May 23 2012 Has the Sun Flat-Lined? [and a special treat] HD

  
When we were children and we'd go to see some fireworks our adrenalin would be pumped to the hilt with the expectancy to see the greatest cherry bombs and all kinds of other multi-coloured fireworks go off. Remember that feeling as if it was just yesterday? We'd see one little splutter of lights soar towards the skies, a test run, but we'd ooohhh and wooooo and cheer .... And then we waited, and waited some more ... finally some little voice in the crowed would speak up in an aggravated protest "This sucks!" .... And suddenly the dark skies lit up ......

We are now approaching the peak of the Solar Cycle 24 we had a few previews of CMEs in the upper M class flares and unexpectantly the sunspots decayed and the sun fell silent.
Well no!
The sun remained actually quite active hurdling solar winds into space just not towards Earth with the almost daily minor filament eruptions towards our direction inundating our geomagnetosphere and giving Alaska and Canada as well as the northern regions in the Netherlands, Iceland et al some beautiful Northern Auroras, practically nightly including in some cases as far South as Michigan U.S.

As sunspots are decaying new ones are popping up like daisies. As well as geomagnetic storms from the minor class flares directed towards us.

It's a matter of having "patience" and wait for 2013 to roll around the corner. Won't be long now. ....
Thank you for watching.