HERE COMES THE SUN: A full-halo
coronal mass ejection (CME) billowed
away from the neighborhood of sunspot
group AR 9182 at 2350 UT on October
9th. SOHO coronagraphs spotted the
eruption, pictured right, shortly after a
long-duration C7-class solar flare
signaled the explosive collapse of a solar
filament. The CME's leading edge is
likely to arrive at our planet by Oct.
12th, triggering possible geomagnetic storms
when it hits the magnetosphere. Last week
such an impact spawned aurora over the
northern USA and much of Canada.

Space Weather

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), October 10, 2000