Space Weather
Space Weather
Space weather describes changing environmental conditions in near-Earth space. Magnetic fields, radiation, particles and matter, which have been ejected from the Sun, can interact with the Earth’s upper atmosphere and surrounding magnetic field to produce a variety of effects.
Space weather notifications
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Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is likely to be enhanced at times through Wednesday 26 Nov due to coronal hole fast winds. Aurora sightings are possible across the north of Scotland, perhaps parts of central Scotland and similar longitudes at times.
Southern Hemisphere
The auroral oval is likely to be enhanced at times through Wednesday 26 Nov due to coronal hole fast winds. Aurora sightings are possible across south of New Zealand South Island and similar longitudes at times.
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Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Minor Geomagnetic Storms likely with Chance of Moderate Storms Day 1 (26 Nov). Slight Chance of Minor Radio Blackouts.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Low with isolated C-class flares. There are six sunspot regions on the visible disc. There are two moderately sized and complex spots, the largest of which resides in the southeast, though is showing rather muted activity. The remaining spots are simple and appear largely stable.
No Earth-directed Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) were observed in available imagery.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar wind parameters showed influence from coronal hole fast winds. Solar winds remained Strong with peaks reaching over 800 km/s. The Total Interplanetary Magnetic Field was mostly Weak. The north-south component was also Weak and variable in direction. Geomagnetic activity was Unsettled to G1/Minor Storm.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) was at Background, with no Solar Radiation Storms observed.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low solar activity is forecast to continue with a slight chance of isolated Moderate flares, these most likely to originate from the large region in the southeast.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There are currently no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections forecast. Solar winds remain at Strong levels due to coronal hole fast winds. A continuation of the fast winds at Strong levels is expected throughout day 1 (26 Nov), with a gradual easing in solar wind speeds though days 2 and 3 (27 and 28 Nov), towards Elevated levels.
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be Unsettled to Active with Likely Minor Storm intervals and a Chance of an isolated Moderate Storm interval Day 1 (26 Nov), before reducing to a Slight Chance of Minor Storms by Days 2-3 (27-28 Nov).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is expected to persist at background, with no Solar Radiation Storms occurring.
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Solar imagery
SDO AIA-193
This channel highlights the outer atmosphere of the Sun - called the corona - as well as hot flare plasma. Hot active regions, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections will appear bright here. The dark areas - called coronal holes - are places where very little radiation is emitted, yet are the main source of solar wind particles.
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SDO AIA-304
This channel is especially good at showing areas where cooler dense plumes of plasma (filaments and prominences) are located above the visible surface of the Sun. Many of these features either can't be seen or appear as dark lines in the other channels. The bright areas show places where the plasma has a high density.
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