Grinning Gourd Decorates Milky Way

Images

Monday, 31 October 2022

While observing the outer region of the Milky Way galaxy, our Spitzer Telescope captured this infrared image of a cloud of gas and dust that looks like the hollowed-out pumpkins we see every Halloween.

Planetary Positions

23.12.2024 at 10:10:40 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	02 Cap 04' 20"
The Moon	07 Lib 25' 00"
Mercury	10 Sag 13' 33"
Venus	18 Aqu 20' 36"
Mars	04 Leo 18' 52" R
Jupiter	14 Gem 12' 20" R
Saturn	13 Pis 55' 38"
Uranus	23 Tau 52' 12" R
Neptune	27 Pis 12' 01"
Pluto	00 Aqu 48' 30"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	2
Proton Density:	1.26
Proton Speed:	548.9 k/sec
KP Status:	2.00

Type	Dec 23	Dec 24	Dec 25
Active	20%	30%	20%
Minor	5%	15%	5%
Moderate	1%	5%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	2.33	2.67	2.33
03-06UT	2.67	3.00	2.67
06-09UT	2.00	2.33	2.67
09-12UT	2.00	2.33	2.00
12-15UT	1.00	1.67	2.00
15-18UT	2.00	2.33	0.67
18-21UT	2.00	2.33	2.00
21-00UT	2.67	2.67	2.33
Solar Activity
Solar activity reached moderate levels (R1/Minor). Region 3932 (S17E42, Ekc/beta-gamma) produced an impulsive M1.1 flare at 22/2049 UTC; the largest event of the period. Development continued among the cluster of active regions in the SE quadrant. No Earth-directed CMEs were detected in available data.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters were enhanced this period. Total field reached a peak of 9 nT and Bz varied between +8/-7 nT. Solar wind speeds ranged between ~500-700 km/s through most of the period. Phi angle was negative.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained elevated above background but well below the S1 threshold, mostly due to activity that erupted on the far side of the Sun over 20 Dec. The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was at normal and moderate levels.

Grinning Gourd Decorates Milky Way

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