Latest News
NASA's SDO Observes Mid-level Solar Flare
NASA - May 22, 2013
"The M7-class flare was also associated with a coronal mass ejection or CME, another solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of particles into space. While
this CME was not Earth-directed, it has combined with an earlier CME, and the flank of the combined cloud
may pass Earth."
Read more...
M5-class solar flare on May 22
EarthSky - May 22, 2013
"The flare produced a beautiful coronal mass ejection, or CME, which was not Earth-directed
but could deliver a glancing blow in the next few days."
Read more...
Auroras Visible in Continental U.S.
NASA - May 15, 2013
"Over the weekend, a pair of CMEs reached Earth. The impacts rattled Earth's magnetic field and sparked Northern
Lights visible in the continental United States as far south as Colorado."
Read more...
First X-Class Solar Flares of 2013
NASA - May 13, 2013
"The X2.8-class flare was also associated with a coronal mass ejection, or CME, another solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space,
which can potentially affect electronic systems in satellites and on the ground."
Read more...

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA
Solar flare double whammy: 2 biggest flares of year within 24 hours
Los Angeles Times - May 13, 2013
"The sun erupted for the second time in less than 24 hours Monday morning, releasing the most powerful solar flare so far of 2013."
Read more...
Biggest Solar Flares of the Year Erupt from Active Sun (Video)
Space.com - May 13, 2013
"A hyperactive sunspot on the surface of the sun has fired off two of the most powerful solar flares of the year in just 24 hours, and
promises to unleash more solar storms over the next several days, space weather experts say."
Read more...
Solar Flare, Strongest Of 2013, Blamed For Hour-Long Radio Blackout
Huffington Post - May 13, 2013
"Sunday's solar flare registered as an X1.7-class sun eruption — the strongest type of solar flare the sun can fire off, according to the SWPC officials."
Read more...
Sun Spews Strongest Solar Flare Of 2013
iTech Post - May 13, 2013
"A giant solar flare erupted from the sun on Sunday May 12, the most powerful solar flare to take place so far this year."
Read more...
Sun Unleashes Biggest Solar Flare of the Year Yet
Space.com - April 11, 2013
"The most powerful solar flare of the year erupted from the sun today (April 11) sparking a temporary radio
blackout on Earth, NASA officials say."
Read more...
The Sun Just Shot Off the Biggest, Most Spectacular Solar Flare of the Year
Gizmodo.com - April 11, 2013
"Early this morning, while most of us were resting peacefully in our beds, everyone's favorite flaming ball of plasma decided to give NASA's
cameras a little show."
Read more...
Solar Max: Amazing Sun Storm Photos of 2013
Space.com - April 11, 2013
"NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of a powerful M6.5 class flare, the strongest of 2013 at the time, at 3:16 EDT on April 11, 2013."
Read more...
Sympathetic Eruptions
SOHO Pick of the Week Photo - April 5, 2013
"A prominence rose up and emerged over the Sun's edge at the upper right of the Sun, followed almost immediately by a similar eruption in the southern
hemisphere (Mar. 31 - Apr. 1, 2013)."
Read more...
Europe readies for solar storm risks
Phys.org - April 3, 2013
"Europe launched its first space weather coordination centre Wednesday to raise the alarm for possible
satellite-sizzling solar storms that also threaten astronauts in orbit, plane passengers and electricity
grids on Earth."
Read more...
Red Arcs In Sky Over Europe, Evidence Of Geomagnetic Storms, Detected By ASIAGO Telescope
Huffington Post - April 2, 2013
"Glowing red arcs invisible to the naked eye have now been detected high above most of
Europe using advanced cameras pointed at the sky. When streams of high-energy, charged
particles come rushing from the sun to batter Earth, they cause what are called geomagnetic storms."
Read more...
Faint 'Red Arcs' Spotted Over Europe
Yahoo News - April 2, 2013
"An international team of scientists watched the sky with the observatory during a geomagnetic storm that
struck Earth in 2011. After comparing their observations with satellite- and ground-based observations,
the researchers found that red arcs could reach all the way down to Europe..."
