RUBBER CHICKEN FLIES INTO SOLAR STORM: In a unusual twist on space science, students in California have launched a rubber chicken to the edge of space to study a solar storm. Get the full story from Science@NASA.
UNUSUAL 3D METEOR PHOTO-OP: This weekend, NASA scientists, amateur astronomers, and an astronaut on board the International Space Station will attempt the first-ever 3D photography of meteors from Earth and space. The rare photo-op occurs during the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower on Saturday night, April 21st. [full story] [meteor radar] [Lyrid video]
INCOMING PLASMA CLOUDS: On April 18th and 19th, a series of minor CMEs puffed away from the sun. Three of them are heading in our general direction. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab have prepared an animated forecast track of the ensemble:
Solar wind
speed: 319.6 km/sec
density: 0.5 protons/cm3
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1635 UT
X-ray Solar Flares
6-hr max: C1 1501 UT Apr20
24-hr: C1 1501 UT Apr20
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at: 1600 UT
Daily Sun: 20 Apr 12
The solar disk is peppered with sunspots. Chance of M-flares today=30%. Credit: SDO/HMI
Sunspot number: 122
What is the sunspot number?
Updated 19 Apr 2012
Spotless Days
Current Stretch: 0 days
2012 total: 0 days (0%)
2011 total: 2 days (<1%)
2010 total: 51 days (14%)
2009 total: 260 days (71%)
Since 2004: 821 days
Typical Solar Min: 486 days
Updated 19 Apr 2012
The Radio Sun
10.7 cm flux: 138 sfu
explanation | more data
Updated 19 Apr 2012
Current Auroral Oval:
Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/POES
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 2 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 3 quiet
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 5.0 nT
Bz: 1.1 nT south
explanation | more data
Updated: Today at 1636 UT
Coronal Holes: 20 Apr 12
There are no large coronal holes on the Earthside of the sun. Credit: SDO/AIA.
