Sun news for December 23-24, 2024. Sunspot region AR3932 released an M8.9 flare on December 23, bringing sun activity to high. Here’s the flare, observed with GOES SUVI 131-angstrom wavelength imagery. Images via NOAA.
Sun news for December 24: High sun activity, Parker touches sun, Christmas auroras?
Today’s top story: An M8.9 and two M4 flares boosted sun activity to high over the past day, coinciding with Parker Solar Probe’s historic closest-ever approach to the sun. The spacecraft was closest at 11:53:48 UTC today, December 24. It swept 3.86 million miles (6.2 million km) from our star. So it’s an exciting day for humanity! And the sun appears to be joining in the celebration. Sunspot region AR3932 – which produced the M8.9 and other M flares over the past day – also produced a coronal mass ejection (CME) that’s currently headed toward Earth. The CME is expected to reach us late on December 25 and might produce a G1 (minor) or even a G2 (moderate) geomagnetic storm for Christmas. Aurora watchers, get ready. Last 24 hours: The M8.9 flare drove solar activity to high levels over the past 24 hours. It happened at 11:12 UTC on December 23, and came from active region AR3932. It caused an R2 (moderate) radio blackout over the west coast of southern Africa. But overall flare productivity was also high, this time with 28 flares in total during our observation period (11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC today), four M and 14 C flares. The M flares for the period are:
M8.9 at 11:12 UTC on December 23 from AR3932. R2 (moderate) radio blackout off the west coast of southern Africa.
M4.7 at 0:19 UTC on December 24 from AR3932. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Fiji Islands in the Pacific Ocean.
M1.0 at 2:10 UTC on December 24 from AR3933. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the east coast of Australia.
M4.2 at 8:41 UTC on December 24 from AR3932. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Madagascar.
Active region AR3932 developed is now showing a beta-gamma-delta magnetic configuration, with increased potential for more M flares and even X flares. AR3933 also developed a delta complexity and is now showing a beta-delta configuration. Meanwhile, AR3928 kept its beta-gamma. All other active regions show a simpler alpha or beta. There are 11 sunspot regions on the Earth-facing solar disk. Next 24 hours: The chance for C (minor) flares is 99%, the chance for M (moderate) flares is 65%, and the chance for X (strong) flares is 10% today. Next expected CME: A coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with the M8.9 flare by AR3932 shows an Earth-directed component. Arrival at Earth is estimated by late December 25. Current geomagnetic activity: Earth’s magnetic field is quiet as this post goes to print (around 11 UTC on December 24). The geomagnetic field is expected to be quiet and unsettled, with a chance for isolated active periods, today due to the influence of fast solar wind from a coronal hole plus additional enhancement from the glancing influences of a coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the sun on December 20. G1 (minor) storming conditions are expected on December 25, with a slight chance for isolated G2 (moderate) periods, due to the arrival of a CME from December 23. Waning influence may extend through December 26, producing largely unsettled conditions with isolated active periods.
Artist’s concept shows NASA’s Parker Solar Probe touching the sun today. Parker Solar Probe was closest to the sun this morning at 11:53:48 UTC today (December 24). It came within 3.8 million miles (6.2 million km) of our star. So it’s an exciting day for humanity! Image via NASA.Sun news for December 23-24, 2024. AR3932 released an M8.9 flare on December 23. Here it is the computer model showing the transit of the resulting coronal mass ejection (CME) from the sun to Earth. Images via NOAA.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 4 UTC on December 24, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Original image, without labels, via NSO/GONG. Today’s sun is posted by Armando Caussade. Why are east and west on the sun reversed? Acknowledgment: This work utilizes data from the National Solar Observatory Integrated Synoptic Program, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation and with additional financial support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the United States Air Force. The GONG network of instruments is hosted by the Big Bear Solar Observatory, High Altitude Observatory, Learmonth Solar Observatory, Udaipur Solar Observatory, Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, and Cerro Tololo Interamerican Observatory.
Sun news for December 23: Flare activity still going up with 6 Ms
The increase in solar activity and flare production continued over the last 24 hours, with 6 M flares in all. The sun’s disk is peppered with sunspot regions, and more from the far side will soon rotate into view. The newest regions in the eastern hemisphere – those just now rotated into view – are the largest and most complex of those on the sun’s Earth-facing side now. In addition, a new region in the northeast is making itself known with small flares and coronal loops emerging over the limb (edge). Will this activity increase continue? Stay tuned to see what will come next. Last 24 hours: Six M (moderate) flares kept sun activity at a moderate level over the past day (11 UTC yesterday to 11 UTC today). Flare production increased to 31 flares, six M flares and 25 C flares. The largest event was an M1.2 produced at 20:49 UTC on December 22 from AR3932. An R1 (minor) radio blackout affected an area over the Pacific Ocean. Active regions AR3928 and AR3932 retained their beta-gamma magnetic configuration. All other active regions show a simpler alpha or beta. We have four newcomers on the solar disk: AR3934, AR3935, AR3936, and AR3937. There are 10 sunspot regions on the Earth-facing solar disk.
