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The turbulent life of 05 / 0720

The sunspot group with Catania number 05 (NOAA 0720) rotated over the west limb on January 22. While it was visible on the solar disk, it dominated space weather and was responsible for a few days of severe geomagnetic disturbances.

 

Global decreasing tendency but local increase

We are still in the declining phase of the solar cycle as can be seen in different physical quantities, like the 10cm flux. However, a really big sunspot group is pushing up the present 10cm flux-curve.

Louise Gérard: 25 years fidelity to the Sun

In Dinant, one could see for many years a telescope in one of the backyards, pointing at the Sun. This observation station was run by the oldest SIDC observer.

First European Space Weather Week

From November 29 to December 3, 2004, the first European Space Weather Week was held in ESTEC, the technical office of the European Space Agency (ESA) in the Netherlands.
    

Big heat, big freeze

After the turbulent period beginning of November 2004, the solar activity cooled down considerably. No flares reaching the M/X level or halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs) were reported in recent days.  

 

A salvo of shots hitting Earth

Sunspot group 61 (NOAA 0696) fired a series of halo coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The geomagnetic field was seriously messed up when they arrived at Earth. On November 7, the group produced a X2.0 flare accompanied with another CME. The shock arrived at this very moment (November 9, 09:45UT)! A severe geomagnetic storm is expected.
    

A reborn Sun

From October 10, up to October 16, the Sun was veiled in silence and produced hardly any flare. On October 17, the Sun changed track and gave birth to several sunspot groups during the next days.
    

Obituary: Pierre Cugnon, 1940-2004

It is with great sadness that we inform you of the sudden death of Pierre Cugnon on October 18, due to complications following heart surgery.
    

SPIRIT in times of emergency

From September 10, 22:00UT until October 03, 10:00UT, the telescope "EIT" onboard of SOHO was taken from air. During that period, we could rely on SPIRIT data from the CORONAS-F satellite.

Every once in a while, forecasters have to deal with the fact that the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging telescope (EIT)  is not available because of a so-called "CCD BAKEOUT". The detector of EIT is kept during operations at a temperature of about -67°C. At this low temperature, the camera condenses. During a bake out, the detector is warmed up to evaporate the condensation.

A glancing blow

Earth catches a graze as the CME which left the Sun on September 19, narrowly blew over our magnetosphere.
    

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