Diary

The magnetic storm on Earth has ended. Strictly speaking, the storm phase concluded two days ago—on Sunday, around the same time it began—but residual disturbances persisted for over a day, making it impossible to officially declare it over. Now, however, the risk of renewed activity has passed, and we can confidently report the event's conclusion.

Visually, the situation on the Sun following the storm looks rather bleak; there is virtually nothing for the eye to latch onto. Flare activity presents a particularly dismal picture, having plummeted sharply. At the time of writing, the activity index stands at 0.1 out of 10, though it is quite possible it will drop to zero by the time you read this. The aurora index is currently 1.2 out of 10—which is, for all intents and purposes, next to nothing.

In the meantime, we will prepare for the solar eclipse by looking for a good live stream. We might even ask an acquaintance who is traveling there to provide some coverage. The eclipse will be total along its central path, which means a large number of scientists will be present; during a total eclipse, the Sun's white corona becomes visible—offering the only opportunity to see it from Earth—and allows for scientific experiments to be conducted.