Sunspot Show: How To Safely Catch a Glimpse of This Weekend's Solar Activity
The Sun's active sunspots, responsible for recent Northern Lights displays in the US, are predicted to unleash a few solar flares this weekend. Scientists recommend using solar eclipse glasses to witness these fiery eruptions and observe how the sunspots evolve over the coming days.
Key Facts
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted a chance of minor to moderate R1 and R2 solar flares emanating from the active sunspots this weekend. While Northern Lights are not anticipated this weekend, these flares are a major contributing factor to auroral displays. This means there's a possibility of seeing the aurora next week as the solar material takes a few days to reach Earth.
Despite a recent slowdown in activity, NOAA remains optimistic about flares occurring this weekend, as the region, known as Region 3796, produced an R2 flare on Wednesday morning, highlighting its "flare potential". On Thursday, twelve different sunspot groups sprawled across a vast area of over two billion miles, exceeding eleven times the land area of Earth.
How To Witness The Sunspots
Region 3796 is currently facing Earth, making the sunspots visible with the right equipment. NOAA advises using solar eclipse glasses to view the spots while the sun is still in the sky. However, it's crucial to check that the glasses remain safe by ensuring the lenses are free from scratches, marks, or holes, which can significantly diminish their protective capabilities. The sun rotates approximately 13 degrees daily, offering a unique opportunity to track the sunspots' growth, decay, and rotation out of view.
Key Background
Solar Cycle 25, which the sun undergoes roughly every 11 years, has been the driving force behind recent solar flares and geomagnetic storms, resulting in Northern Lights sightings. NASA forecasts this cycle to continue into next year. Cycle 25 commenced in December 2019 and is projected to reach its peak, marked by heightened activity, between late 2024 and early 2026. It is predicted to peak with 115 sunspots, the origins of geomagnetic storms. While the peak hasn't yet arrived, the sun's activity has surpassed scientific predictions, hinting at the possibility of even more geomagnetic storms leading up to 2026. However, pinpointing the precise timing of these storms remains a challenge.
Big Number
On August 8th, NOAA registered a sunspot number of around 299, the highest since the beginning of Solar Cycle 25 and the highest since at least July 2002. The official number will be reported by September 1st.
Further Reading
"Are your eclipse glasses safe? How to know they'll really protect your eyes during today's total solar eclipse" (CBS News)