Read more...
Solar Eruption and Ejection 3-30-13
TamithaSkov, NASA Physicist (YouTube) - March 30, 2013
"This solar eruption hardly registered as a B-Class flare, but it released a large coronal
mass ejection that is partially Earth-directed."
Read more...
Possible Infrastructure Disruption, Claims Resulting From Geomagnetic Storms
Claims Journal - March 26, 2013
"Solar and geomagnetic activity is expected to peak this year, increasing the possibility of disruption to government and private infrastructure."
Read more...
Solar Flares: Scientists Change 2013 Predictions … Again
The Inquisitr - March 25, 2013
"Solar flare predictions for 2013 are once again fluctuating. Space weather experts at NOAA and NASA
agree that we are nearing the peak of the Sun’s 11-year cycle, but that is about the only fact that
has garnered a consensus lately."
Read more...
Sun's Activity To Peak With 'Solar Maximum' In 2013, Scientists Say
Huffington Post - March 24, 2013
"The sun should roar back to life sometime in 2013, producing its second activity peak in the last two years, scientists say."
Read more...
Solar Flare And Comet PANSTARRS Caught on Film Together By NASA’s STEREO Spacecraft (VIDEO)
PlanetSave.com - March 23, 2013
"A sun-grazing comet and a solar eruption have been caught on film together by NASA’s twin STEREO spacecraft."
Read more...
Scientists Admit They Can’t Predict When Mega Solar Flare Will Hit
The Inquisitr - March 22, 2013
"Scientists think it may be impossible to predict when the next massive solar flare will erupt.
Whether or not Earth would be in the direct path of such a flare also largely remains a mystery."
Read more...
Auroras seen as far south as Colorado last night
EarthSky.org - March 17, 2013
"As expected, the March 15 coronal mass ejection or CME from the sun caused auroras, or northern lights, at high and mid latitudes."
Read more...
Solar Storm Near Earth Caused by Fast CME
NASA - March 17, 2013
"On March 17, 2013, at 1:28 a.m. EDT, the coronal mass ejection (CME) from March 15 passed by NASA’s Advanced
Composition Explorer (ACE) as it approached Earth. Upon interacting with the giant magnetic
bubble surrounding Earth, the magnetosphere, the CME caused a kind of solar storm known as a geomagnetic storm."
Read more...
Sun Eruption Supercharges Northern Lights Displays This Weekend
Space.com - March 17, 2013
"A massive eruption on the sun Friday (March 15) unleashed a wave of intense solar particles at
Earth that may spark a geomagnetic storm and boost weekend aurora displays."
Read more...
Alaska, parts of US in for big northern lights show
Alaska Dispatch - March 17, 2013
"According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) in Colorado,
the northern lights could reach all the way to the northern U.S. on Saturday night, including Iowa and New York."
Read more...
Solar eruption could bring northern lights to New England this weekend
Boston.com - March 16, 2013
"Solar scientists say New England residents have a better than 50 percent chance of glimpsing the northern lights, or aurorae, starting tonight, as
particles ejected from the sun earlier this week hurtle towards Earth at more than 2 million miles per hour."
Read more...
CME is Headed Towards Earth – It Will Be Here By Monday At The Latest
The Guardian Express, U.K. - March 16, 2013
"They are warning us that an Earth-directed CME can cause a Space Weather phenomenon called a Geomagnetic Storm, which occurs when they connect
with the outside of the Earth’s magnetic envelope, the Magnetosphere, for an extended period of time."
Read more...
Oregon Skies May See Green Northern Lights Sunday
BeachConnection.net - March 16, 2013
"Sunday night could see the skies above Oregon turn a holiday-appropriate color of green - or perhaps red. That is,
if you can see the skies for very long."
Read more...

Credit: NASA/SOHO/ESA
Astronomy Picture of the Day: CME, Comet and Planet Earth
NASA - March 15, 2013
" Following in Earth's orbit, the spacecraft is nearly opposite the Sun and looks back toward the comet and Earth, with the Sun just off the left side of the frame.
