Report for 2/10/12

The Sun started the week off strong with a powerful coronal mass ejection (CME) and M1-class solar flare on Monday. Mid-week, a moderate solar wind stream flowed to Earth leading NOAA forecasters to predict a 40% chance of a geomagnetic storms in the higher latitudes. No major storm activity occurred, but sky watchers around the Arctic Circle were treated to vibrant auroras.

Last night, a filament on the Sun's northeastern limb exploded, causing a CME that is currently heading toward Venus. Although the blast is not headed our way, a new sunspot located near the blast site may be a potential source of solar activity in the upcoming week.

What do you think this weekend's space weather will be? Submit your forecast!

Today's Sun as seen by the Solar Dynamics Observatory.

Report for 1/27/12

This week was an exciting one for space weather fans! On Monday, sunspot AR1402 caused an M9-class solar flare followed by a coronal mass ejection (CME). The CME, which hit Earth's magnetic field on Tuesday, caused a geomagnetic storm; the storm created beautiful auroras for sky watchers as far south as South Dakota and Michigan in the US.

Yesterday, a CME was released from the Sun over its north pole, although it is not heading toward Earth. Earth is also safe from the effects of the powerful X2-class flare and CME that sunspot AR1402 unleashed today. This sunspot is on the far side of the Sun, so its recent activity has not been aimed at us.

A solar wind stream is expected to arrive over the weekend, which may cause some disruptions in Earth's magnetic field. What are your predictions for this weekend's space weather? Make your forecast here!

An X2-class solar flare and CME erupted today.

Report for 1/20/12

Sunspot 1401 put on a show for us this week, causing several space weather events. According to the NASA Goddard Space Weather Lab, strong geomagnetic storms are possible this weekend due to a full-halo coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred yesterday. The CME occurred when sunspot 1401 erupted around 16:30 UTC. It produced not only the CME, but an M3-class solar flare.

What do you predict the weekend will hold? Make your space weather forecast here!

Sunspot 1401 has been very active this week.

Report for 1/13/12

Over half of the Camilla Space Weather Project forecasters predicted a 60-80% chance of a solar event last week. Good job, forecasters! There were C-class solar flares on Jan. 9 and Jan. 12!

Last weekend, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured footage of sunspot AR1393 tripling in size in just over two days, growing to be about five times the width of Earth (see video)! Despite its size, this sunspot did not produce much activity. On the other hand, on Jan. 9, sunspot AR1395 caused a C-class solar flare when its magnetic field untwisted!

Sunspot AR1393 tripled in size last weekend!

A minor solar wind stream caused beautiful auroras around the Arctic Circle on Jan. 10. The Sun put on another show yesterday with an eruption on its far side, which caused a C-class flare (see image below). The active region that caused the eruption and flare will be turning toward Earth over the weekend; do you think it will cause any other events? Make your predictions here!

This active region produced a flare on Jan. 12 and will soon face Earth.

Report for 1/6/12

Half of our Camilla Space Weather Project forecasters predicted a 40% chance of a solar event this week (see chart on right).

On Jan. 2, there was a solar flare and coronal mass ejection (CME)! Although not Earth-facing, it put on a beautiful show for around three hours.

On Jan. 5, the Sun released another CME. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center predicts a 15-40% chance of geomagnetic storms in the higher latitudes through Jan. 8 (see table above). This is due to a solar wind stream that is predicted to hit Earth's magnetic field.

The Sun is currently quiet, but what will the weekend hold? Submit your forecasts and let us know what you think!

Plasma dances on the Sun after a CME and flare on Jan. 2, 2012.

Report for 12/30/11

On December 25-26th, two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were released from the Sun within 24 hours of each other! This caused geomagnetic storms on December 28th; sky watchers in the higher latitudes were treated to spectacular auroras.

Sunspot AR1389 unleashed two M-class solar flares yesterday and may not be done yet. Two other sunspots, AR1386 and AR1387, also have the potential to cause a solar event; AR1387 was the source of the CME on Dec. 25th. The NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center has predicted a 40% chance of M-class flares through tomorrow.

What do you think the chances of a solar event are over the weekend? Submit your forecast here!

Auroras decorated the sky on December 28, 2011.

Report for 12/21/11

As of today, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center forecasts a very low chance of solar flares in the next few days (see image to the right). They also predict a low chance (15%) of geomagnetic storm activity. Over the past week, the predicted chances of solar storms were similarly low and there have been no reports of any major space weather events.

This doesn't mean that the past week wasn't exciting, however!

Last Thursday, a thrilling event was captured by the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Comet Lovejoy, a large Kreutz comet (also called a "sungrazer" comet), passed by the Sun and, to many people's surprise, it survived! These comets are often burned up by the Sun as they pass by it in their orbital paths; however, Lovejoy could be seen emerging from the other side of the Sun after passing behind it. Many of our fans followed along with us on Twitter and our Comet Lovejoy website to see the event as it unfolded!

Sightings of the comet's tail have recently been reported by many folks living in the Southern Hemisphere. Click here to watch a neat video of the comet's tail filmed in Australia this morning.

Comet Lovejoy heads to the Sun (taken by SOHO).

Report for 12/2/11

Great job, forecasters! There have been no major solar events in the past 24 hours, which 17% of you accurately predicted!

Also impressive is the fact that nearly half of you made the same prediction as scientists at the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center; they forecasted a 20-30% chance of flares (see table above).

Last Saturday (Nov. 26), a solar flare hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) at about 2 million mph into Space, which reached us on Monday. Spectacular auroras were seen in higher latitudes!

The sun is currently quiet, but what will the weekend hold? Submit your forecasts and let us know what you think!

A picture of Saturday's CME taken by SOHO.