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
There are currently no active notifications.
Aurora forecasts
Northern Hemisphere
There remains a slight chance of a coronal mass ejection glancing blow on 04 July, leading to potential aurora over Scotland and similar latitudes. However, short hours of darkness at this time of year will limit viewing opportunities.
Southern Hemisphere
There remains a slight chance of a coronal mass ejection glancing blow on 04 July, leading to potential aurora across Tasmania and the south of New Zealand and similar geomagnetic latitudes where skies are clear.
Issued at:
Forecast overview
Space Weather Forecast Headline: Chance of Moderate-class flares throughout.
Analysis of Space Weather Activity over past 24 hours
Solar Activity: Solar activity has been Moderate, with a Moderate flare at 03/0741 UTC. This was from a very small and simple region, yet it has been responsible for two Moderate-class flares in the last few days. There are now ten sunspot regions on the disc, the majority of which are small and simple. The spot in the south near centre disc is currently the largest and longest spot, with moderate magnetic complexity. To the north, a spot continued to grow though with no recent classification change. All other regions are simple and stable at present.
No Earth directed coronal mass ejections have been observed in imagery during the past 24 hours.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: Solar winds were at background. Wind speeds were slow-ambient. The Interplanetary Magnetic Field was weak throughout. The north-south component varied weakly. Geomagnetic activity was Quiet (Kp 1-2).
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) has remained at background levels with no solar radiation storms occurring.
Four-Day Space Weather Forecast Summary
Solar Activity: Low activity is most likely, with a chance of further isolated Moderate-class flares.
Solar Wind / Geomagnetic Activity: There remains a slight chance of a late arrival of a coronal mass ejection from 29 Jun. No further Earth directed coronal mass ejections feature in the forecast. Solar winds speeds are expected to be slow-ambient to slightly elevated through much of the period. There is a slight chance of a coronal hole high speed stream to arrive, potentially bringing slightly elevated or perhaps elevated wind speeds either late day 3 or early day 4 (6 or 7 Jul).
Geomagnetic activity is expected to be generally Quiet to Unsettled (Kp 0-3), with a slight chance of G1/Minor storm (Kp 5) intervals each day from either weak coronal mass ejection or high speed stream arrivals.
Energetic Particles / Solar Radiation: The count rate of energetic particles (high energy protons) is most likely to remain at background levels.
Issued at:
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.
Issued at:
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.
Issued at: