Sun news May 20, 2024. Auroral displays are possible tonight at high latitudes. A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm is expected, due to a glancing blow from a coronal mass ejection (CME) – a chunk of solar material – that left the sun May 17. Image via NOAA.
Sun news for May 20, 2024: Auroras possible tonight. Sun activity moderate
Today’s top story: A G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm is expected later today from a glancing blow of a coronal mass ejection (CME) hurled by the sun on May 17. The chances to witness auroral displays are for higher latitudes, extending as far south in the U.S. as Montana and North Dakota. These conditions may be extended through early tomorrow, May 21. Turning back to our sun, we saw activity rise to moderate levels with the production of three M flares over the past day. Details below. Added to that, at the time of this writing at around 5:54 UTC today (May 20), we saw a giant filament eruption in the vicinity of active region AR3683 in the sun’s southwest quadrant, near the solar horizon. Lifting plasma was observed during the event, but it looked too far south to be Earth-oriented. Earlier, another filament eruption occurred on the northwest quadrant. No Earth-bound coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been reported so far, but modeling and analysis of both events are ongoing. Last 24 hours: Sun activity increased to moderate during the past day with the production of three M flares. Between 11 UTC yesterday and 11 UTC today, the sun blasted out a total of 14 flares: three Ms plus 11 Cs. The largest event was an M2.5 flare exploded by active region AR3685 at 17:56 UTC on May 19. This is the list of the M flares of the period:
-M1.9 flas by AR3685 at 13:44 UTC on May 19. R1 (minor) radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Africa.
-M2.5 flare by AR3685 at 17:56 UTC on May 19. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico.
-M1.6 flare by AR3685 at 21:59 UTC on May 19. R1 (minor) radio blackout over Hawaii.
The lead flare producer of the period was active region AR3685, which blasted out seven flares, four Cs and today’s three M flares. The sun bears today six labeled active regions. Three newcomers received their labels: AR3684, AR3685 and AR3686. There is a large coronal hole on the northeast quadrant. Next 24 hours: The chance for C flares is 99%. The chance for M flares is 55%. The chance for X flares is 10%. Next expected CME: After modeling and analysis of yesterday’s reported filament eruption (blasted at 12:30 UTC on May 19), it was confirmed that the accompanying CME was an Earth-miss. It was too far south. No Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were found in the available chronograph imagery. Current geomagnetic activity: Earth’s magnetic field is quiet at the time of this writing (11 UTC on May 20). G1 (Minor) storming levels later on during the day today. This is due to a glancing blow from the coronal mass ejection (CME) that left the sun May 17. These conditions may extend through early tomorrow (May 21), but will reduce to unsettled levels as the CME effects start to wane. Good luck aurora watchers!
This image shows sun activity – with the most active regions labeled – as of 5 UTC on May 20, 2024. Original image, without labels, via NASA SDO. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky. Today’s sun is posted by Armando Caussade. Why are east and west on the sun reversed?
The sun in recent days
This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 1 UTC on May 19, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 0 UTC on May 18, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 0 UTC on May 17, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 4 UTC on May 16, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 3 UTC on May 15, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 0 UTC on May 14, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.This image shows sun activity, with the most active regions labeled, as of 5 UTC on May 13, 2024. Courtesy of NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams, with labeling by EarthSky.
Sun images from our community
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.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Patricio León in Santiago, Chile, captured this filtered image of the sun on May 19, 2024. Patricio wrote: “Several sunspots are rotating uneventfully in the sun’s face.” Thank you, Patricio!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Mario Rana in Hampton, Virginia, captured this filtered image on May 19, 2024. Mario wrote: “Hydrogen-alpha image of the sun with many sunspot regions and a beautiful prominence on the southeast limb.” Thank you, Mario!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Jim Militello in Tucson, Arizona, captured this hydrogen-alpha filtered image of the sun on May 19, 2024. Jim wrote: “This image of the sun is showing active region 3685 with a large sunspot along with other active regions, filaments, and some really nice prominence.” Thank you, Jim!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | David Hawkes in Sheffield, United Kingdom, captured this filtered image of the sun on May 18, 2024. David wrote: “Lots of sunspots on the Suns earth facing disk today, AR3685/3686 looks interesting and we’ve still got the prospect of the 2 regions on the far side making another appearance as they are still visible from Perseverance probe on Mars.” Thank you, David!
Bottom line: Sun news for May 20, 2024. There are chances for auroras tonight with possible G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm. Sun activity is moderate with three M flares.
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 well known as an astronomy educator, after 30+ years leading extensive initiatives of public outreach and 10+ years teaching in colleges. As one of only a handful of Puerto Rican science communicators during Comet Halley's last visit, he assumed a pioneering role starting in 1985 when science was just beginning to enter the local mindset; over time his work brought meaningful change to the culture, inspiring people to pursue interests in science and technology. His affiliations include Ana G. Méndez University–Cupey, where in 2014 he spearheaded an 8-course extension program focusing on observational astronomy, the first ever in the island.
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