Eruptive C9 solar flare, earth-directed CME

Thursday, 14 May 2015 10:10 UTC

Images: SOHO LASCO coronagraph animations showing the earth-directed coronal mass ejection. Notice the faint outline covering 360 degrees around the coronagraph.

While the coronal mass ejection doesn't look all too strong, the full halo outline means it is likely we will at least a glancing blow from this plasma cloud. Most of the ejecta can be seen flying of to the north but an earth-directed component is there. A preliminary analysis of the speed of this CME gives us a rather slow speed of around 400km/s to 450km/s but with only one source to go on this is still a preliminary speed. A possible arrival data for this coronal mass ejection would be late on Saturday (16 May) or Sunday (17 May) with active geomagnetic conditions to perhaps minor G1 geomagnetic storm levels being possible.

Coronal hole solar wind stream affecting Earth

A coronal hole high speed solar wind stream is currently affecting Earth and a moderate G2 geomagnetic storm was detected during the early hours of 13 May. This caused vivid aurora displays at high latitude locations like in Canada where Zoltan Kenwell captured some stunning pictures!

For more of his work visit this page.