Solar Activity Watch 2013

Here we go, a master thread for Solar Activity for the year 2013.
Thanks to all who kept the past threads up-to-date.

With all of the recent solar activity taking place, the sun approaching solar maximum, and how many threads keep popping up on each event, I thought it would be prudent to have a single thread, especially for all of the avid sun watcher!

www.abovetopsecret.com...

It looks like 2013 could be a peak year for solar actiivty:
www.space.com...
Another informative source:
www.spaceweather.com...

and more sources:
www.solarham.com...
solarimg.org...
sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov...
sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov...
www.spaceweather.com...
from this post: www.abovetopsecret.com...

Solar Activity Watch 2012

Solar Activity Watch 2011

Solar Activity Watch 2010

Sun Watch Thread!!! (2009)[

The number of sunspots on the solar disk is currently at 14.There is a 35% chance of M-class flares and a 5% chance of X-class flares for the next 24-48 hours.

Sunspot AR1654 will be the one to watch right now. But it is too soon to make any judgement calls on this sunspot yet. Three days and we will know whether this sunspot deserves our attention or not.

Being an avid Solar observer I have done a write up about safe Solar observing, like you said with the maximum winding up then more people gain interest so it is best done in a safe manner.
See the link below or in my sig.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Sunspot AR1652 has a beta-gamma magnetic field and is capable of producing M-class flares. There is a 40% chance of M-class flares and a 5% chance of X-class flares for the next 24-48 hours. Another day or two and more information should be available for sunspot AR1654.

There is a 50% chance of M-class solar flares and a 5% chance of X-class solar flares over the next 24-48 hours. Sunspot AR1654 does look rather large. One more day and the full info should be readily available for this sunspot.

There is a 60% chance of M-class flares and a 5% chance of X-class flares for the next 24-48 hours.Sunspot AR1654 continues to increase in size and any flares/CMEs will be Earth directed within the next 24-48 hours.

There is now a 65% chance of M-class solar flares and a 10% chance of X-class solar flares over the next 24-48 hours.AR1652 is already in position for Earth directed solar flares/CMEs;AR1654 will be in position for Earth directed solar flares/CMEs within 24 hours.These two sunspots could potentially be very disruptive if they produce many solar flares/CMEs in conjunction with one another(or one BIG one).

Nice to see thread is up ..

Some info about recent solar activity and sunspot 1654 ..

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Question for the Solar experts out there...this site says that the C 5 solar flare took place today did not originate from a sunspot. How does that happen?

www.solarham.net...

Peace

The sun reminds me of the weather here in Michigan, wait a minute and it changes dramatically.

It was 47 on Saturday, today we had wind chills of 15 below.

A week ago, threads were popping up everywhere on here about the OMG sunspots, today the X ray output was almost flatlined.

Peace

A prominence is lifting off the Sun right now ..

sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov...

reply to post by MariaLida

AIA 304

2013-01-31 14:12:07 - 2013-01-31 16:18:43 UTC

reply to post by MariaLida

Sunspot 1675 might grow into something interesting. First M flare in a while.

www.solarham.net...

Just found this article onYahoo (original source is space.com) Looks like things may be getting interesting up there on the sun. Does anyone know if this is the kind of activity that can throw off flares that may effect us here?? I know there are different kinds of flares, or emissions the sun throws off and each have a different effect on us. Just wondering if anyone had any more details!

reply to post by RN311


A 15% chance of X flares is not too great. The media is hyping this probably because this particular spot has grown really quickly in the last two days.

However, this spot only has about 2 more days of being facing us, so I think we are safe.

The odds are in our favor that we will be ok.

Peace

Despite solar activity is very low (though we are in solar maximum now), there is MASSIVE coronal hole visible in polar region. We should be getting auroras tonight as solar wind from coronal hole hits the Earth.

Coronal holes are darker and "colder" regions in Sun's corona. Plasma is lower density there, therefore they let more solar wind pass than normal corona areas.

Thanks for the thread!

This new one is large enough to "swallow six earths". Good times.

Feb. 21, 2013

Solar Flares: Monster Sunspot Growing Fast, NASA Warns Solar Storms Possible

A sunspot large enough to “swallow six Earths” has been spotted by NASA. The space agency is warning that solar storms could occur this week if the sunspot continues to swell.

Source

My lights have been flickering lately...so you never know how huge it could be. It is also timed just right for Mercury Retrograde in Pisces (Feb. 23 - March 17). There has been know issues with communication and electronics during these times. Mix that with solar activity like this and things could get strange.

Star and Flag. Thanks again for the thread.

Sunspot 1665 should be rotating back into view in the next few days. That one might have some solar action.

Been little flares the last few days from the big guy. Moderate C flare today, but nada really. Should rotate out of view soon.

Peace