| QUIET SUN: With no strong flares for more than three days, the sun's x-ray output has nearly flatlined. Solar activity is low, and NOAA forecasters put the odds of an X-flare today at less than 1%. A new sunspot is emerging at the circled location. Credit: SDO/HMI |  |
 | CORONAL HOLE: A dark hole in the sun's atmosphere--a "coronal hole"--is turning toward Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured this image of the gaseous chasm, which measures more than 200,000 km from end to end, during the early hours of August 23rd. Coronal holes are places where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows the underlying atmosphere to escape. A stream of solar wind flowing from this coronal hole should reach Earth on August 26-27. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras on that date. www.spaceweather.com |
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