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Sun news: More beautiful auroras as storming comes to an end

Posted by
C. Alex Young
and
Raúl Cortés
and
Armando Caussade
and
December 19, 2023


EarthSky sun news author C. Alex Young also produces @thesuntoday.

Sun news for December 19, 2023: More beautiful auroras as storming comes to an end

Today’s top news: After another night of mesmerising auroral displays during a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm, action at Earth has finally calmed. This fantastic show came after a period of crazy activity on the sun. As the effects of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and fast solar wind fade, more action seems to be on the way; let’s see what our star next has in store for us.
Last 24 hours: Sun activity is back to low, but action seems to be picking up. With prominences adorning the limbs (edges) of our star, fresh sunspot groups seem to be just out of view. In fact, incoming sunspots have been observed with helioseismology over the horizon on the eastern limb, soon to rotate into view. Between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today, 12 C flares were fired. The largest was a C7.4 flare, fired at 3:04 UTC on December 19 by sunspot group AR3528. This active region was the lead flare producer of the period with five Cs. AR3520 was close behind with four C flares. The sun currently has nine labeled active regions on its Earth-facing side, including three newcomers: AR3527 in the west, AR3528 close to the central meridian in the northeast, and AR3529 in the southeast.
Next 24 hours forecast: The forecast is a 99% chance for C flares, a 25% chance for M flares, and a 5% chance for X flares.
Next expected CME:  No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were observed in the available imagery.
Current geomagnetic activity: Earth’s geomagnetic field is quiet at the time of this writing (11 UTC on December 19), but a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm was registered at 23:59 UTC, December 18. Unsettled conditions are expected during the rest of the day through tomorrow as the CMEs from December 14 to 15 start to wane, while we continue to experience the effects of fast solar wind from a coronal hole.

Sun news, December 19, 2023. We saw this prominence coming from beyond the solar horizon in the southwest. It might have come from our recently departed sunspot group, AR3511. GOES 16 SUVI 304 angstrom. Imnage via NOAA.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 6 UTC on December 19, 2023. Original image, without labels, via NASA SDO. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky. Today’s sun is posted by Armando Caussade. Why are east and west on the sun reversed?

Sun news for December 18, 2023: Night #2 for great auroras!


Sun news for December 18, 2023. More auroras! Join EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd in the video above, for more.
It’s been two fabulous night of auroras! At the time of this writing (11 UTC on Monday, December 18), Earth is experiencing yet more geomagnetic storming, due to coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and high speed solar wind from a coronal hole. The storming is at G2 (moderate) levels at this time. Aurora reports were arguably fewer Sunday night (December 17-18) than Saturday night (December 16-17). But both nights were grand! And we might see auroral activity later today. Stay tuned!
Last 24 hours: Sun activity due to flares is moderate with one M1.1 flares and 12 C flares observed. The largest event was an M1.1 flare from sunspot region AR3520 at 20:08 UTC December 17. AR3520 produced five flares including the M1.1. There is significant activity beyond the west limb (edge), most likely due to AR3514 acting up. Several eruptions are visible from this area in 304-angstrom light from SDO and GOES-16. The Earth-facing side of the sun currently has six active regions.

Sun news December 18, 2023. Lucy Whitt captured the aurora from above the Arctic Circle, en route from Norway to Finland, on the night of December 17-18, 2023. Image via Kelly Whitt.

Sun news for December 17, 2023: Auroras! And more coming …

We’ve got auroras! One or more of the anticipated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from December 14 and 15 may have reached Earth. At the time of this writing (11 UTC on Sunday, December 17), we are experiencing a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm and we are starting to see some aurora reports. The reports are mostly from Canada and Alaska. Over the next day we will wait to see if there are any signs of additional CME impacts and resulting geomagnetic storming and auroras. Stay tuned!
Last 24 hours: Sun activity due to flares is low with 16 C-class flares observed. The largest event was a back-to-back set of flares from sunspot region AR3514, a C8.4 and C8.1 at 13:19 and 14:12 UTC respectively. AR3514 produced most of the flares at 14 of 16. It has almost completely rotated out of view over the west limb. It has decayed, losing its delta region, but this sunspot group still has the potential for some significant flaring. The Earth-facing side of the sun currently has nine active regions.

The sun in recent days

This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 5 UTC on December 18, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 7 UTC on December 17, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 8 UTC on December 16, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 6 UTC on December 15, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 7 UTC on December 12, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 5 UTC on December 11, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 7 UTC on December 10, 2023. Courtesy of NASA/ SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.

Sun images from our community

Are you a fan of sun news? We invite you all to send us your beautiful recent photos of sunspots and auroras. Naturally, we love receiving your photos! And to those of you who’ve already posted a photo to our community page, thank you.

Submit photos here

View community photos here

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured this filtered image on December 18, 2023. Mario wrote: “Hydrogen-alpha image of the sun with numerous active regions.” Thank you, Mario!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jim Militello in Tucson, Arizona, captured this hydrogen-alpha filtered image of the sun on December 17, 2023. Jim wrote: “This hydrogen-alpha image shows sunspot and active region 3519.” Thank you, Jim!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricio León in Santiago, Chile, captured this filtered image of the sun on December 15, 2023. Patricio wrote: “The very active sunspot group AR3514 is approaching the western limb. It seems AR3519, center left, will be left alone in a couple of days.” Thank you, Patricio!
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hoskin in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, captured this filtered view of the sun on December 9, 2023. David wrote: “This filtered image shows 3 sunspot groups that are rotating out of view, top to bottom AR3510, AR3508, and AR3511. Sunspot group AR3511 has been very active, producing a number of strong M-class solar flares.” Thank you, David!

Bottom line: Sun news December 19, 2023. Beautiful auroras were enjoyed for another night, as the recent flurry of geomagnetic activity finally came to a close.

Posted 
December 19, 2023
 in 
Brightest Stars

C. Alex Young

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About the Author:
C. Alex Young is a solar astrophysicist studying the Sun and space weather. Alex is passionate about sharing science with diverse audiences. This led him to start The Sun Today with his designer wife, Linda. First through Facebook and Twitter then adding an extensive website thesuntoday.org, the two work together to engage the public about the Sun and its role in our solar system. Alex led national engagement efforts for the 2017 total solar eclipse. He is the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.

Raúl Cortés

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About the Author:
Raúl Cortés studied engineering at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico, obtained a scholarship to continue his studies in Japan and after returning to Monterrey he got credits on MBA from the Graduate School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Faculty. He became a teacher at the University UANL teaching Math and Physics and dedicated the rest of his professional career to serve in engineering areas for USA, Japan and Germany based corporations. His passion for the skies go back to when he was a child, always intrigued about the stars and constellations and reading and researching about the matter. From 2010 on, he dedicated his attention to photographing the stars, constellations, the moon and the sun. Raúl's work on his photography has been published and posted on the ESC as well as in other platforms and has gained attention to be published by local Monterrey newspapers.

Armando Caussade

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About the Author:
Armando is well known as an astronomy educator, after 30+ years leading extensive initiatives of public outreach and 10+ years teaching in colleges. As one of only a handful of Puerto Rican science communicators during Comet Halley's last visit, he assumed a pioneering role starting in 1985 when science was just beginning to enter the local mindset; over time his work brought meaningful change to the culture, inspiring people to pursue interests in science and technology. His affiliations include Ana G. Méndez University–Cupey, where in 2014 he spearheaded an 8-course extension program focusing on observational astronomy, the first ever in the island.

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