|   SPACE WEATHER
Current
Conditions
Solar Wind
velocity: 397.7 km/s
density:5.7 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2247 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 1720 UT Feb11
24-hr: C6 0120 UT Feb11
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2245 UT
Daily Sun: 11 Feb '01 
Sunspot group 9338, which has grown rapidly in recent days, exhibits a complex beta-gamma magnetic field that likely harbors energy for M-class solar flares.
Sunspot Number: 172
More about sunspots
Updated: 10 Feb 2001
Radio Meteor Rate
24 hr max: 36 per hr
Listen to the Meteor Radar!
Updated: 11 Feb 2001 Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 8.1 nT
Bz: 2.9 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2247 UT Coronal Holes:
There are no substantial coronal holes indicated in this extreme UV image of the Sun. Image credit: SOHO Extreme UV Telescope.
More about coronal holes
 SPACE WEATHER
NOAA
Forecasts
Solar Flares: Probabilities for a medium-sized (M-class) or a major (X-class) solar flare during the next 24/48 hours are tabulated below.
Updated at 2001 Feb 11 2200 UT
| FLARE | 24 hr | 48 hr | | CLASS M | 10 % | 10 % | | CLASS X | 01 % | 01 % |
Geomagnetic Storms: Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor storm, severe storm
Updated at 2001 Feb 11 2200 UT Mid-latitudes | 24 hr | 48 hr | | ACTIVE | 10 % | 10 % | | MINOR | 05 % | 05 % | | SEVERE | 01 % | 01 % |
High latitudes | 24 hr | 48 hr | | ACTIVE | 20 % | 20 % | | MINOR | 10 % | 10 % | | SEVERE | 01 % | 01 % |
| What's Up in Space -- 11 Feb 2001
Subscribe to Space Weather News!  HALO CME: Early Sunday morning (0130 UT) a spectacular coronal mass ejection (CME) left the Sun traveling approximately 670 km/s. Although the brightest part of the eruption billowed away from the Sun's northwest limb, SOHO coronagraphs spotted a faint halo component as well -- some of the ejecta is certainly Earth-bound. The expanding cloud could reach our planet late Monday or Tuesday and trigger geomagnetic disturbances, including auroras. [CME animations: view the big picture or a zoom shot]
FAST-GROWING SUNSPOT: Active region 9338, which was nearly invisible just a few days ago, is now the largest spot on the solar disk. The active region's rapidly-changing magnetic field has a beta-gamma configuration that probably harbors energy for M-class solar flares.  Above: This animation of SOHO white light images shows the growth of sunspot 9338 from Feb. 8th through 11th. ASTEROID FLYBY: Near-Earth asteroid 2001 WO148 will fly by our planet February 15th at 15:28 GMT. At closest approach the 400-meter wide space rock will be 65 lunar distances from Earth -- there is no threat of a collision. [see the 3D orbit] WEB LINKS: NOAA FORECAST | GLOSSARY | SPACE WEATHER TUTORIAL | LESSON PLANS | MORE NEWS | BECOME A SUBSCRIBER |
 - TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Jan. 9, 2001, the full Moon glided through Earth's copper-colored shadow. [gallery]
- CHRISTMAS ECLIPSE: Sky watchers across North America enjoyed a partial solar eclipse on Christmas Day 2000 [gallery]
- LEONIDS 2000: Observers around the globe enjoyed three predicted episodes of shooting stars. [gallery]
 | On January 19th the University of Arizona Spacewatch program spotted a new Earth-approaching asteroid, 2001 BK41. The ~3 km-wide space rock, which follows a 2.8 year orbit stretching from the inner solar system (between Earth and Venus) to the asteroid belt, poses no immediate threat. Our next close encounter with 2001 BK41 will take place in 2094 when it passes 8 lunar distances from Earth. If current orbital calculations are correct, the asteroid can never come closer than 6 lunar distances from our planet. [3D orbit] |  Jan. 25, 2001: Earth's Invisible Magnetic Tail -- NASA's IMAGE spacecraft, the first to enjoy a global view of the magnetosphere, spotted a curious plasma tail pointing from Earth toward the Sun. Jan. 4, 2001: Earth at Perihelion -- On January 4, 2001, our planet made its annual closest approach to the Sun. Dec. 29, 2000: Millennium Meteors -- North Americans will have a front-row seat for a brief but powerful meteor shower on January 3, 2001. Dec. 28, 2000: Galileo Looks for Auroras on Ganymede -- NASA's durable Galileo spacecraft flew above the solar system's largest moon this morning in search of extraterrestrial "Northern Lights" Dec. 22, 2000: Watching the Angry Sun -- Solar physicists are enjoying their best-ever look at a Solar Maximum thanks to NOAA and NASA satellites. Dec. 18, 2000: Ursid Meteor Surprise -- The normally meek Ursid meteor shower could surprise sky watchers with a powerful outburst on Dec 22nd. Dec. 8, 2000: The Baffling Geminid Meteor Shower -- Most meteor showers are caused by comets, but the Geminids, which peak on December 13th, seem to come from a curious near-Earth asteroid. Nov. 22, 2000: A Solar Flare Stuns Stardust -- Earlier this month an intense solar radiation storm temporarily blinded NASA's Stardust spacecraft en route to comet Wild-2. Nov. 21, 2000: Leonids Galore -- Find out what happened during the 2000 Leonids meteor shower. Nov. 7, 2000: Much Ado about 2000 SG344 -- In 2071 a relic of NASA's earliest space exploration efforts might return to Earth, if current estimates are confirmed. Oct. 26, 2000: Lunar Leonids -- On Nov. 17, 2000, the moon will plow through a stream of debris from comet Tempel-Tuttle. Oct. 10, 2000: The Moonlit Leonids 2000 -- Our planet is heading for a minefield of cosmic dust streams laid down by periodic comet Tempel-Tuttle. The result could be a series of meteor outbursts on Nov. 17 and 18, 2000. MORE SPACE WEATHER HEADLINES |
