Project Diary News Feed

The second, almost equal in strength to the previous one, large flare, was recorded on the Sun quite recently, less than 4 hours after the explosion of the last flare. Two large flares in a row is an extremely unusual situation for such an early phase of the solar cycle when magnetic fields are just beginning to form, and their energy is too small even for a single event.

The first major solar flare on the Sun, which belongs to the class M (one located before the last highest mark of class X), has occurred several hours ago, at about 11 a.m. Moscow time, on 29 May 2020. Last time, a flare of a similar level was observed in September 2017 just before our star fell into a long almost three-years hibernation period. Since the source of energy for solar flares is the magnetic field, events of such power tell us more than any theories about the beginning of a new solar cycle which is based on the periodic cycles of destruction and formation of strong magnetic fields on the Sun, occurring in a period of 11 years.

Third and the last solar eclipse of this year has occurred today on 26 December 2019. At about 9 o’clock in the morning MSK, a solar shadow had passed almost alongside the Earth’s equator, over the numerous archipelagos of Indonesia, including the largest archipelago’s islands – Sumatra and Kalimantan. The eclipse half-shadow (much wider area where the Sun does not seem to be fully obscured but only partially), with its lower part, crossed over Australia, and upper part, over the south of the Eurasian continent, including but very slightly, the territory of the Russian Federation.

Quite impressive astronomical phenomenon - transit of the planet Mercury across the disk of the Sun - will occur today on 11 November 2019. The first touch of Mercury with the Sun will take place at 15:35 MSK, and, according to calculations, the ending of the transit should fall on the evening after the sunset at 21:04 MSK. Thus, the duration of the transit will last exactly almost 5.5 hours. Mercury will be in the center of the solar disk at 18:20 MSK.

Not very rare, and not less incomprehensible from it either – the appearance of ‘negative’ spikes of solar flares on the graphs are registered on the incoming data from space. The dips in radiation are not related to real solar activity in any way, but, do originate from the traits of the orbit of the GOES satellite which takes corresponding observations of the Sun.

Not a single solar flare of the x-rays class C or higher (a minimum level which is able to have an impact on Earth) has been recorded on the Sun over the past summer of the year 2019. Currently, this is the fourth-longest in duration interval in the modern history of observations when a complete absence of the solar activity has been seeing. The dynamics of the solar minimum is not yet alarming, notwithstanding the duration of the minimum which has already exceeded previous predictions when according to them the growth of solar activity was supposed to begin this summer.

Quite a noticeable increase in geomagnetic activity is being simultaneously recorded at almost every tracking station on our planet nowadays. The beginning of the magnetic field oscillations was noted as early as on 31 August (last Saturday), moreover, in the afternoon their amplitude reached the level of Kp = 6 which corresponds to a second level on a five-point scale of the magnetic storms. The started on Saturday magnetic storm lasted almost all of Sunday and have continued till Monday morning.

Quite rare and very impressive sight – conjunction of all four the closest planets Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, is currently unfolding around the Sun upon the celestial sphere. Earth in its orbital move is now positioned on one side of the Sun while Mercury, Venus, and Mars are settled on the same line, but on the opposite side which is projecting at almost the same point and extremely close to each other on the celestial plane. At the same time, thanks to this arrangement, all three planets are maximally illuminated by the Sun.

This fall, the first magnetic storm will occur on the first of September. This prediction has been based on the geomagnetic activity forecast for the coming week. The cause of the magnetic storm will be an increase in the speed of the solar wind in near-Earth orbit, which will lead to a slight destabilization of the Earth's magnetic field interacting with the solar wind. By Monday, September 2, the geomagnetic situation should already be fully stabilized according to the forecast.

Not very rare, but very spectacular astronomical phenomenon - planet Venus appears on the images coming from space, the event can be observed for about almost a week and a half. Venus is currently passing at the maximum distance from Earth on the opposite side of the Sun, and strange though it may seem, but because of this exact position it is now most visible and bright.