Solar flare triggers radio blackout

By Carl Marcucci

The sun fired off yet another intense solar flare 7/5, the latest in a series of storms from a busy sunspot being closely watched by space telescopes and astronomers. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory snapped a daunting new image of a strong M-class solar flare that peaked 7/6 at 7:44 a.m. ET. The M6.1 flare triggered a moderate radio blackout that has since subsided, according to a Space.com/Huffington Post story.

More at : http://rbr.com/solar-flare-triggers-radio-blackout/

Related Link :

Solar Fireworks Disrupt Europe's Radio Communications

http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/space/item/11992-solar-fireworks-disrupt-europes-radio-communications

Biggest Solar Flare in 4 years X-7

Powerful solar flare briefly knocks out HF Radio

Have a look at the video here :
http://www.space.com/12579-powerful-solar-flare-briefly-knocks-hf-radio.html

Sun stirs from an unusually deep sleep

THE sun has finally awoken from a deep slumber.

After an unusually long period of inactivity the fiery star has emerged from its solar minimum, a period characterised by a low number of solar storms and sun spots. Scientists believe changes in the plasma deep below the sun's surface were the cause of its recent period of hibernation, which lasted almost 1½ years longer than expected.

http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/sun-stirs-from-an-unusually-deep-sleep-20110306-1bjlq.html

Sun spot # crosses 100 mark again today

Sun spot # crossed 100 mark again today at around 0600z

Solar Data: 1200 UTC on 05 March Solar Flux: 127 A-Index: 1 K-Index: 1 SSN: 104
Solar Data: 0900 UTC on 05 March Solar Flux: 127 A-Index: 1 K-Index: 0 SSN:104
Solar Data: 0600 UTC on 05 March Solar Flux: 127 A-Index: 1 K-Index: 3 SSN:104
Solar Data: 0000 UTC on 05 March Solar Flux: 127 A-Index: 1 K-Index: 2 SSN:71

Researchers Crack the Mystery of the Missing Sunspots

March 2, 2011: In 2008-2009, sunspots almost completely disappeared for two years. Solar activity dropped to hundred-year lows; Earth's upper atmosphere cooled and collapsed; the sun’s magnetic field weakened, allowing cosmic rays to penetrate the Solar System in record numbers. It was a big event, and solar physicists openly wondered, where have all the sunspots gone?

More at :
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2011/02mar_spotlesssun/