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Astroalert News
The
naked eye sunspot group identified as NOAA Region 9393 produced
numerous minor M-class x-ray flares today and one reasonably
well correlated Earth-directed coronal mass ejection. This
disturbance is projected to impact the Earth on 30 March
and produce periods of minor to possibly brief major auroral
storming over the high and perhaps some dark-sky middle
latitude regions.
Aurora
watchers are encouraged to watch the skies for activity
beginning during the evening of 29 March and extending through
the evening/early morning of 30/31 March.
Region
9393, which is now the largest sunspot group observed so
far this solar cycle, is easily capable of producing some
very significant and energetic solar activity. It continues
to grow and is very complex magnetically with numerous centers
of high magnetic gradients and strong magnetic shear that
can lead to sufficient twisting of magnetic field lines
in the sunspot groups to produce energetic solar flare explosions.
So additional middle latitude watches of auroral activity
will be possible during the next several days.
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