An elongated coronal hole rotated across the face of the sun this past week so that it is now streaming solar wind towards Earth (Jan. 2-5, 2017). Coronal holes are areas of open magnetic field from which solar wind particles stream into space. In this wavelength of extreme ultraviolet light it appears as a dark area near the center and lower portion of the sun. The particle stream will likely generate aurora here on Earth. Check spaceweather.com for updates on auroral activity.
Credit: Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA.
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