X1.8 coronal mass ejection

Saturday, 20 December 2014 15:47 UTC

A dense but narrow coronal mass ejection can be seen leaving the Sun following the X1.8 solar flare. As we feared when looking at SDO data, this coronal mass ejection is heading to the south-west and there is absolutely no earth-directed component. A fainter component looks to be heading south and east but there is no full halo outline and it is safe to conclude that we will not see any effects at earth from this coronal mass ejection. The image below shows the X1.8 coronal mass ejection in a difference image from SOHO/LASCO C3.



Note that there is a minor G1 geomagnetic storm watch in effect for tomorrow and monday. A coronal mass ejection from an M6.9 solar flare is expected to arrive tomorrow and this could cause a minor G1 geomagnetic storm. There are no signs yet on ACE EPAM of the approaching coronal mass ejection apart from the electron flux which is slightly elevated. This could change in the hours ahead as the coronal mass ejection gets closer to ACE.

Image: NASA/ESA SOHO.