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Solar wind
speed: 343.9 km/sec
density: 0.4 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2329 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C5
2032 UT Apr29
24-hr: C5
2032 UT Apr29
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2300 UT
Daily Sun: 29 Apr 13
Sunspot AR1731 has a beta-gamma magnetic field that habors energy for M-class solar flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 97
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 29 Apr 2013

Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
2013 total: 0 days (0%)
2012 total: 0 days (0%)
2011 total: 2 days (<1%)
2010 total: 51 days (14%)
2009 total: 260 days (71%)
Since 2004: 821 days
Typical Solar Min: 486 days

Update
29 Apr 2013

The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 132 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 29 Apr 2013

Current Auroral Oval:
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 1 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 2
quiet
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 3.8 nT
Bz: 0.9 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2347 UT
Coronal Holes: 29 Apr 13
Solar wind flowing from this minor coronal hole should reach Earth on ~May 2nd. Credit: SDO/AIA.
SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts
Updated at: 2013 Apr 29 2200 UTC
FLARE
0-24 hr
24-48 hr
CLASS M
35 %
35 %
CLASS X
05 %
05 %
Geomagnetic Storms:
Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor storm, severe storm
Updated at: 2013 Apr 29 2200 UTC
Mid-latitudes
0-24 hr
24-48 hr
ACTIVE
15 %
10 %
MINOR
05 %
01 %
SEVERE
01 %
01 %
High latitudes
0-24 hr
24-48 hr
ACTIVE
15 %
15 %
MINOR
25 %
15 %
SEVERE
20 %
10 %
 
Monday, Apr. 29, 2013
What's up in space
 

Listen to radar echoes from satellites and meteors, live on listener-supported Space Weather Radio.

 
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MASSIVE HURRICANE ON SATURN: NASA's Cassini spacecraft has spotted a gigantic hurricane at Saturn's north pole. High-resolution pictures and video reveal a tempest 20 times larger than the average hurricane on Earth. The hurricane swirls inside a large, mysterious, six-sided weather pattern known as the hexagon.

SUNSPOT EVOLUTION: The number of dark cores inside sunspot AR1731 is rapidly multiplying, causing the sunspot to fragment and sprawl over a wider expanse of solar terrain. Click to view a 48 hour movie of the sunspot's evolution:

As the underlying architecture of the sunspot changes, its overlying magnetic field is changing, too. A solar flare could be in the offing as magnetic field lines twist into explosive configurations. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance of M-flares on April 29th. Solar flare alerts: text, voice.

SPACE WEATHER BALLOON POPS: Last week, we reported on a group of high school students in Bishop, CA, who are launching "space weather balloons" to the edge of space to study the effect of solar flares on Earth's ozone layer. This is what it looks like when a space weather balloon pops:

A camera atop the balloon's payload recorded the explosion at 60 frames per second, allowing the student researchers to create a slow-motion movie of the balloon tearing itself to ribbons. This was their 22nd flight to the stratosphere since 2010, so they've seen this happen many times: another movie highlights some of the best explosions so far.

The popping of the balloon is an intentional part of the mission profile. It happens at an altitude of approximately 120,000 feet above Earth's surface, well inside the ozone layer that the students wish to study. The payload then parachutes back to Earth, where students find it (often in exotic places such as Death Valley) using GPS trackers.

The name of the group is "Earth to Sky Calculus." Check their Facebook page for more information about the space weather balloon program and other activities.

SATURN'S RINGS SURGE IN BRIGHTNESS: This week Saturn is at opposition--that is, opposite the sun in the skies of Earth. Saturn rises at sunset and soars almost overhead at midnight, up all night. This arrangement has a striking effect on Saturn's rings. It makes them bright. Amateur astronomer Christopher Go of the Philippines photographed the phenomenon on April 28th:

"The rings are very bright due to the Seeliger Effect," says Go. Also known as the "opposition effect," the Seeliger effect has been observed on the Moon, Earth and Mars. It happens when sunlit objects (such as the icy particles that make up Saturn's rings) hide their own shadows. A process called coherent backscattering may also contribute to the extra luminosity.

Whatever the details may be, the net result is beautiful. The Seeliger Effect should be operative for a few more days. Readers with backyard telescopes should take a look: sky map.

Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery


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[previous years: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011]

  Near Earth Asteroids
Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) are space rocks larger than approximately 100m that can come closer to Earth than 0.05 AU. None of the known PHAs is on a collision course with our planet, although astronomers are finding new ones all the time.
On April 29, 2013 there were potentially hazardous asteroids.
Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
Asteroid
Date(UT)
Miss Distance
Size
2005 NZ6
Apr 29
24.9 LD
1.3 km
2001 DQ8
Apr 30
74.3 LD
1.1 km
2004 BV102
May 25
69.9 LD
1.4 km
1998 QE2
May 31
15.2 LD
2.1 km
2000 FM10
Jun 5
50.3 LD
1.3 km
2002 KL3
Jun 6
66.4 LD
1.1 km
1999 WC2
Jun 12
39.2 LD
1.9 km
2006 RO36
Jun 18
70.9 LD
1.2 km
2001 PJ9
Jul 17
29.2 LD
1.1 km
Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach.
  Essential web links
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center
  The official U.S. government space weather bureau
Atmospheric Optics
  The first place to look for information about sundogs, pillars, rainbows and related phenomena.
Solar Dynamics Observatory
  Researchers call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO is the most advanced solar observatory ever.
STEREO
  3D views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
  Realtime and archival images of the Sun from SOHO.
Daily Sunspot Summaries
  from the NOAA Space Environment Center
Heliophysics
  the underlying science of space weather
Space Weather Alerts
   
  more links...
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