Solar Cycle 24 Delivers a Class X3.2 CME HD

  

The most powerful flare to date - Solar Maximum does not disappoint.

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Update from yesterdays class X1.7 and class X2.8 coronal ejection.

All other visible sunspot regions appear to be stable at this time. There will remain a chance for moderate M-Class solar flares and perhaps another isolated X-Class event within the next 24-48 hours, particularly around Sunspot 11748.

Class X1.7 & Class X2.8 CME ALERTS HD

  

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A sunspot on the sun's eastern limb is crackling with powerful X-class solar flares. It announced itself with an X1.7-class eruption on May 13th at 0217 UT, quickly followed by an X2.8-class flare at 1609 UT. These are the strongest flares of 2013, and they signal a significant uptick in solar activity. More eruptions are in the offing.

 ALERT: Type II Radio Emission

Begin Time: 2013 May 13 1557 UTC

Estimated Velocity: 949 km/s

Description: Type II emissions occur in association with eruptions on the sun and typically indicate a coronal mass ejection is associated with a flare event.

ALERT: Type IV Radio Emission

Begin Time: 2013 May 13 1557 UTC

Description: Type IV emissions occur in association with major eruptions on the sun and are typically associated with strong coronal mass ejections and solar radiation storms.

SUMMARY: 10cm Radio Burst

Begin Time: 2013 May 13 1553 UTC

Maximum Time: 2013 May 13 1601 UTC

End Time: 2013 May 13 1618 UTC

Duration: 25 minutes

Peak Flux: 520 sfu

Description: A 10cm radio burst indicates that the electromagnetic burst associated with a solar flare at the 10cm wavelength was double or greater than the initial 10cm radio background. This can be indicative of significant radio noise in association with a solar flare. This noise is generally short-lived but can cause interference for sensitive receivers including radar, GPS, and satellite communications.

Class M5.7 CME - M1.3 Flare Solar Magnetic Tornado HD

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Sunspot group AR1739, just now emerging over the sun's northeastern limb, erupted on May 3rd, producing an M5-class solar flare and a "solar tornado."  watch the plasma twist.
The explosion also hurled a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) into space:  Traveling almost 1300 km/s, the electrified cloud is expected to sweep past a couple of NASA spacecraft (EPOXI and Spitzer) on May 7th. No planets, however, were in the line of fire

Class M1.1 CME and class C9.6 CME MONSTER FARSIDE ERUPTION HD

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Solar activity is now at moderate levels thanks to an isolated M1.1 Solar Flare around Sunspot 1731 in the northern hemisphere. A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is visible in the latest STEREO Ahead COR2 imagery. It appears that a majority of the plasma cloud was directed north of the Sun-Earth field.
Auroras this weekend.