A Planetary Alignment while a Solar Storm Heads for Earth | Space Weather News 27 February 2025

This Space Weather News forecast sponsored in part by Millersville University:
https://www.millersville.edu/swen
Solar activity has ramped up considerably over the last few days, including big solar flares, a radiation storm, and what looks like a promising Earth-directed solar storm and more to come. In particular, the Earth-directed solar storm could bring aurora just in time for the planetary alignment on February 28. Aurora photographers should be sure to check out the south-western sky just after dusk for the 'planet parade" before swiveling around to catch aurora as it rises in the east. In addition, amateur radio operators and GPS users should expect more R1 to R2-level radio blackouts due to the rise of big flares again along with a near S1-level radiation storm. These disturbances are making for a lot of noise on the radio bands. but conditions should begin to improve as we move in through the weekend. Learn the details of the coming solar storm, watch the big X-flare, and see what else our Sun has in store.
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For a more in-depth look at the data and images highlighted in this video see these links below.

Solar Imaging and Analysis:
SDO: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
Helioviewer: http://www.helioviewer.org/
Flare Analysis: http://www.lmsal.com/solarsoft/latest_events/
Computer Aided CME Tracking CACTUS: http://www.sidc.oma.be/cactus/out/latestCMEs.html
GOES Xray: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/rt_plots/xray_1m.html
SOHO: http://sohodata.nascom.nasa.gov/
Stereo: http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
GONG magnetic field synoptic movie: https://gong.nso.edu/data/magmap/standard_movie.html
GONG magnetic field synoptic charts: http://gong.nso.edu/data/magmap/
LMSAL Heliophysics Events HEK http://www.lmsal.com/isolsearch

Solar Wind:
DISCOVR solar wind: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/real-time-solar-wind
ACE Solar Wind: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/ace-real-time-solar-wind
NASA/CCMC/M2M Enlil Solar Storm Prediction Model: https://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov/IswaSystemWebApp/iSWACygnetStreamer?timestamp=2038-01-23+00%3A44%3A00&window=-1&cygnetId=261
NOAA/SWPC Enlil Solar Storm Prediction Model: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/wsa-enlil-solar-wind-prediction

Magnetosphere, Ionosphere, Atmosphere:
GOES Magnetometer: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/goes-magnetometer
Ionosphere D-Region Absorption (DRAP) model: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/d-region-absorption-predictions-d-rap/
Radio Propagation: https://www.tvcomm.co.uk/g7izu/atlantic-mf-hf-propagation-20min-persistence/
Near-Earth radiation environment: https://spaceweather.gfz-potsdam.de/products-data/forecasts
Auroral Oval Ovation Products: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast
Global 3-hr Kp index: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/planetary-k-index
GEOCHRON Weather Display: www.geochron.com
USGS Ground Magnetometers: http://geomag.usgs.gov/realtime/

Multi-Purpose Space Environment Sites:
NOAA/SWPC: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov
SOLARHAM: http://www.solarham.net/index.htm
Spaceweather: http://spaceweather.com
iSWA: http://iswa.gsfc.nasa.gov/iswa/iSWA.html

Definition of Geomagnetic Storm, Radiation Storm, and Radio Blackout Levels:
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/

None of this would be possible without the hard work and dedication of those who have provided all of this data for public use.

Images c/o NASA/NOAA/ESA/CSA (most notably the superb SDO, SOHO, ACE, DSCOVR, STEREO, CCMC, M2M, JPL & DSN teams, amazing professionals, hobbyists, institutions, organizations, agencies and amateurs such as those at the USAF/HAARP, NICT, NOAA, USGS, Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Intellicast, Catatania, rice.edu, wisc.edu, sonoma.edu ucalgary.ca, rssi.ru, ohio-state.edu, solen.info, and so much more. Thanks for making Space Weather part of our every day dialogue.