It's always a treat when I get to use annotations in my forecasts that I havent used in a while. This full Solar Storm Forecast marks the first time I've had to number more than two regions on the Earth-facing Sun in quite some time! It's yet another indicator that we are coming our of solar minimum. Very soon I will begin showing magnetograms again so we can watch these sunspots evolve as they rotate across the Sun's face! But that must wait for a later date. In this forecast, i have my hands full catching you up on all the recent activity, including a non-Earth-directed solar storm, several near M-class flares, and more gorgeous aurora highlights from recent solar storms! Just for you patrons, this forecast is available here for early viewing 13 hours before the public gets access. Also, as always, I am including the You Tube description, the 5-day outlooks, and the aurora field reporter credits below.
You Tube Description:
This week our Sun continues its upward journey of activity with several new bright regions in Earth view and more on the Sun's farside. We are seeing solar flux continue to rise along with an increase in C-class flares. This is good news for amateur radio operators and emergency responders as radio propagation on Earth's dayside is continuing to improve. Of course, the flares mean a little radio noise as well, but it should be pretty mild overall. So, no worries, the SpaceX launch this weekend should not have any communication issues! However, these regions are also continuing to launch solar storms, especially region 2782, and as this region rotates into the Earth-strike zone we will watch closely for any Earth-directed activity. Aurora photographers at high latitudes have a small burst of fast solar wind to look forward that could bring aurora but it will be reasonably fleeting. At least this means GPS users will not be severely impacted this week. Learn more about the growing sunspot activity, catch up on aurora photos from recent solar storms, and see what else our Sun has in store!
Aurora Field Reporter Credits:
Rayann Elzein, Utsjoki, Finnish Lapland:
https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=169595
I Need Space, Tromsø, Norway:
https://twitter.com/INSVideos/status/1319630389841977344
Adrien Mauduit, Senja, Norway:
https://twitter.com/NightLights_AM/status/1326499818479480844
Matt Robinson, Norway:
https://twitter.com/Astromackem/status/1320809084526972929
https://twitter.com/Astromackem/status/1319756650178355201
NLPLNO, Lofoten, Norway:
https://twitter.com/NLPLNO/status/1320025334809563141
Oliver Wright, Abisko, Sweden:
https://twitter.com/OW_Photography/status/1320030202651660288
https://twitter.com/OW_Photography/status/1319744515012513799
Göran Strand, Östersund, Sweden:
https://twitter.com/Astrofotografen/status/1321166401151918082
Chirs Cogan, Rogart, Scotland:
https://twitter.com/cogie_s/status/1319996164742197251
Jon Dunn, Shetland, UK:
https://twitter.com/dunnjons/status/1319763917653135365
Kareen, Shetland, UK:
https://twitter.com/Kareen_B_H/status/1320491989889110018
https://twitter.com/Kareen_B_H/status/1319771465215037446
James Rowley-Hill, Norfolk, UK:
https://twitter.com/chunder10/status/1320096601071902730
Live Aurora Network, Kirkjufell, Iceland:
https://twitter.com/LiveAuroraNetw1/status/1319909944645292032
Jaromir Stanczyk, Reykjavik, Iceland:
https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=169044
Hind Abuelgasim, Thompson, Manitoba, Canada:
https://twitter.com/HindAbuelgasim/status/1320091745183428608
Deb Maluk, Sandy Lake, Manitoba, Canada:
https://twitter.com/dmaluk1/status/1319931288686448640
Hank Vlietstra, Wilkie Saskatchewan Canada:
https://twitter.com/FlatlanderHank/status/1319576242195034112
Team Tanner, Alix, Alberta, Canada:
https://twitter.com/dartanner/status/1320057512666615808
Vincent Ledvina, North Dakota, USA:
https://twitter.com/Vincent_Ledvina/status/1320062917098852352
Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota, USA:
https://twitter.com/ItsAstroKota/status/1320049125249945601
Chris Griffith, Jenkins, Minnesota, USA:
https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=169066
MaryBeth Kiczenski, Grand Marias, Minnesota, USA:
https://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=169193
Noel Bowman, Moses Lake, Washington, USA:
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10217066926457443&set=gm.2762318167357573
Ann Gutschlag, Invercargill, NZ:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3769482536396731&set=p.3769482536396731&type=3