Sunspots rotating into view, waning CME effects

Saturday, 11 April 2015 16:27 UTC

One more thing we should note is that SDO/AIA imagery in the 171 Ångström wavelength reveal that there could be more sunspots hiding just around the limb which have yet to become visible. There are coronal loops visible that look to emerge from a location behind the limb. This could be something to keep an eye on in the days ahead!

Image: SDO/AIA imagery in the 171 Ångström wavelength showing coronal loops at the east limb.

Waning coronal mass ejection effects

Geomagnetic conditions have been active the past 24 hours due to the lingering effects of three minor coronal mass ejection passages. Aurora were again visible at high latitude locations and there has even been a sighting from southern England (Norfolk area) for a brief moment:

Image: A distant display of the Aurora Borealis was visible this past night from Norfolk, UK by James Rowley-Hill / Aurora UK.

While the solar wind speed and density haven't been very impressive the past 24 hours, the direction of the IMF (Bz) was directed mostly southward during the period and this did trigger enhanced auroral conditions at high latitudes. Keep on reading for some more auroral images captured last night.

Atacan Ergin Photography (Tampere, Finland)

Zack Splaine Photography (Alberta, Canada)

Jon Wood (MN, USA)

Allan Benfell (Dunedin, New Zealand) 

Current conditions

CME effects continue to wane and the solar wind/IMF conditions are pretty much back to background levels. High latitude locations could still see an occasional increased auroral displays as our magnetic field remains agitated but we should slowly see a decrease back to quiet geomagnetic conditions in the next 24 hours.