New Sun Missions to Help NASA Better Understand Earth-Sun Environment

Thursday, 10 February 2022

NASA has selected two science missions – the Multi-slit Solar Explorer (MUSE) and HelioSwarm – to help improve our understanding of the dynamics of the Sun, the Sun-Earth connection, and the constantly changing space environment.

Planetary Positions

26.12.2024 at 10:35:05 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	05 Cap 08' 47"
The Moon	13 Sco 09' 56"
Mercury	13 Sag 13' 28"
Venus	21 Aqu 40' 25"
Mars	03 Leo 34' 22" R
Jupiter	13 Gem 50' 28" R
Saturn	14 Pis 07' 30"
Uranus	23 Tau 46' 56" R
Neptune	27 Pis 13' 47"
Pluto	00 Aqu 53' 49"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	2
Proton Density:	3.88
Proton Speed:	390.8 k/sec
KP Status:	0.67

Type	Dec 26	Dec 27	Dec 28
Active	39%	40%	25%
Minor	40%	15%	10%
Moderate	20%	1%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	4.33	3.67	2.67
03-06UT	3.00	2.67	2.33
06-09UT	3.33	2.33	2.00
09-12UT	4.33	2.33	1.67
12-15UT	4.67	2.00	2.00
15-18UT	4.00	1.67	2.00
18-21UT	3.33	2.00	2.00
21-00UT	3.33	2.33	2.33
Solar Activity
Solar activity reached moderate levels this period. The largest flare of the period was an M4.9/Sb at 25/0449 UTC, from Region 3932 (S19E01, Fkc/beta-gamma), which had an associated Type II sweep (1064 km/s). An associated CME was observed in LASCO starting near 25/0500 UTC. Model analysis indicates a potential slight glancing blow early on 28 Dec. Region 3938 (N20E53, Dsi/beta-gamma) also produced an M2.8 flare at 25/0430 UTC. New Region 3939 (S17E74, Cso/beta) was numbered, and 3929 (N15W38, L=194) decayed to plage. The remaining regions were either stable or in decay.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters on average slowly decreased throughout the period. Total field was at nominal background levels, with a peak of 6 nT, and Bz varying between -5 and +4 nT. Solar wind speeds started the period around 550 km/s and decreased to around 450 km/s. The phi angle remained predominantly negative.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained elevated above background but well below the S1 threshold, mostly due to activity that erupted on the far side of the Sun over 20 Dec. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux reached moderate levels.

New Sun Missions to Help NASA Better Understand Earth-Sun Environment

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