QUIET SUN: Solar activity is very low. There are two sunspots on the solar disk, but both are small and inactive. NOAA forecasters say the chance of strong flares today is no more than 1%.

Solar wind
speed: 637.9 km/sec
density: 8.5 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1310 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B1 1235 UT Nov21
24-hr: B1 1235 UT Nov21
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1315 UT

THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED: As predicted, a stream of solar wind is gently buffeting Earth's magnetic field today. The gaseous material is flowing from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere. So far, the weakly-magnetized stream is doing little to cause geomagnetic activity.

Solar wind
speed: 521.2 km/sec
density: 7.8 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 2155 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: A2 1826 UT Nov22
24-hr: A4 2158 UT Nov21
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2200 UT

NO CHANCE OF FLARES TODAY: The chance of strong flares today is no more than 1%, according to NOAA forecasters. There are two sunspots on the solar disk; both have stable magnetic fields that are unlikely to erupt.

Solar wind
speed: 531.9 km/sec
density: 8.0 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1251 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: A6 1214 UT Nov23
24-hr: A9 0242 UT Nov23
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1255 UT

Solar wind
speed: 482.3 km/sec
density: 8.7 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0125 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: A9 1937 UT Nov23
24-hr: A9 0242 UT Nov23
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0130 UT

Solar wind
speed: 469.8 km/sec
density: 6.2 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1529 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: A9 1514 UT Nov24
24-hr: A9 1937 UT Nov23
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1535 UT

Solar wind
speed: 457.7 km/sec
density: 8.6 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 0416 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B1 0343 UT Nov25
24-hr: B1 2103 UT Nov24
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 0420 UT

SOLAR ORBITER TO BUZZ EARTH: The European Space Agency's Solar Orbiter spacecraft is about to fly by Earth for a gravity assist that will bend its orbit toward the sun. At closest approach (Nov. 27th @ 4:30 UT), the probe will speed just 460 kilometers above the Atlantic Ocean. It's the riskiest maneuver of the entire mission as Solar Orbiter dips into the debris zone of Russia's recent ASAT test. Heaven's Above has local flyby times for potential observers; the spacecraft will glow like a 9th magnitude star.

Solar wind
speed: 348.6 km/sec
density: 4.9 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 2349 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B2 2021 UT Nov26
24-hr: B4 1050 UT Nov26
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2355 UT

Solar wind
speed: 328.8 km/sec
density: 3.7 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1310 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B3 0847 UT Nov27
24-hr: B5 0450 UT Nov27
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1315 UT

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible on Nov. 27th or 28th when a CME is expected to sideswipe Earth's magnetic field. The CME left the sun on Nov. 24th following a filament eruption in the sun's southern hemishere. Even if the CME misses, solar wind plasma shoved toward Earth by the nearby storm cloud could spark Arctic auroras

Solar wind
speed: 409.2 km/sec
density: 19.5 protons/cm3
Updated: Today at 0437 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 2331 UT Nov27
24-hr: B5 0450 UT Nov27
Updated: Today at: 0440 UT

WEAK CME IMPACT: As predicted, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field during the late hours of Nov. 27th (approx. 23:30 UT). The weak impact did not cause a geomagnetic storm--not even a minor one. A brief outburst of auroras over Alaska might have been related to the CME's arrival.

Solar wind
speed: 367.2 km/sec
density: 5.9 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1309 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B4 1311 UT Nov29
24-hr: B6 1338 UT Nov28
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1315 UT

SOLAR ORBITER SURVIVES RISKY FLYBY: Europe's Solar Orbiter buzzed Earth on Saturday just 470 km above the Atlantic Ocean. The close approach brought the spacecraft within the debris zone of Russia's recent ASAT test. Spoiler alert: It survived. Scott Tucker photographed Solar Orbiter racing through the constellation Aries just after the flyby. Watch the movie.

Solar wind
speed: 362.7 km/sec
density: 16.7 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1505 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B1 1109 UT Nov30
24-hr: B3 0258 UT Nov30
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1510 UT

AN ERUPTION ON THE SUN: A dark filament of magnetism erupted from the sun's southern hemisphere on Nov. 29th: movie.

The debris appears to be heading south of our planet. NOAA forecasters are running computer simulations to confirm the miss.

Solar wind
speed: 513.9 km/sec
density: 8.0 protons/cm3
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 2041 UT

X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: B1 1643 UT Dec01
24-hr: B2 0739 UT Dec01
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 2045 UT

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Minor geomagnetic storms are possible on Dec. 3rd when a CME might sideswipe Earth's magnetic field. The storm cloud was hurled into space on Nov. 29th by an erupting filament of magnetism in the sun's southern hemisphere (movie). According to NOAA computer models, the bulk of the CME should sail south of our planet with a near miss just as likely as a glancing blow.