Browse Archive

  • 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.

  • Screen capture from video of one of six CMEs that blasted off the Sun in a 24 hour period.

    Six CMEs in 24 Hours

    09.20.11 - The sun let loose with at least six coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from 7 PM ET on September 18, 2011 until 1 PM on September 19. One may impact Earth and spark aurora tomorrow.

  • The northern lights on Sept. 10 were bright enough to reflect in the aptly named Northern Lights Lake below.

    Solar Activity Subsiding - Auroras Ablaze

    09.12.11 - After last week's flurry of strong flares from sunspot 1283, solar activity is subsiding as this sunspot rotates over the sun's western limb. Aurora from last week's solar activity will be dancing in the sky for the next several day.

  • A third flare erupted from sunspot 1283 on September 7 at 6:36 PM ET

    Sunspot 1283 Is Bristling With Flares-UPDATED

    09.08.11 - The first of what will likely be several CME hits occurred this morning sparking a strong geomagnetic storm. Additional hits will occur over the weekend.

  • Sunspot 1283 erupted with another flare on 09.06.11 that peaked at 6:20 PM ET.

    X2.1 Solar Flare and CME

    09.07.11 - Sunspot 1283 erupted with another flare yesterday that peaked at 6:20 PM ET. This was an X2.1 class flare, some four times stronger than the earlier flare.

  • The flare is seen here near the center of this image from SDO in 171 angstrom.

    M5.3 Solar Flare Eruption-CME

    09.06.11 - At 9:35 PM ET on Labor Day, the sun emitted an Earth-directed M5.3 class flare as measured by the GOES satellite.

  • 131 angstrom X7 class flare on August 9, 2011.

    Sun Unleashes X6.9 Class Flare

    08.09.11 - On Aug. 9, 2011, the sun unleashed an X6.9 class flare. Though not Earth directed, we may experience radio and communications blackouts.

  • Following an M9.3 solar flare, sunspot 1261 release a Earth-directed coronal mass ejection.

    Sun Packs a Double Punch-UPDATED

    08.08.11 - The August 5, 2011 arrival of the combined August 3 CMEs caused many photographers in the northern U.S. and Europe to race outside with their cameras to record the colorful skies. They were not disappointed.

  • SDO 193 angstrom image of July 30, 2011 M9.3-class solar flare.

    Friday Night M9.3 Light

    08.01.11 - Active solar region 1261 let loose with a short-lived M9.3 flare on Friday Night. No Earth directed affects are expected.

  • Zoom of last Atlantis solar transit on July 21, 2011.

    Last Picture of Atlantis in Space

    07.21.11 - Astrophotographer Thierry Legault captured what might be the last picture of Atlantis in space--and it was a solar transit.

  • Closeup of the sunspot behind the June 7, 2011 solar blast, as plasma from the blast rains back down.

    Dark Fireworks on the Sun

    07.11.11 - NASA has just released new high-resolution videos of the solar event recorded by SDO on June 7, 2011.

  • SOHO coronographic image of sun grazing comet seen on July 5 and 6, 2011.

    Sungrazer Comet In Front of the Sun

    07.07.11 - For the first time ever, SDO has captured a movie of a comet streaking directly in front of the sun.

  • Screen capture from Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) video of CME event.

    Solstice Flare and CME - UPDATE

    06.24.11 - NOAA forecasters declare a 30-35% chance of geomagnetic storms during the next 24 hours due to a fast-moving stream of solar wind, combined with the CME expected to arrive on June 24, 2011.

  • SDO image of coronal mass ejection on 06.07.2011 taken in 304 Angstrom.

    Having a Solar Blast - UPDATE

    06.10.11 - Earth is still waiting for the arrival of the CME unleashed June 7, 2011 but the forecasts of the glancing blow have been substantially reduced. The Sun unleashed an M-2 solar flare, an S-1 radiation storm and a spectacular coronal mass ejection in the early hours of June 7, 2011.

  • Aurora over Alberta prairies, east of Edmonton, Canada.

    Memorial Weekend Light Show

    06.01.11 - A high speed solar wind caused geomagnetic storms over the Memorial weekend and another high speed stream may produce even more starting June 4, 2011.

  • Aurora Australis at the geographic South Pole (90 degrees S. latitude) on May 1, 2011.

    Geomagnetic Storm Light Show at Both Poles

    04.30.11 - High Speed Solar Wind causes aurora at both poles