Aurora Alert

NASA Space Science News

Two solar coronal mass ejections struck Earth's magnetosphere on Tuesday, one at 0145 UT followed by another at 1745 UT. Forecasters estimate a 10 to 20% chance of severe geomagnetic activity during the next 24 hours.

Sky watchers living above ~50 degrees geomagnetic latitude should be alert for auroras.

The Sun has entered a highly-active period with energetic sunspot growth all over the solar disk. Active region 9393 --one of the largest sunspots in years-- has a complex delta magnetic field that likely harbors energy for major X-class solar flares. You can see this huge sunspot for yourself, but be careful. Use a pinhole projector! Looking directly at the Sun can cause permanent eye damage.