Real Time Images of the Sun
SOHO EIT 304
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SOHO EIT 284 Animated
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LASCO/C2
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The sun is constantly monitored for sun spots and coronal mass ejections. EIT (Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) images the solar atmosphere at several wavelengths, and therefore, shows solar material at different temperatures. In the images taken at 304 Angstrom the bright material is at 60,000 to 80,000 degrees Kelvin. In those taken at 171 Angstrom, at 1 million degrees. 195 Angstrom images correspond to about 1.5 million Kelvin, 284 Angstrom to 2 million degrees. The hotter the temperature, the higher you look in the solar atmosphere.
Solar activity was at low levels, with the largest flare of the period was a C7.2 at 24/1754 UTC from beyond the east limb. A new spot region rotated into few several hours later and was numbered Region 4403 (N16E68, Hax/alpha), though classification is difficult due to substantial foreshortening effects. As Region 4392 (S17, L=16) rotated off the western limb at 24/0000 UTC, there are still seven numbered sunspot groups on the visible disk, with the majority of these regions remaining stable or exhibiting signs of slight decay. Changes were notable in the disks most complex regions: Region 4401 (N25E25, Eai/beta-gamma) has rotated further into view and, alongside significant flux emergence, has revealed a gamma configuration. The trailing spots of Region 4400 (S12W66, Dri/beta) faded throughout the period and simplification around the leading spot led to loss of its delta configuration. An eruption associated with the C7.2 became visible in SOHO LASCO C2 at 24/1800 UTC. While triangulation with STEREO COR2 shows that the CME was not fully farside oriented, modeling indicates no Earth directed component, as the CME was deflected out of the ecliptic plane. A long-duration C3.7 from Region 4400 at 25/0030 UTC also had an associated eruption, first visible in LASCO C2 at 25/0036 UTC. Despite the fast velocity, modeling indicates this eruption is narrow enough that no Earth directed component is expected.
Solar Activity Forecast
Issued: 2026 Mar 25 1230 UTC
Solar activity is expected to be low with a chance for M-class (R1-R2/Minor-Moderate) flares through 27 Mar. Energetic
Real Time Solar X-ray and Solar Wind
Solar Cycle Progression
Solar Cycle chart updated using the latest ISES predictions. |
Real-Time Solar Wind
Real-Time Solar Wind data broadcast from NASA's ACE satellite. |
The Solar Cycle is observed by counting the frequency and placement of sunspots visible on the Sun. Solar minimum occurred in December, 2008. Solar maximum is expected to occur in May, 2013.
Solar X-ray Flux This plot shows 3-days of 5-minute solar x-ray flux values measured on the SWPC primary and secondary GOES satellites. |
Satellite Environment Plot The Satellite Environment Plot combines satellite and ground-based data to provide an overview of the current geosynchronous satellite environment. |
Auroral Activity Extrapolated from NOAA POES
Northern Hemi Auroral Map
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Southern Hemi Auroral Map
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Instruments on board the NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite (POES) continually monitor the power flux carried by the protons and electrons that produce aurora in the atmosphere. SWPC has developed a technique that uses the power flux observations obtained during a single pass of the satellite over a polar region (which takes about 25 minutes) to estimate the total power deposited in an entire polar region by these auroral particles. The power input estimate is converted to an auroral activity index that ranges from 1 to 10.
Credits:
Space Weather Images and Information (excluded from copyright) courtesy of: NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center, Mauna Loa Solar Observatory (HAO/NCAR), and SOHO (ESA & NASA).Space Weather links:
3-Day Forecast of Solar and Geophysical Activity
Space Weather Now
Real-Time Solar Wind
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
The Very Latest SOHO Images