This week, our Sun is sending us nearly continuous fast solar wind and it has been lighting up our skies with aurora. Some photographers have managed to capture aurora during the blood moon total lunar eclipse! The aurora shows have been intensified by several solar storm eruptions, at times bumping us to G2 storm levels. Expect active to G1-level conditions to continue sporadically throughout this week. In addition, we have a ton of new active regions rotating into Earth-view from the farside that are boosting the noise on the amateur radio bands. Some of these regions are returning big-flare players so expect the risk for radio blackouts and Earth-directed solar storm eruptions to rise through this week and the next. Learn the details of the ongoing storming from the fast solar wind, watch all the new activity rotating into view on the Sun’s east limb and see what else our Sun has in store.

Solar activity has ramped up considerably over the last few days, including big solar flares, a radiation storm, and what looks like a promising Earth-directed solar storm and more to come. In particular, the Earth-directed solar storm could bring aurora just in time for the planetary alignment on February 28. Aurora photographers should be sure to check out the south-western sky just after dusk for the ‘planet parade” before swiveling around to catch aurora as it rises in the east. In addition, amateur radio operators and GPS users should expect more R1 to R2-level radio blackouts due to the rise of big flares again along with a near S1-level radiation storm. These disturbances are making for a lot of noise on the radio bands. but conditions should begin to improve as we move in through the weekend. Learn the details of the coming solar storm, watch the big X-flare, and see what else our Sun has in store.

Our Sun plays Cupid this week by ensuring we have some solar storming through this upcoming Valentines Day weekend. Even as we calm down from some fast solar wind, another pocket of fast wind is on its way to Earth. Sandwiched within the fast wind will be several stealthy solar storms and a narrow filament, which should serve to enhance aurora views, especially at high latitudes. Aurora photographers down at mid-latitudes should also get a chance for some shows, as long as the aurora outshines the bright moon. Amateur radio operators should enjoy some relative quiet on the dayside bands just in time for the big DX contest this weekend, although the nightside might be more difficult to work during the storming. Overall radio blackout risk is down and should remain so over the next few days. GPS users should also enjoy decent reception on the dayside, but nightside reception could be a bit dicey, especially near dawn and dusk and near aurora. Learn the details of the coming fast solar wind, watch some stealthy storms sneak of the Sun, and find out what else is in store.

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A massive set of coronal holes will be sending us some fast solar wind over the next few days. These dark, ominous, features are about to become regular visitors as we continue our descent into the declining phase of the solar cycle. Even though this phase is just beginning, we could see some pretty strong storming from this wind through the first few days of February. High-latitude aurora photographers might get an extended show, with a chance for mid-latitudes to catch a glimpse as well. Meanwhile, solar flare activity could tick up this week as a cluster of active regions rotates into Earth view. Ham radio operators—get ready for increasing noise on the dayside bands, likely persisting into next week. Risks for radio blackouts will also be on the rise, especially as we move into next week. Learn the details of the coming fast solar wind, watch some gorgeous eye-candy launch off the Sun, and find out what else is in store.

This week our Sun launches multiple big solar storms, most of which have given us some gorgeous eye candy. One of these eruptions launched a strong Earth-directed solar storm that hit Earth, but it was the wrong magnetic orientation to cause issues. We have also had several spectacular farsided eruptions, which hint that old Regions 3905 and 3906 (as well as 3912) are remaining active. This means we should expect big flares, big radio blackouts, and increased radio noise on Earth’s dayside over the coming week as these regions rotate back into view. These regions are also storm producers, so expect to see more chances for Earth-directed solar storms again in about a week. Learn the details of these regions, watch some beautiful solar fireworks, and see what else lies in store for this upcoming holiday week.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! Activity picks up this week in a big way with a lot of eye-candy on the Earth-facing Sun and on the farside too. Two Earth-directed solar storms could impact Earth this week bringing aurora down to mid-latitudes during the holiday festivities. Although the storming isnt expected to be very strong, we are nearing a new moon so that should help the aurora stand out against the nighttime skies. But even if the aurora shows are underwhelming, there are many more storm producers on the Sun right now that could send more storms our way. Amateur radio operators and GPS should expect noise levels to continue rising on the dayside radio bands and a heightened risk of big R2-R3 level radio blackouts on the dayside over the next two weeks, thanks to some big returning regions and some new flare players rotating into Earth view. The risk for radiation storms will also begin rising again as we move into the first week of December. Learn the details of the coming solar storms, watch an historically strong event launch on the Sun’s farside, and see what else is in store.

