Southern sunspot AR1762 erupted on June 5th, producing a long-duration M1-class solar flare that peaked around 0900 UT. The explosion hurled a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) into space.
During the latter part of last week, a huge void rotated across the face of the sun. But never fear, it isn’t a sign of the “end times” or some weird sci-fi stellar malnourishment: This particular hole is a coronal hole. Though it may be a well-known phenomenon, it is noteworthy — it’s the largest coronal hole to be observed in the sun’s atmosphere for over a year
Revelation 16:8
CHANCE OF FLARES
Sunspot AR1762 in the sun’s southern hemisphere has developed a ‘beta-gamma-delta’ magnetic field that harbors energy for X-class solar flares. So far, however, the sunspot is producing only low-level B- and C-class eruptions. The calm before the storm?
SOLAR WIND STORM
A remarkably-fast stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth’s magnetic field, with speeds reaching 750 km/s (1.7 million mph). In response, NOAA forecasters put the odds of a geomagnetic storm on June 3rd at 40%.
Worst case EMP scenario? Half in U.S. dead
Along with the radiation from the flares, there also is a coronal mass ejection, or CME. During a CME, billions of tons of highly charged particles are ejected to interact with Earth’s magnetic field, causing radio blackouts and the shutdown or destruction of vulnerable electrical grid systems and sensitive electronic components.
Coronal Hole
A hole in the sun’s atmosphere–a “coronal hole”–has opened up and it is spewing solar wind into space. The impact could spark geomagnetic storms and auroras around the poles.
ELECTRON STORM
In the past 24 hours, the flux of high-energy electrons swarming around Earth has increased more than tenfold. The source of this “electron storm” is a 700 km/s stream of solar wind buffeting Earth’s magnetic field. NOAA cautions satellite operators that “satellite systems may experience significant charging” in response to accumulated electrons.