Return of Sunspot Regions 1402 & 1401

   Today, we see an increase in solar Xray activity with a a string of C class flares. C1.4, C7.9, C1.5, C2.7, C7.7, C5.3 and a C2.7. This is due to us seeing the return of old sunspot regions 1402 and 1401 as they appear just over the Eastern limb.
Old sunspot region 1402 has remained a strong sunspot region in it's rotation around the backside of the solar disk.
This region will be making it's official return tomorrow sometime, when it will be renamed by NOAA and given a new number.

Expect solar activity to increase as these regions rotate into a more Earth directed position.




Here is a list of M and X flares we seen from old sunspot region 1402 and 1401 on their last rotation in a Earth facing position

 X1.7 Flare on 1/27/2012 @ 18:33 UTC - Sunspot 1402
- CME produced ETA: 16:00 UTC Jan 30, 2012

M8.7 Flare on 1/23/2012 @ 03:59 UTC - Sunspot 1402
- LDE lasting 8hrs
- CME produced ETA: 22:00 utc Jan 24, 2012

M1.1 Flare on 1/23/2012 @ 03:04 UTC - Sunspot 1402
- LDE lasting 8hrs
- CME produced ETA: 22:00 utc Jan 24, 2012

M2.6 Flare on 1/19/2012 @ 15:30 UTC - Sunspot 1402

M3.2 Flare on 1/19/2012 @ 16:05 UTC - Sunspot 1402
- This was a double flare event
- LDE lasting 13hrs. starting 13:43 Jan 19 - ending aprox. 03:00 UTC Jan 20th
- CME produced ETA: 22:00 utc Jan 21, 2012

M1.7 Flare on 1/18/2012  @ 19:12 UTC - Sunspot 1401

M1.0 Flare on 1/17/2012  @ 04:53 UTC - Sunspot 1401

C6.5 Flare on 1/16/2012  @ 04:44 UTC - Sunspot 1402
- LDE lasting 4 hrs. starting 02:36 - ending 06:46
- CME Produced ETA Jan 20th 2012

M1.4 Flare on 1/14/2012  @ 13:18 UTC - Sunspot 1401

Sunspot Region 1410 LDE Flare In Progress

   There has been a slow steady rise in the Xray flux over the last few hours starting around 20:30 UTC. This is due to an ongoing flare around sunspot region 1410 located on the far western limb of the solar disk.

Update 00:09 UTC Feb 8, 2012 :
This LDE peaked at C7.3 and  is now on a slow drop, currently at C2.3

We will update on the flare situation as conditions change.
Keep checking back

ACE Tracking Difficulties Feb 6, 2012

   UhOh! We have some updated news about the ACE satellite that most of you may find interesting. For about the next week, we will not have reliable data fron the ACE satellite. The following news post was made today by NOAA

2012-02-06 19:01 -  ACE Tracking Difficulties

SWPC’s partners that track the ACE satellite have begun to see problems with tracking ACE.  The orbit of the ACE spacecraft is about to take it directly in line with the Sun, as seen from Earth.  This will happen on February 8th, but ACE is already so close to the Sun that ground stations are having trouble.  The Sun acts as a radio noise source, making the signal from ACE difficult to discern above the solar noise (also known as solar Radio Frequency Interference).  This has resulted in intermittent availability of the ACE solar wind data.  This situation will get worse over the next two days and will then improve over the next several days as the ACE spacecraft moves away from the Sun-Earth line.  Models that depend on the ACE solar wind data will also be affected (e.g. the Wing Kp Geomagnetic model).  These problems are temporary, but are expected to continue for the next 4 or more days.
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

M1.0 Flare from Region 1410

   Sunspot region 1410 has produced a M1.0 solar flare peaking at 20:00 UTC Feb 6, 2012
We will monitor to see if there was a CME produced in association with this M flare.