Ancient Comet Makes Appearance

Images

Friday, 11 October 2024

Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) was about 44 million miles away from Earth in this photograph from the International Space Station as it orbited 272 miles above the South Pacific Ocean southeast of New Zealand just before sunrise on Sept. 28, 2024.

Image Credit: NASA/Matthew Dominick

Planetary Positions

16.10.2024 at 00:23:51 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	23 Lib 08' 10"
The Moon	02 Ari 24' 30"
Mercury	03 Sco 31' 02"
Venus	27 Sco 49' 45"
Mars	22 Can 15' 12"
Jupiter	21 Gem 15' 43" R
Saturn	13 Pis 28' 52" R
Uranus	26 Tau 28' 52" R
Neptune	27 Pis 51' 03" R
Pluto	29 Cap 38' 44"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	7
Proton Density:	0.26
Proton Speed:	413.2 k/sec
KP Status:	2.33

Type	Oct 16	Oct 17	Oct 18
Active	30%	25%	10%
Minor	40%	5%	5%
Moderate	15%	1%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	4.67	2.67	1.67
03-06UT	3.67	2.33	1.33
06-09UT	3.67	2.00	1.33
09-12UT	3.33	2.00	1.33
12-15UT	3.67	2.00	1.33
15-18UT	4.00	2.00	1.33
18-21UT	4.00	2.00	1.67
21-00UT	3.67	2.33	1.67
Solar Activity
Solar activity increased to moderate levels. Region 3848 (N15W90, Cko/beta-gamma) produced an M3.4/Sf (R1-Minor) at 14/0017 UTC. Associated with this event was a 545 km/s Type II radio sweep. The Region also produced an M1.8 flare (R1-Minor) at 14/1337 UTC as it begins to rotate around the west limb. Region 3852 (S10W23, Dki/beta-gamma) lost a weak delta signature this period, but did produce low-level M-class activity.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters were at nominal levels for the majority of the period. Total field was steady near 5 nT and the Bz component was variable between +/-3 nT. Total field increased to 10 nT around 14/1838 UTC while Bz remained variable and solar wind speeds remained in the ~400-435 km/s range. The phi angle was variable until approximately 14/0215 UTC when it settled into a positive sector.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was at normal to moderate levels. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained near background levels. .Forecast... The greater than 2 MeV electron flux is expected to be at normal to moderate levels through 17 Oct. The greater than 10 MeV proton flux is expected to remain at background levels with a slight chance for a solar radiation storm event through 16 Oct as Regions 3848 and 3849 transit the western limb.

Ancient Comet Makes Appearance

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