This week our star kicks activity into high gear with some fast-growing active regions in Earth view. One of these taking center stage is Region 3883, which has fired multiple big flares and launched a very dense solar storm that looks to have an Earth-directed component. If this storm grazes Earth, as the models predict it will, it could cause some aurora shows at high latitudes starting midday to late November 6. Even if this storm misses Earth, the region is remaining active and is beginning to rotate into the Earth-strike zone now. We may see more Earth-directed events from it in the coming days. Amateur radio operators and GPS users need to remain vigilant for signal issues on Earth’s dayside since R3-level radio blackouts are on back on the menu. We have already seen several big flares (at the R2-level) over the past couple days. Noise on the dayside radio bands is expected to remain high over the course of this week. Learn the details of the coming solar storm, watch Region 3883 and a few others develop into big-flare players, and find out what else our Sun has in store.

Our Sun launched multiple Earth-directed solar storms towards Earth this week, with the first one hitting us just now (it is fashionably late). The second will likely hit late on September 12 and be followed by some fast solar wind. This means aurora photographers could be in for an extended show from about now till possibly September 13. In addition, several big-flare and big solar storm producing regions are beginning to rotate into Earth view. Amateur radio operators and GPS users should expect increasingly difficult conditions for radio propagation over this coming week, especially while the ongoing mild radiation storm continues to impact high-latitude regions. Radio operators and GPS users should expect issues on Earth’s dayside over this week (and possibly next) with the worst impacts at the poles calming down by September 14. Of course, UAV pilots should stay vigilant, especially on Earth’s nightside near aurora and during dawn and dusk. Learn the details of the coming solar storms, see what is on the farside of the Sun and find out what else our Sun has in store.

Although we are calming down from several solar storms that hit back to back over the past week and gave us some decent aurora, our Sun isn’t calming down. We have four active regions that are about to rotate into Earth view that have been firing big flares and launching solar storms on the Sun’s farside. Two of these regions are familiar big-flare players from the previous rotation. In fact, one of them (old Region 3786) fired an M5.6-flare causing an R2-level radio blackout just a few hours ago. Along with that flare, it also launched a big non-Earth-directed solar storm and a weak radiation storm too. Expect this region, along with the other three to rotate into Earth-view over the next 24 to 48 hours. This means radio noise and radio blackout risk is expected to increase on Earth’s dayside over the coming week. We also could be in for more Earth-directed solar storm launches later this week as well. Learn the details of these new regions about to rotate into Earth view, find out if any aurora will be visible, and see what else our Sun has in store this week.

This week our Sun stays active but has terrible aim. Earth has dodged at least four solar storms launched off the Earth-facing Sun. The only expected impact will be from some fast solar wind over the next couple of days, but that shouldn’t cause too much trouble for radio amateurs participating in “Field Day” this weekend. Aurora photographers at high latitudes might get a chance for some good views though. We are also anticipating old Region 3697, which will begin to rotate back into Earth view starting around Saturday. Expect the chance for big flares and radio blackouts to begin to rise again as we move into next week. This region has been busy firing big flares and storms on the Sun’s farside so we could see this behavior continue once it rotates into view. Learn the details of the coming fast solar wind, watch some of the gorgeous filament eruptions over the past couple of days, as well as some that have yet to erupt, and see what else our Sun has in store.