At the left an enormous coronal mass ejection (CME) is erupting from a solar active region."
Read more...
Earth-Directed Coronal Mass Ejection From the Sun
NASA - March 15, 2013
"On March 15, 2013, at 2:54 a.m. EDT, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection (CME),
a solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space
and can reach Earth one to three days later and affect electronic systems in satellites and on the ground."
Read more...
Solar Flare to Produce Spectacular Northern Lights
Accuweather.com - March 15, 2013
"An Earth-Directed coronal mass ejection (CME) occurred during the early morning hours Friday.
The resulting solar flare was pointed directly at the United States for a duration of nearly
two hours, according to Hunter Outten."
Read more...
The K7RA Solar Update
ARRL - March 15, 2013
"The M1 class solar flare and its accompanying CME were Earth-directed. Both came from sunspot group 1692, right in the
center of the visible solar disc viewed from Earth."
Read more...
The Sun Fires Up
The Age, Australia - March 10, 2013
"Barring a very freak event this year, solar flares will not be a great issue for the safety
of satellites this time around, agrees Curtin University astrophysicist Rob Soria."
Read more...
Curiosity Sleeps Through Solar Flare
PBS NewsHour - March 8, 2013
"Earlier this week, when a large cloud of hot plasma erupted from the sun, and began charging across space toward
Mars at speeds of 1,200 miles a second, the Curiosity team powered down the rover."
Read more...
Nasa: 'Something Unexpected Is Happening On The Sun' (PICTURES)
Huffington Post Tech U.K. - March 8, 2013
"Something unexpected is happening on the Sun, Nasa says: Nothing."
Read more...
A quiet interlude in solar max
NASA - March 6, 2013
"Something unexpected is happening on the Sun. 2013 was supposed to be the year of 'solar maximum,'
the peak of the 11-year sunspot cycle. Yet 2013 has arrived and solar activity is relatively low."
Read more...
NASA Puts Mars Rover Curiosity on Standby After Solar Flare
Space.com - March 6, 2013
"Curiosity's handlers put the rover on standby after the sun unleashed a medium-strength flare in the
Red Planet's direction Tuesday (March 5)."
Read more...
Curiosity sleeps as solar eruption barrels toward Mars; other missions operating normally
The Washington Post - March 6, 2013
"Curiosity hunkered down Wednesday after the sun unleashed a blast that raced toward Mars."
Read more...
NASA prepares Curiosity rover for huge solar flare
SlashGear - March 6, 2013
"Because the CME is heading towards Mars – specifically an area of Mars where the Curiosity is – the agency pushed out the decision to
put Curiosity into sleep mode to help protect against possible damage from radiation."
Read more...
Curiosity sleeps as solar blast races toward Mars
AP - March 6, 2013
"Curiosity hunkered down Wednesday after the sun unleashed a blast that raced toward Mars. While the
hardy rover was designed to withstand punishing space weather, its handlers decided to power it down as
a precaution since it suffered a recent computer problem."
Read more...
See the Sun Up Close in Live Webcast
Space.com - March 5, 2013
"The sun's solar weather cycle is it at its peak this year, and today (March 5) you can get an up-close
look at Earth's nearest star through an Arizona telescope in a live webcast."
Read more...
Solar cycle update: Twin peaks?
Phys.org - March 4, 2013
"The quiet has led some observers to wonder if forecasters missed the mark. Solar physicist
Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center has a different explanation: 'This is solar maximum,' he
suggests. 'But it looks different from what we expected because it is double peaked.'"
Read more...
Did the sun destroy a third band of the Van Allen Belt?
Science Recorder - March 4, 2013
"According to NASA scientists, a recently discovered third band of radiation is no longer present and the prime culprit is the sun."
Read more...
NASA probes find new radiation belt circling Earth
Los Angeles Times - March 1, 2013
"The layer of high-energy particles was dispersed by a solar flare after its discovery, but it still
upends scientific theory about space weather."
