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[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Solar Tsunami

When sunspot 930 exploded on Dec. 6th, producing an X6-category flare, it also created a tsunami-like shock wave that rolled across the face of the sun, wiping out filaments and other structures in its path. An H-alpha telescope in New Mexico operated by the National Solar Observatory (NSO) recorded the action:

"These large scale blast waves occur infrequently, however, are very powerful," says Dr. K. S. Balasubramaniam of the National Solar Observatory. "They quickly propagate in a matter of minutes covering the whole sun and apparently sweeping away filamentary material." Researchers are unsure whether the filaments were blown off or were compressed so they were temporarily invisible.

Source: spaceweather.com/

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It has always been suspected that these solar turbulence waves occured, but this one is on a gigantic scale.

[atomant]

Joe, this is just amazing.
We saw this sunspot during our Doane solar training this past Saturday.

Can't wait to join the elite solar team as the sun heads toward hyperactivity.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Bill,

That solar wave crawling across the surface is just remarkable!

I'm glad you had the chance to observe the sunspot in our cool huge coronado scope. I have "fine tuned" it to my eyesight using the thumb wheel near the top to observe it at very slightly different wavelengths. At first it may not appear all that different, but in small enough adjustments, the view changes.

When you have time, please do jot down your certification experience last saturday, and future, at the observatory in the Doane Operator board, here at the Chicago Astronomer. Password coming your way.

When you complete your certification, we will put you thru the initiation. It involves the observatories storage cabinets, a ripe tomato and a pointed stick. Wet rag optional...

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Sunspot 930 Up Close

Here is the bad boy - Sunspot 930 - that released that huge CME and resulting Tsumani wave last week.

From Spaceweather.com:

BROODING SUNSPOT: One week ago today, sunspot 930 unleashed an X9-class solar flare--one of the strongest flares in years. Since then it has become strangely quiet. The sunspot's tangled magnetic field still harbors energy for X-flares, but ... no flares.

Meanwhile, photographers are enjoying the view. Gary Palmer of Los Angeles took this picture of sunspot 930 yesterday.
He used a Coronado Calcium K filter to reveal not only the sunspot's dark core but also the bright magnetic froth surrounding it. Solar physicists call the froth, which surrounds most great sunspots, plage, French for beach.

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Beautiful nextbook umbral set-up.

I have not the opportunity to view this sunpot, but at three times the size of the Earth, it's a whopper!

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

930 Continues to belch out large CME's

X-FLARE: Sunspot 930 has just unleashed another big solar flare, an X3-class explosion at 0240 UT on Dec. 13th. In Huirangi, New Zealand, photographer Andy Dodson caught the spot in mid-flare:
www.spaceweather.com/swpod2006/13dec06/dodson1.jpg
Photo details: Dec. 13, 2006, 0350 UT; Coronado SolarMax40,
Stellarvue 80.

As a result of the blast, a radiation storm is underway
(http://www.sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/pro_3d.html) . Based on the energy and number of solar protons streaming past Earth, NOAA ranks the storm as category S-2(http://tinyurl.com/yl46ow): satellites may experience some glitches and reboots, but astronauts are in no danger.

The explosion probably hurled a coronal mass ejection toward Earth.
(Confirmation from SOHO is still pending.) Sky watchers should be
alert for auroras when it arrives on Dec. 14th or 15th.

spaceweather.com for Wednesday, Dec 13, 2006:
www.spaceweather.com/

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This active region on the Sun just won't quit. Somethings stirring insdie the Sun, as we are supossed to be at a minimum solar cycle about now.

Now, I don't know about the rest of you all, but I certainly felt the Sun's heat on my skin this day. A lot more than usual.

Hmmmmm.... #confuse#