FULL SNOW MOON: There's a full Moon tonight. According to folklore it is the "Snow Moon," named by Native Americans after the heavy snows of February. In North America, snow has been in short supply, but the white tide is turning in Europe as winter storms sweep across the continent. Wherever you are, enjoy the coldmoonlight.
M-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Departing sunspot AR1410 is growing in size and magnetic complexity as it approaches the sun's northwestern limb. The region is now crackling with solar flares, highlighted by this M1-class eruption on Feb. 6th at 20:01 UT:
NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of more M-flares during the next 24 hours. Any eruptions from AR1410 are unlikely to be Earth-directed as the active region continues to turn away from our planet. Solar flare alerts: text, voice.
NORTHERN SNOWSCAPE: A solar wind stream of medium velocity (400-500 km/s) is buffeting Earth's magnetic field and stirring up auroras around the Arctic Circle. Nenne Åman witnessed this scene last night from the Galtispouda mountain near Arjeplog, Sweden:
"The winter landscape was so beautiful, and tonight's auroras made it stunning together with the moon light," says Åman. "Another wonderful night in northern Sweden!"
High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for more moonlit auroras on Feb. 7th as the solar wind continues to blow. Aurora alerts: text, voice.
more images: from Chad Blakley of Abisko National Park, Sweden; from Arild Heitmann of Tennevik River, Skånland, Troms, Norway; from Andy Keen of Inari, Northern Lapland, Finland; from Neal Cheeseman of Arvidsjaur, Sweden