Read more...
Sunspot 6 times the earth observed
ABC 2 News - February 28, 2013
"NASA announced last week a colossal sunspot that is six times the size of earth has formed on
the sun in less than 48 hours."
Read more...
Magnetic fields realign, giving birth to sunspots, solar flares
CNET - February 28, 2013
"On February 19 and 20, magnetic fields on the sun rearranged and realigned, and the two dark sunspots on the bottom, which are gigantic -- more
than six Earth diameters across -- appeared suddenly, in less than 48 hours."
Read more...
Raw video - 'rain of fire' on Sun's surface
USA Today - February 23, 2013
"NASA releases close-up of images of last summer's solar flare eruption and dazzling magnetic
display known as coronal rain."
Read more...
NASA's SDO Observes Fast-Growing Sunspot
NASA - February 20, 2013
"Over the course of Feb. 19-20, 2013, scientists watched a giant sunspot form in under 48 hours. It has grown to over six Earth diameters across
but its full extent is hard to judge since the spot lies on a sphere not a flat disk."
Read more...

Credit: NASA/SDO/AIA/HMI/Goddard Space Flight Center
Lit up Ireland from space
A Kilcullen Diary - February 17, 2013
"One of his pictures from yesterday is that above, showing a very clear night-time
Ireland and the UK, with the Aurora Borealis above the horizon."
Read more...
Space News: The UN braces for stormy space weather
Lake County News - February 16, 2013
"'This is a significant development,' said Lika Guhathakurta of NASA Headquarters in Washington.
'By adding space weather to the regular agenda of the COPUOS Science and Technical Subcommittee, the
UN is recognizing solar activity as a concern on par with orbital debris and close-approaching asteroids.'"
Read more...
February 2013 Aurora Borealis
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner - February 16, 2013
"The aurora borealis forms spikes and waves as it lights up the skies behind a shed."
Read more...
Earth-directed CME released by long duration solar flare
Phys.org - February 11, 2013
"On Feb. 9, 2013 at 2:30 a.m. EST, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed coronal mass ejection
or CME, associated with a long duration C2.4-class flare."
Read more...
Solar Flare 2013: Intense Sun Eruption Aimed At Earth, Scientists Say
Huffington Post - February 11, 2013
"A long-lasting solar flare erupted from the sun early Saturday (Feb. 9), triggering
an intense sun eruption aimed squarely at Earth."
Read more...
Long-Lasting Solar Flare on Earth
French Tribune - February 11, 2013
"A solar flare for a longer duration than usual made scientists and astronauts worry for some time. However,
scientists have denied the rumors about threat to earth."
Read more...
Solar Storm 2013; Will Saturday's Solar Flare Cause Damage When it Hits Earth?
Enstars - February 11, 2013
"Professor Jose Lopez, a physicist at Seton Hall University, told Fox News that the solar flare may actually cause damage when it hits Earth."
Read more...
Sun unleashes solar eruption at Earth during long storm
Mother Nature Network - February 11, 2013
"Astronauts aboard the International Space Station described the sun eruption as a 'huge blob.'"
Read more...
Earth-Directed CME Released by Long Duration Solar Flare
SpaceRef - February 11, 2013
"Not to be confused with a solar flare, a CME is a solar phenomenon that can send solar particles into space and
reach Earth one to three days later."
Read more...
Sun Unleashes Solar Eruption at Earth During Long Flare
Space.com - February 10, 2013
"The solar eruption —called a coronal mass ejection —occurred at 2:30 a.m.
EST (0730 GMT) on Saturday during a minor, but long-duration, flare."
Read more...
Solar Eruption Flings Particles Directly at Mother Earth
Indian Country - February 10, 2013
" In the dead of night early on February 9 the sun erupted in what NASA said was a
long-duration solar flare, which triggered a coronal mass ejection (CME), the kind of event
that sends plasma hurtling toward Mother Earth."
Read more...
Continued in News Archive...
