Browse Archive

  • STEREO Observes One of the Fastest CMEs On Record

    08.13.12 - On July 23, 2012, a massive cloud of solar material erupted off the sun. NASA Goddard scientists clocked the giant cloud, known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME, at speeds between 1,800 and 2,200 miles per second.

  • A Taste of Solar Maximum

    07.23.12 - On July 14, 2012 a CME crashed into Earth's magnetic field and triggered the most sustained display of auroras in years, giving the world a taste of things to come when Solar Max arrives in 2013.

  • Active Region 1515 Releases M6.9 Class Flare

    07.09.12 - As it turns away from Earth, AR1515 releases an M6.9 class solar flare.

  • Sun Releases X1.1 Class Flare

    07.07.12 - Anticipated for the past week, the sun finally releases an X1.1 class solar flare late on July 6.

  • More Eruptions from Active Region 1476

    05.17.12 - The sun erupted with an M-class flare that peaked at 9:47 PM EDT on May 17, 2012. A CME also burst from the sun at 9:48 PM EDT, traveling at over 930 miles per second.

  • Hinode/SOHO Paint Asymmetrical Picture Of the Sun

    04.20.12 - The solar cycle unfolds with seeming regularity every 11 years -- magnetic north and south pole flip -- now two upcoming papers show that the switch at bottom and top of the sun is not simultaneous.

  • Moderate Geomagnetic Storm at Earth

    03.12.12 - Geomagnetic storms at Earth are currently at a rating of G2 (moderate) on a scale of G1 to G5.

  • Second Biggest Flare Of the Solar Cycle

    03.07.12 - The sun erupted with one of the largest solar flares of this solar cycle on March 6, 2012 at 7PM EST, an X5.4.

  • Beautiful Aurora Result From Active Solar Weekend

    02.27.12 - The weak CME on February 26, 2012 did produce some amazing aurora for high latitude observers.

  • X1.8 Solar Flare and CME - 01.27.12

    01.27.12 - Sunspot 1402 fires a parting shot as it rotates around the edge of the sun -- an X1.8 class solar flare and CME.

  • 01.23.12: M8.7 Solar Flare and Earth Directed CME-UPDATED

    01.25.12 - The sun erupted late on January 22, 2012 with an M8.7 class flare, an earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME).

  • 01.19.2012-Long Duration M3.2 Class Solar Flare and CME

    01.19.12 - After a two month respite from Earth-directed solar events, the Sun sends an M3.2 class flare and CME our way.

  • Catching a Comet Death on Camera

    01.19.12 - On July 6, 2011, a comet was caught doing something never seen before: die a scorching death as it flew too close to the sun. The chance to watch it first-hand amazed even the most seasoned comet watchers.

  • SOHO "Pick of the Week" Hits Impressive Milestone

    01.04.12 - In late November, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory's (SOHO) online 'Pick of the Week' reached an impressive milestone: its 500th edition.

  • Comet Lovejoy Plunges into the Sun and Survives

    12.16.11 - An armada of spacecraft witnessed something that many experts thought impossible. Comet Lovejoy flew through the hot atmosphere of the sun and emerged intact.

  • Comet Lovejoy -- Many Views

    12.19.11 - Another view of Comet Lovejoy's solar approach taken by Hinode.

  • Incoming Comet; Outgoing CME

    10.04.11 - On October 2, 2011, an exceptionally bright comet headed toward the sun and disintegrated; moments later a large coronal mass ejection (CME) blew off the other side of the sun.

  • A Solar Flare and a CME

    09.22.11 - Our increasingly active Sun produced a large CME yesterday evening and an X1.4 class flare this morning. This increased solar activity is a normal byproduct as the sun approaches solar max.

  • Six CMEs in 24 Hours

    09.20.11 - The sun let loose with at least six coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from 7 PM ET on September 18, 2011 until 1 PM on September 19. One may impact Earth and spark aurora tomorrow.

  • Sunspot Breakthrough

    08.24.11 - Scientists detected several sunspot regions in the deep interior of the sun, 1-2 days before they appeared on the solar disc.