Alive and Kicking (X2.0)

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EIT 195 Å MPEGs: 512x512 (459K), 256x256 (157K), EIT 195 Å subfield MPEGs: 352x352 (225K), 176x176 ( 76K). LASCO running difference MPEGs: C2, C3.

Caption: As if making up for lost time lately, the Sun keeps its active streak going. Active region 9415 produced another X2 event on 12 April 2001 at 10:28 UT. A so-called "EIT wave" could be seen in EIT's 195 Å movie. The associated coronal mass ejection (CME) was first spotted by LASCO at 10:31 UT, evolving into a faint full halo event. The speed was "only" 3 million kilometers per hour, and decelerating.

The shockwave may take 2-3 days to arrive at the Earth. To look for the shock in realtime, look at the SOHO/CELIAS MTOF Proton Monitor page, which gives about half an hour early warning due to SOHO's position closer to the Sun.

Links:

• Today's Space Weather from SEC/NOAA.
• SpaceWeather.com
• SOHO/CELIAS MTOF Proton Monitor
• Geomagnetic data from the University of Tromsø, Norway.
• Our Current Space Weather summary.
• The TRACE spacecraft.

Instruments: Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT); Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO);
Taken: 12 April 2001.
Picture credit: SOHO/EIT and SOHO/LASCO (ESA & NASA)