Flare Features
Ain’t Misbehavin’ – Turbulence, Solar Flares and Magnetism
Universe Today - May 22, 2013
"What’s more fun than something that misbehaves? When it comes to solar dynamics, we know a
lot, but there are many things we don’t yet understand."
Read more...
NASA solar flare video with Lars Leonhard music
Boing Boing - May 21, 2013
"The images come from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) and from the ESA/NASA Solar Heliospheric Observatory. The music is by Duesseldorf-based ambient composer Lars Leonhard whose track Thunderbolt was
featured in an equally-magificient video of the sun's corona captured by the SDO and released earlier this year."
Read more...
NRL Scientists "See" Flux Rope Formation for the First Time
NRL News - April 2, 2013
"Naval Research Laboratory scientists have observed, for the very first time, the formation of solar flux ropes, which
are a type of solar magnetic field. Models of flux ropes have been drawn by theorists in the past, but scientists
had never before observed them at the time they formed."
Read more...
Photographer Captures Meteor Streaking Through the Aurora Borealis
PetaPixel.com - April 1, 2013
"Suddenly, during one of the 8-second exposures, there was an intense streak of light in the
sky and bright green flashes. It was a meteor that had broken up in the atmosphere, and Bileski
captured the whole event as the photo above."
Read more...
Fires in the Sky
Slate/Bad Astronomy - April 1, 2013
"Getting good shots of an aurora is hard enough, taking some degree of luck. But what she got was just freaking amazing..."
Read more...
PHOTO: Ever Seen The Aurora Borealis Over Colorado?
KUNC - March 28, 2013
"What you're seeing is the Aurora Borealis, more commonly known as the 'Northern Lights'
over Colorado. This photo was taken by a crew member aboard the International Space Station."
Read more...
Protecting the Power Grid From Solar Storms
IEEE Spectrum - March 28, 2013
"Lately the question being debated in space
weather circles is: Are we prepared for a repeat, or a storm 10 times worse—like the 1859 solar superstorm?"
Read more...
Time-Lapse Captures Breathtaking Aurora Borealis Caused by a Massive Solar Flare
PetaPixel.com - March 25, 2013
"The final product took five days to process, and boils down four hours worth of breathtaking aurora
into about one minute and forty seconds of awe and wonder."
Read more...
Canada releases new stunning photos of aurora borealis
Digital Journal - March 20, 2013
"The Canada Space Agency released new images of the northern lights hovering over Yellowknife, the
capital of the Northwest Territories."
Read more...
Sun Storm Forecast: Tiny Chance of Havoc
The New York Times - March 18, 2013
"In 1859 the Sun erupted, and on Earth wires shot off sparks that shocked telegraph operators and set their paper on fire.
It was the biggest geomagnetic storm in recorded history."
Read more...
Tree Rings Reveal Ancient Solar Eruption, Study Suggests
Huffington Post - March 15, 2013
"A mysterious burst of charged particles from space hit Earth at some point from 774 to 775 C.E. Scientists know this thanks to a spike in radioactive
carbon found in ancient tree rings. What they didn't know was the source of the burst."
Read more...
Mars Mission May Use 'Poop Shield' to Block Cosmic Rays
PC Magazine - March 4, 2013
"The astronauts selected for an ambitious voyage to Mars could wind up looking out for No. 1 through the clever, if stomach-churning, use of No. 2."
Read more...
Week in Geek: Freaky nature edition
MSNBC - March 3, 2013
"Eruptions come in all shapes and sizes but this particular one put on quite a show. It starts with a moderate solar flare, continues with a coronal mass
ejection (also a great playground insult), and ends with a phenomenon known as coronal rain (also a
great band name)."
Read more...
New Radiation Belt Around Earth Discovered By NASA's Van Allen Space Probes
Huffington Post - March 1, 2013
"This newfound radiation belt then abruptly and almost completely disappeared on Oct. 1. It was apparently disrupted by an interplanetary shock
wave caused by a spike in solar wind speeds."
