◈ Mission Control · Objects

Sun

Space weather, solar imagery, geomagnetic activity & NOAA alerts — real-time from SWPC

How the Sun is behaving right now — and what it means for aurora, radio, satellites, and the power grid

☀ Space Weather NOAA SWPC · Real-time Live data from NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Space weather describes conditions on the Sun and in space that can affect Earth — from beautiful auroras to disrupted radio signals and satellite drag. The four panels below show the key indicators right now.

🌍 Kp Index ⓘ G0

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Geomagnetic Activity

Aurora: Kp ≥ 5 (55°N+) · Kp ≥ 7 (45°N+)

💨 Solar Wind & IMF ⓘ ACE / DSCOVR L1 Spacecraft

Speed —

Density —

IMF Bz —

IMF Bt —

Southward Bz (−) drives geomagnetic storms

⚡ Solar X-Ray Flux ⓘ R0

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Solar Flare Class

Flux (W/m²) —

M/X flares may cause HF radio blackouts (R-scale)

C = minor · M = radio disruption · X = major event

☢ Proton Flux ⓘ S0

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pfu (>10 MeV)

S-Scale Normal

S1 ≥ 10 pfu · S5 ≥ 100,000 pfu

Normal < 10 pfu · Storm ≥ 10 pfu

📡 Space Weather Impact Live Conditions Assessment

How current solar activity affects different systems on Earth and in orbit. Green = no significant impact. Orange/Red = disruptions in progress.

Aurora Chance

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Kp & equatorward boundary

Will aurora be visible tonight?

Geo Storm

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G-scale geomagnetic activity

Earth's magnetic field disturbance

Radio Blackout

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HF/shortwave (R-scale)

Shortwave & aviation radio disruption

GPS / Navigation

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Ionospheric disruption

GPS accuracy degradation

Power Grid

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GIC & voltage impact

Induced currents in power lines

Solar Imaging

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Flare class & active regions

Conditions for solar photography

Satellite / ISS

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Drag & radiation effects

Satellite drag & electronics risk

◉ Active Solar Regions NOAA / USAF

Sunspots are cooler, darker patches on the Sun's surface caused by intense magnetic fields. Active regions are sunspot groups most likely to produce solar flares — higher C%, M%, and X% mean higher flare probability in the next 24 hours.

Region	Loc.	Class	Mag	Spots	C%	M%	X%
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⚠ NOAA Space Weather Alerts Watches · Warnings · Alerts

Official NOAA notifications about ongoing or expected space weather. Watches mean something might happen soon. Warnings mean it's likely. Alerts mean it's happening now.

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◯ Solar Imagery NASA SDO · SOHO · Click to enlarge

Each image shows the Sun through a different filter, revealing different layers and features invisible to the naked eye. Click any image to enlarge and learn what you're seeing.

AIA 193 Å

Corona · Active regions

The Sun's hot outer atmosphere (corona) in UV light. Bright patches are active regions — hotspots that can produce solar flares.

AIA 304 Å

Chromosphere · Prominences

The chromosphere — just above the Sun's visible surface. Shows plasma loops, filaments, and dramatic prominences arching off the limb.

AIA 171 Å

Corona · Coronal loops

Magnetic field lines traced by glowing plasma. The looping structures show how energy is stored and released in the corona.

AIA 131 Å

Flare plasma · Hot corona

Extremely hot plasma at flare temperatures — bright flashes here indicate a solar flare in progress. One of the best wavelengths for catching flares as they happen.

HMI Magnetogram

Photospheric magnetic field

A map of the Sun's magnetic field at the surface. White areas are magnetic north, black are south. Where opposite polarities are tangled together, flares are most likely.

LASCO C2

Inner corona · CME detection

A coronagraph — a telescope that blocks the Sun's disk to reveal the much fainter corona. Used to detect coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — billion-ton clouds of plasma hurled into space.

LASCO C3

Outer corona · CME tracking

Wider field than C2 — tracks CMEs as they travel through the outer corona. A CME aimed at Earth appears as an expanding halo around the Sun.

AIA 1700 Å

Chromosphere / photosphere

The boundary layer between the visible surface and the atmosphere above. Shows granulation and the brightest parts of active regions.

Images: NASA SDO · ESA/NASA SOHO