Sometimes Getting the Perfect Picture Really Is Rocket Science

Images

Wednesday, 17 April 2024

NASA Engineer Cindy Fuentes Rosal waves goodbye to a Black Brant IX sounding rocket launching from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The rocket was part of a series of three launches for the Atmospheric Perturbations around Eclipse Path (APEP) mission to study the disturbances in the electrified region of Earth’s atmosphere known as the ionosphere created when the Moon eclipses the Sun. The rockets launched before, during, and after peak local eclipse time on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

Image Credit: NASA/Chris Pirner

Planetary Positions

01.05.2024 at 17:22:08 UTC

Planet	Longitude
The Sun	11 Tau 48' 57"
The Moon	15 Aqu 00' 47"
Mercury	17 Ari 30' 26"
Venus	02 Tau 45' 52"
Mars	00 Ari 49' 45"
Jupiter	24 Tau 17' 30"
Saturn	16 Pis 42' 02"
Uranus	22 Tau 25' 45"
Neptune	28 Pis 57' 04"
Pluto	02 Aqu 06' 13"

Solar Status

BZ Status:	4
Proton Density:	2.64
Proton Speed:	355.3 k/sec
KP Status:	1.00

Type	May 1	May 2	May 3
Active	20%	30%	30%
Minor	15%	20%	20%
Moderate	1%	5%	5%
Strong	1%	1%	1%
Kp Index Prediction
00-03UT	1.67	3.67	3.67
03-06UT	2.67	4.00	3.33
06-09UT	3.67	3.67	3.00
09-12UT	3.33	3.33	3.33
12-15UT	3.00	3.00	3.00
15-18UT	3.33	2.67	3.33
18-21UT	3.67	3.67	3.33
21-00UT	4.00	3.67	3.67
Solar Activity
Solar activity reached high levels. Five sunspot groups were present on the visible solar disk and background X-ray flux levels were mostly in the low C-class levels. Region 3654 (S07W70, Fkc/beta-delta) weakened a bit in its magnetic complexity, as the gamma configuration appeared to diminish. Still the mixed polarity delta spot in the intermediate section retained its magnetic shear and the instability was evident as it produced an M9.5/2b flare at 30/2346 UTC and a long duration C5.8 at 01/0758 UTC. An associated CME was observed with the long duration C5.8 flare. Analysis is ongoing of this event, but due to its far west location, an Earth-directed component is unlikely.
Solar Wind
The solar wind environment was indicative of a slow regime, until near 30/1130 UTC when a disturbance in the field occurred. Total IMF increased from ambient levels and peaked at 14 nT, while the Bz component underwent a prolonged southward deflection with a maximum negative deviation of -8 nT. Solar wind speed underwent a slight escalation, but peaked ~425 km/s. The phi angle varied between sectors, but seemed to settle into primarily a negative sector halfway through the period. While its uncertain what the cause of the disturbance was, a possible candidate was an isolated negative polarity CH HSS that may be flowing just north of Earth or causing weak, tenuous influences or it could also be a transient passage.
Energetic Particle
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux was normal to moderate and the greater than 10 MeV proton flux remained at background.

Sometimes Getting the Perfect Picture Really Is Rocket Science

Related Posts

International Space Station Program Manager Dana Weigel

The Horse’s Mane

Hubble Spots a Magnificent Barred Galaxy

Navigating the Moon with Art

Tracking Spring Flooding