Read more...
Flare, Ejection And Rain All Caught In Spectacular Solar Show
redOrbit - February 20, 2013
"On July 19, 2012, the sun erupted in a solar flare, ejecting material called a coronal
mass ejection (CME), creating a loop in the sun’s atmosphere known as the corona. This moderately
powerful solar flare exploded on the sun’s lower right limb, eventually leading to the CME,
which took off right out into space. Afterwards, a phenomenon known as coronal rain appeared on the sun."
Read more...
Sunday Traveler: Aurora Borealis performs a symphony of light
Aspen Business Journal - February 17, 2013
"If seeing the aurora borealis is on your bucket list, 2013 opens the 2-3 year window of opportunity for realizing that dream."
Read more...
Aurora borealis lights up our small city
Fairbanks Daily News-Minor - February 17, 2013
"It could only be people photographing the aurora. And there were plenty of them outside earlier this week as our northern
lights came out to play in spectacular fashion."
Read more...
Northern Lights In Alberta: Aurora Borealis Bring Glory To Wood Buffalo National Park (PHOTOS)
Huffington Post - February 17, 2013
"When the sky is this big, the nights so dark and the air so electrifying, this
national park offers some of the best northern lights viewing opportunities anywhere in the confederacy."
Read more...
Flux Ropes on the Sun
SpaceRef - February 16, 2013
"A series of loops such as this is known as a flux rope, and these lie at the heart of eruptions on the sun known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs.) This
is the first time scientists were able to discern the timing of a flux rope's formation."
Read more...
Sun's Surface Capture Just Before Massive CME Explosion
Science World Report - February 15, 2013
"A new refined image of magnetic loops on the sun's surface, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) was released by the Space Agency. It has
been processed to highlight the edges of each loop to make the structure more clear."
Read more...
How would a solar superstorm impact the UK's infrastructure?
The Engineer - February 14, 2013
"Despite some scary headlines, Britain is actually relatively well placed to deal with extreme
space weather - but still needs to remain vigilant."
Read more...
Royal Academy of Engineering says UK better prepared for solar superstorm
Gizmag - February 12, 2013
"Britain is better prepared for a solar superstorm than many countries, including the United States."
Read more...
Solar superstorm overdue
SunLive NZ - February 11, 2013
"Scientists are saying the earth is overdue for a solar superstorm that could knock out
electronics, power grids and communication satellites."
Read more...
Solar Superstorm Could Jeopardize Aircraft, Satellites & Human Health, Report Says
Huffington Post - February 8, 2013
"A massive solar superstorm could cause a spike in radiation levels on Earth, potentially disrupting terrestrial and
space-based communications and slightly raising the risk for cancer among airline passengers and crew."
Read more...
A solar 'superstorm' is coming and we'll only get 30-minute warning
The Independent - February 7, 2013
"Solar superstorms are estimated to occur once every 100 or 200 years, with the last one hitting the Earth in 1859."
Read more...
Video Of The Day: Aurora Borealis Iceland
Gadling.com - February 6, 2013
"Packed with dramatic shots of a colorful sky meeting a serene landscape,
this video will refresh your day in just three and a half minutes."
Read more...
Here's What a Solar Flare *Sounds* Like When It Reaches Earth
The Atlantic - February 4, 2013
"Amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft doesn't like to just look at space: He also listens to it. Last
weekend, he picked up the radio emissions resulting from a relatively small (C 2.9) solar flare..."
Read more...
Viewing aurora borealis in Aroostook County, Maine
The Boston Globe - February 4, 2013
"'People were surprised to know that the northern lights can be viewed in Maine.
They thought they could only be seen in Alaska, Iceland, or Scandinavia,' Gove says."
Read more...
Why Surface Of Sun Isn’t As Hot As You’d Think
redOrbit - February 4, 2013
"One who didn’t know better would think that the closer you get to the sun, the warmer you are. However, it is actually the outer edge
of the sun that you would find to be scorching, compared to the surface, and one study sought to find out why."
