted late on January 22, 2012 with an M8.7 class flare, an earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME).

  • Still from video of Jan 19, 2012 long duration solar flare and coronal mass ejection

    01.19.2012-Long Duration M3.2 Class Solar Flare and CME

    01.19.12 - After a two month respite from Earth-directed solar events, the Sun sends an M3.2 class flare and CME our way.

  • Close-up of solar flare from November 3, 2011 as captured by SDO.

    A 360 Degree View of an X-class Flare and A CME

    11.04.11 - The sun sent out two different kinds of solar activity on November 3, 2011 in different directions: an X.19 solar flare and a particularly bright CME.

  • An all-red aurora captured in Independence, Mo., on October 24, 2011.

    Beautiful Red Aurora

    10.25.11 - A coronal mass ejection (CME) shot off the sun late in the evening of October 21 and hit Earth on October 24 at about 2 PM ET causing red aurora in the U.S.

  • Merged stills from the video show the approach of the comet on the right and the CME on the left.

    Incoming Comet; Outgoing CME

    10.04.11 - On October 2, 2011, an exceptionally bright comet headed toward the sun and disintegrated; moments later a large coronal mass ejection (CME) blew off the other side of the sun.

  • Close-up of sunspot 1302 as it blasts out an X1.9 class solar flare.

    Geomagnetic Storm Subsiding

    09.27.11 - The severe geomagnetic storm that began yesterday when a CME hit Earth's magnetic field is subsiding.

  • An X1.4 class flare erupted from the sun, peaking at 7:01 AM ET on September 22, 2011.

    A Solar Flare and a CME

    09.22.11 - Our increasingly active Sun produced a large CME yesterday evening and an X1.4 class flare this morning. This increased solar activity is a normal byproduct as the sun approaches solar max.