The Sun sent two flares yesterday from active region 1283. This video shows the second flare, at 6:12 p.m. EDT (2212 GMT) on Tuesday an even bigger flare than the M-class flare from early on Sept. 6, at about 0150 GMT. This was an X-class flare, major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. The latest update says the CMEs could sail north of Earth, delivering a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field, and could arrive between September 8 -10. Spaceweather.com says high-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras in the nights ahead.
The image below was sent in to Universe Today by Monty Leventhal showing the type 4B Flare with an X-ray class of X-2 in active region 1283.
A digital filtergram shows a type 4B Flare with an X-ray class of X-2 in active region 1283 on Sept. 6, 2011. Credit: Monty Leventhal
Here are the details and equipment Monty used:
Date:- 6-9-11
Time:- 22.05 U.T.
Conditions:- Poor
Camera:- Canon 300D
Filter:- H-alpha. 6Å.
Telescope:- Meade S.C. 10 inch
Nancy Atkinson is Universe Today's Senior Editor. She also is the host of the NASA Lunar Science Institute podcast and works with the Astronomy Cast and 365 Days of Astronomy podcasts. Nancy is also a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador.