Read more...
NASA to launch world's largest solar sail in 2014
Mother Nature Network/Space.com - February 1, 2013
"The Sunjammer project is potentially applicable to a space weather warning system, which could provide more timely
and accurate notice of solar flare activity."
Read more...
New Rocket Project Aims To Study Auroral Wind Of Northern Lights
redOrbit - February 1, 2013
"The team is positioned in Poker Flat, Alaska and is awaiting the perfect conditions to launch a sounding rocket up through the night sky into the Aurora borealis, hopefully as early as Feb. 2."
Read more...
Continued in Feature Archive...
Flare Flashbacks
1859 Carrington Event
Remarkable Effect of the Aurora Upon the Telegraph Wires
The New York Times - September 5, 1859
"The Aurora which occurred on Thursday night produced effects much more remarkable than those of the
previous Sunday night. The auroral currents were sufficiently powerful on Thursday to enable the telegraphic operators
at Portland to transmit messages to Boston without resorting to the use of the batteries; and similar
phenomena were observed at Pittsburgh."
Read more...
Magnificent Display on Friday Morning
The New York Times - September 3, 1859
"The exhibition of the Aurora on Thursday night and Friday morning, exceeded in brilliancy that of last Sunday evening..."
Read more...
The Aurora Borealis
Baltimore American and Commercial Advertiser - September 3, 1859 [Page 2, Column 2]
"The light was greater than that of the moon at its full, but had an indescribable softness and delicacy that
seemed to envelope everything upon which it rested."
Read more...
The Aurora Borealis, The Brilliant Display on Sunday Night
The New York Times - August 30, 1859
"'I never, in my experience of fifteen years in the working of telegraph lines, witnessed anything like the extraordinary
effect of the Aurora Borealis...so completely were the wires under the influence of the Aurora Borealis, it was found
utterly impossible to communicate between the telegraph stations, and the line was closed for the night.'"
Read more...
A Brilliant Display of the Aurora Borealis
The New York Times - February 21, 1852 [2nd column, a quarter of way down]
"There was a brilliant display of the Aurora Borealis on Thursday evening.
The flashes extended to the zenith and covered about one-quarter of the heavens.
At first they were pale white, but afterwards changed to a delicate pink color, that we do not remember to have
observed before."
Read more...
Solar Flare Serves Up Antimatter Surprises
Scientific American - September 5, 2003
"The results of the most detailed study yet of a solar flare, which will be published in the October 1 issue of Astrophysical Journal Letters,
indicate that each burst can create up to a pound of antimatter."
Read more...
Solar Flares Disrupt World's Radios
The Evening Independent - July 9, 1968
"The biggest and brightest solar flare since 1966 fouled up short-wave radio communications around the world yesterday,
the U.S. Space Disturbance Forecast Center reported."
Read more...
Skylab Cameras Catch Solar Flare
Toledo Blade - June 16, 1973
"Skylab astronauts photographed a massive explosion on the sun Friday, recording on film the clearest
view ever of the powerful burst of energy, light, and radiation spewed into space from a solar flare."
Read more...
Deadly Solar Flares Pose Threat to Astronauts While on the Moon
Daytona Beach Morning Journal - July 15, 1969
"When, next Monday morning, Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. are to walk on the moon in their bulky
space suits, or even when they are inside the paper-thin walls of their moon taxi - the lunar module - they would be
defenseless against the radioactive wave, they could sicken or die."
Read more...
Plane Crash Held Caused by Sun Spots, Ghost Wave Blamed for Disaster
St. Petersburg Times - Dec. 1, 1938
"A radio 'ghost wave' and a barrage of sunspot energy possibly played sinister parts, scientists said last night, in the
loss of an airliner and five of its seven occupants in the Pacific Tuesday morning."
Read more...
Helpful Resources
NASA Solar & Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)
NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)
NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Solar Physics
SIDC - Solar Influences Data Center-Belgium
U.S. National Space Weather Program
NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center
Amateur Radio News Weekly K7RA Solar Update
