High above the sun's north pole, a vast gap has formed in the sun's atmosphere, and it is spewing solar wind into space. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the "coronal hole" on Jan. 26th:
Coronal holes are places where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows previously-trapped solar wind to escape. A stream of solar wind flowing from this coronal hole is expected to reach Earth on Jan 26-27, with a 30% to 40% chance of minor geomagnetic storms when it arrives. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras, mid-week.
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