Today Science News Summary: Sun Activity
Keywords: Prominence Eruption, Recent Sunspot Activity, Coronal Hole and Solar Wind, Geomagnetic Activity, Sun Activity, Today Science News Summary
Contents
1. Prominence Eruption
On July 12, 2024, a spectacular prominence erupted from the sun’s southeast limb. This event released a billion-ton mass of solar plasma, forming a stunning ribbon-like structure. Luckily, it was not Earth-directed, sparing our planet from potential magnetic disturbances. This event has drawn significant interest from astronomers and space scientists who are studying its implications for solar activity and its impact on Earth.
2. Recent Sunspot Activity
The sun’s activity has decreased to low levels, with only C-class flares being observed. Among these, AR3738 stands out as the most complex and active sunspot region, responsible for multiple C-class flares. The sun currently hosts several active regions, each displaying varying magnetic complexities. Scientists are closely monitoring these areas to understand better the sun’s behaviour and predict future solar activity.
3. Coronal Hole and Solar Wind
A significant coronal hole has positioned itself in a geoeffective spot, meaning the fast solar wind it emits may interact with Earth’s magnetic field, enhancing the likelihood of auroral displays. Despite this, no Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been observed in the latest images, providing some relief from potential space weather disturbances.
4. Geomagnetic Activity
Currently, Earth’s magnetic field is quiet. However, this tranquillity is expected to be short-lived. The high-speed solar wind from the coronal hole is anticipated to cause unsettled geomagnetic conditions, with a minor geomagnetic storm possibly occurring on July 13-14. These changes are closely monitored to mitigate any adverse effects on Earth’s communication and navigation systems.
For more details and to see stunning images of these solar events, visit EarthSky’s sun news update.
Reference
Sun news July 13: Magnetic storm at Earth, M flare on the sun
