The strongest flare of the past 24 hours was the C2.6 flare peaking at 00:59 UT today in the Catania sunspot group 40 (NOAA AR 2152). This active region is growing while maintaining the beta-gamma configuration of its photospheric magnetic field. Another active region will appear during the next 24 hours from behind the east-south-east limb. It was the source of several powerful behind-the-limb CMEs yesterday. The solar background X-ray flux increased to above C1 level due to this active region. We expect flaring activity up to the M-level, primarily from the east-south-east limb and perhaps also from the Catania sunspot group 40. The long filament in the northern hemisphere is finishing its crossing of the solar central meridian. It is rising slowly, so its eruption looks imminent now. The resulting CME may be directed towards the Earth. Two partial halo CMEs were detected late yesterday evening. The first halo CME appeared at 21:36 UT in the SOHO/LASCO C2 field of view above the north-west limb, and had angular width around 165 degrees. The position of the CME source region is not entirely clear due to the data gap in the STEREO data, but the absence of CME-associated signatures in the SDO/AIA data (in the north-west quadrant around this time) indicates that the CME originated from the far side of the Sun. The second partial halo CME first appeared at 22:24 UT above the east limb and had angular width around 160 degrees. STEREO B EUVI data indicate that it was associated with a flare (probably an M-class flare) peaking at 22:15 UT in the active region just behind the east-south-east limb (as seen from the Earth). No geomagnetic consequences of these two CMEs are expected. However, the second partial halo CME (perhaps together with yesterday’s full halo CME) is most probably associated with the slow rise of the proton flux measured by GOES and ACE since late yesterday evening. We issue a warning condition for a proton event.
The Earth is currently inside a slow (around 410 km/s) solar wind flow with average (around 5 nT) interplanetary magnetic field magnitude. We expect quiet geomagnetic conditions.
SIDC

Equipment: Coronado 90 +  Imaging Source DMK  + LX75
Processing: Photoshop, Avistack 300 frames
Date: 09/02/14
Time UT: 16:00
Exposure 1/500 sec.

Observatory Sponli

A halo CME was observed in SOHO/LASCO C2 and STEREO B/COR2 imagery, with first measurements at 17:36 UT and 17:54 UT on August 28 respectively. The apparent width is estimated to be 210 degrees. This CME is related to a backsided event and as such is not Earth directed.
SIDC