Last week, NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) issued a revised prediction that solar activity in the current Solar Cycle 25 will increase more quickly and peak at a higher level than that predicted by an expert panel in Dec 2019.
The updated prediction shows the cycle peak between Jan and Oct of 2024, with a max. sunspot number between 137 and 173.
Data for (11-year) previous solar cycles is also shown below. Most of them rose quickly.
And right on cue, a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) event took place on Nov 3 whose outburst is headed in our direction and will arrive late on Nov 5. This is a moderate intensity CME and not cause for major concern.
Watch for bright auroras in northern latitudes on Nov 5 and 6.
Here is the aurora forecast for North America for tonight and tomorrow night. Tomorrow night looks promising for Canada and perhaps for the northern U.S. states.
Result of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) event at the Sun on Nov 3.
Here is an interesting set of time-lapse video clips of the Sun taken by the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). It is an eye-opening experience for those who have not seen such images of the Sun's surface brimming with solar flares and coronal loops.
The 30-minute video is beautifully crafted with soothing music by Lars Leonhard. Makes a nice backdrop for a quiet evening 🌞 😎