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SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
 
Solar wind
speed: 667.7 km/sec
density: 0.2 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2343 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1
1817 UT Aug26
24-hr: C1
1817 UT Aug26
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2300 UT
Daily Sun: 26 Aug 12
None of these sunspots poses a significant threat for strong flares. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 70
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 26 Aug 2012

Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
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 26 Aug 2012


The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 104 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 26 Aug 2012

Current Auroral Oval:
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 3 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 4
unsettled
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 4.0 nT
Bz: 1.4 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 2345 UT
Coronal Holes: 25 Aug 12
Earth is inside a stream of solar wind flowing from the indicated coronal hole. Credit: SDO/AIA.
SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts
Updated at: 2012 Aug 26 2200 UTC
FLARE
0-24 hr
24-48 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: 2012 Aug 26 2200 UTC
Mid-latitudes
0-24 hr
24-48 hr
ACTIVE
10 %
15 %
MINOR
01 %
05 %
SEVERE
01 %
01 %
High latitudes
0-24 hr
24-48 hr
ACTIVE
20 %
15 %
MINOR
20 %
25 %
SEVERE
10 %
25 %
 
Sunday, Aug. 26, 2012
What's up in space
 

They came from outer space--and you can have one! Genuine meteorites are now on sale in the Space Weather Store.

 
Own your own meteorite

RADIATION BELT STORM PROBES--DELAYED: The approach of Tropical Storm Isaac has prompted NASA to push the launch date of the Radiation Belt Storm Probes all the way back to Aug. 30th. This will give Isaac time to pass, so the probes can lift off into better weather. Once they leave Earth, the twin probes will undertake a 2-year mission to study the Van Allen Belts and unravel the mystery of their dangerous unpredictability. [Launch Blog]

NEIL ARMSTRONG (1930-2012): Former U.S. astronaut, Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, died yesterday at the age of 82. "Neil was among the greatest of American heroes - not just of his time, but of all time," said President Obama in a statement on Armstrong's passing. "Today, Neil's spirit of discovery lives on in all the men and women who have devoted their lives to exploring the unknown. That legacy will endure - sparked by a man who taught us the enormous power of one small step."

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who was with Armstrong on the Moon, had this to say: “I am very saddened to learn of the passing of Neil Armstrong. Whenever I look at the moon it reminds me of the moment over four decades ago when I realized that even though we were farther away from earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone. Virtually the entire world took that memorable journey with us. I know I am joined by millions of others in mourning the passing of a true American hero and the best pilot I ever knew. I had truly hoped that in 2019, we would be standing together along with our colleague Mike Collins to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of our moon landing. Regrettably, this is not to be. Neil will most certainly be there with us in spirit."

News reports: #1, #2, #3; Apollo 11 Retrospective: Wide Awake in the Sea of Tranquillity

Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery

TWILIGHT MIX: Sky watchers around the Arctic Circle are noticing a mix of colors at sunset that they haven't seen in a while: twilight blue plus aurora green. As summer comes to an end and the midnight sun sets, the Northern Lights are back. Nenne Åman sends this picture taken last "night" from the Arjeplog Lapland of northern Sweden:

"The first auroras of the season are always something special," says Åman. "Even if it's not very strong it makes the heart goes wild! That's how it was last night."

NOAA forecasters estimate a 35% chance of more Arctic auroras on August 26 in response to a high-speed solar wind stream. "The aurora-hunting season of 2012/13 has begun," says Åman. Aurora alerts: text, phone.

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery


Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
[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 August 26, 2012 there were 1328 potentially hazardous asteroids.
Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
Asteroid
Date(UT)
Miss Distance
Mag.
Size
2000 ET70
Aug 21
58.5 LD
--
1.1 km
2012 QH14
Aug 25
3.5 LD
--
15 m
1998 TU3
Aug 25
49.2 LD
--
4.9 km
2009 AV
Aug 26
62.8 LD
--
1.0 km
2012 QZ16
Aug 30
7 LD
--
33 m
2012 QC8
Sep 14
22.7 LD
--
1.1 km
1998 UO1
Oct 4
60.1 LD
--
2.1 km
2005 GQ21
Oct 12
77 LD
--
1.0 km
1998 ST49
Oct 18
28.7 LD
--
1.3 km
1991 VE
Oct 26
34 LD
--
1.1 km
2001 CV26
Oct 30
68 LD
--
2.4 km
2007 PA8
Nov 5
16.8 LD
--
2.5 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
Trade Show Displays
   
  more links...
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