Now for something really neat.
This morning around 0641 UT, magnetic fields above sunspot complex 1226-1227 became unstable and erupted. The blast produced an M2-class solar flare, an S1-class radiation storm, and a massive CME. A recording of the blast from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory ranks as one of the most beautiful and dramatic movies of the SDO era:
space weather link
For you people who live in the high latitudes you may be in for a treat tonight with the possibility of auroras.
5:35 PM PT: http://www.solarham.com/... according to this graphic the aurora is reaching as far south as southern Illinois, heck even a sliver of northern Nevada seems to be, so it seems it will be a fantastic night to go look at the stars. Polaris is the north star and can be found if you know the big dipper. consider the dipper is pouring something out and about a handswidth down from where the lip would pour is Polaris and north. Oh and for those who are interested in such things the magnetosphere is getting absolutely hammered right now. http://www2.nict.go.jp/... the Bz is starting to tilt south and the solar winds are kicking up. Have fun Ham radio guys!