Space Weather, Auroras, Solar Flares and CMEs

[Parsons]

I have been monitoring solar/space weather for several years now. This is the largest sunspot I've ever seen (personally). It is few times larger than Earth:

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GROWING CHANCE OF FLARES: Big sunspot AR2192 has grown even bigger, spreading across 1/3rd more solar terrain today than it did yesterday. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the expansion:



The chances of an explosion are growing along with the sunspot. On Oct. 20th, NOAA forecasters boosted the odds of an M-class flare to 60% and an X-flare to 20%.

Yesterday, the sunspot produced a long-duration X1-flare and a strong HF radio blackout over Asia and Australia. The next X-flare, if one occurs, will be even more geoeffective as the sunspot turns toward Earth.

If you have a solar telescope, now is a great time to look at the sun. AR2192 looks absolutely spectacular.

The effects of solar weather are always beautiful around this time of year (auroras are more frequent and stronger near the equinoxes):