The M flares for the period are:
M1.1 at 14:14 UTC on December 22 from AR3930. R1 (minor) radio blackout off the east coast of Brazil.
M1.0 at 14:14 UTC on December 22 from AR3930. R1 (minor) radio blackout off the east coast of Brazil.
M1.2 at 20:49 UTC on December 22 from AR3932. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. The largest
M1.1 at 20:49 UTC on December 22 from AR3932. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean.
M1.0 at 02:31 UTC on December 23 from AR3924. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Eastern Australia.
M1.0 at 06:29 UTC on December 23 from AR3928. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Indian Ocean.
Sun news for December 22-23, 2024. Flare production and activity continues to increase with activity currently at moderate levels thanks to six M flares. The activity is captured here with the GOES SUVI 171 and 131 angstrom wavelengths. Images via SUVI and JHelioviewer.View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jim Militello in Tucson, Arizona, captured this filtered image of the sun on December 22, 2024. Jim wrote: “This hydrogen-alpha image of the sun is showing active regions, filaments, and prominences.” Thank you, Jim!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona, captured these 2 filtered images of the sun in white light (left) and calcium-K (right) on December 22, 2024. Eliot wrote: “Complex sunspots rotating toward Earth facing with potential activity.” Thank you, Eliot!
The sun in recent days
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 3 UTC on December 23, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 2 UTC on December 22, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 7 UTC on December 21, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 4 UTC on December 20, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 4 UTC on December 19, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 4 UTC on December 18, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 2 UTC on December 17, 2024, as seen from Learmonth Solar Observatory in Australia. Image via NSO/GONG.
Sun images from our community
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricio León in Santiago, Chile, captured this filtered image of the sun on December 23, 2024. Patricio wrote: “In the 6th day of their incursion sunspot group AR3927/28 is approaching the central meridian well apart of the group AR3932 which follows it. Neither one has prominent dark cores, so they are not unaided eye targets (always protected). More small cores are coming into view at the 10 o’clock limb to further refill the solar face.” Thank you, Patricio!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Eliot Herman in Tucson, Arizona, captured these 3 filtered images of the sun in white light (left) and calcium-K (center and right) on December 23, 2024. Eliot wrote: “Wonderful complex sunspots and magnetic froth with the prospect of activity.” Thank you, Eliot!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured this filtered image on December 23, 2024. Mario wrote: “Hydrogen-alpha image of the sun showing numerous active regions and some prominences.” Thank you, Mario!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jim Militello in Tucson, Arizona, captured this filtered image of the sun on December 22, 2024. Jim wrote: “This hydrogen-alpha image of the sun is showing active regions, filaments, and prominences.” Thank you, Jim!
Are you a fan of sun images? We invite you all to send us your beautiful recent photos of sunspots and auroras. We love receiving them and sharing them! And to those of you who’ve already posted a photo to our community page, thank you.
Bottom Line: Sun news for December 24, 2024. Solar activity has surged to high. Parker Solar Probe touched the sun. There’s a chance for Christmas auroras!
C. Alex Young is a solar astrophysicist studying the Sun and space weather. Alex is passionate about sharing science with diverse audiences. This led him to start The Sun Today with his designer wife, Linda. First through Facebook and Twitter then adding an extensive website thesuntoday.org, the two work together to engage the public about the Sun and its role in our solar system. Alex led national engagement efforts for the 2017 total solar eclipse. He is the Associate Director for Science in the Heliophysics Science Division at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center.
Raúl Cortés studied engineering at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León in Monterrey, Mexico, obtained a scholarship to continue his studies in Japan and after returning to Monterrey he got credits on MBA from the Graduate School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Faculty. He became a teacher at the University UANL teaching Math and Physics and dedicated the rest of his professional career to serve in engineering areas for USA, Japan and Germany based corporations. His passion for the skies go back to when he was a child, always intrigued about the stars and constellations and reading and researching about the matter. From 2010 on, he dedicated his attention to photographing the stars, constellations, the moon and the sun. Raúl's work on his photography has been published and posted on the ESC as well as in other platforms and has gained attention to be published by local Monterrey newspapers.
Armando is known primarily as an astronomy educator, after 30+ years of extensive public outreach and 10 years teaching in colleges. As one of only a handful of science communicators in Puerto Rico during Comet Halley's last visit, he assumed a pioneering role starting in 1985 when science was just beginning to enter the collective mindset. Over the years, his work as a teacher, speaker and writer, inspired people to pursue interests in science and brought enduring change to Puerto Rican culture. After being accepted into the 2014–2015 Antarctic season of PolarTREC, Armando was assigned to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where in 2015 he successfully conducted 10 days of work at the IceCube Neutrino Observatory. His affiliations include Ana G. Méndez University, Cupey campus (2014 to 2021), the University of Puerto Rico, Aguadilla campus (2015 to 2017), NASA JPL's Solar System Ambassadors (2004 to 2006), and NASA Space Grant (2017 to 2019) where he served as an affiliate representative.
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