The ChipWitch

What's New on the Moon ... After 50 Years

Images

Thursday, 24 March 2022

One of the last unopened Apollo-era lunar samples collected during Apollo 17 has been opened under the careful direction of lunar sample processors and curators.

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Planetary Positions

25.12.2024 at 17:38:32 UTC

chart wheel

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	04 Cap 25' 37"
The Moon	04 Sco 43' 16"
Mercury	12 Sag 28' 27"
Venus	20 Aqu 53' 51"
Mars	03 Leo 45' 25" R
Jupiter	13 Gem 55' 30" R
Saturn	14 Pis 04' 39"
Uranus	23 Tau 48' 08" R
Neptune	27 Pis 13' 21"
Pluto	00 Aqu 52' 34"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	0
Proton Density:	2.21
Proton Speed:	460.1 k/sec
KP Status:	1.33

Type	Dec 25	Dec 26	Dec 27
Active	20%	39%	40%
Minor	40%	40%	15%
Moderate	25%	20%	1%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	2.33	3.67	3.67
03-06UT	2.00	3.33	2.67
06-09UT	2.67	3.67	2.33
09-12UT	3.00	4.33	2.33
12-15UT	4.33	5.00	2.00
15-18UT	5.00	4.00	1.67
18-21UT	5.33	3.33	2.00
21-00UT	3.67	3.00	2.33
Solar Activity
Solar activity reached high levels this period with 7 M-class flares, all but two from Region 3932 (S18E06, Fkc/beta-gamma). The largest flare of the period was an M4.9/Sb at 25/0449 UTC which had an associated Type II sweep (1064 km/s). An associated CME was observed in LASCO starting near 25/0500 UTC. This event is being analyzed at the time of this summary. Newly numbered Region 3938 (N20E59, Dsi/beta-gamma) produced M-class activity, including an M2.8 flare at 25/0430 UTC.
Solar Wind
Solar wind parameters varied this period. Total field was at nominal background levels, with a peak of 6 nT, and Bz varying between +/- 5 nT. Solar wind speeds slowly decreased from ~550-500 km/s. The phi angle remained predominantly 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 reached moderate levels.

Solar Monitor

Solar Wind

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