The solar tempest of May 2024 remains vivid in many minds, notable for its auroral displays extending into locales unaccustomed to such phenomena. While a multitude of individuals gazed skyward, scientific observers meticulously monitored the Sun itself.
For an uninterrupted span exceeding three months, a duo of observatories, strategically situated on opposing sides of the Sun, succeeded in tracking a specific active region on the solar photosphere from its inception to its dissipation. This constitutes a pioneering accomplishment, potentially refining the forecasting of space weather events.
This particular active region, cataloged as NOAA 13664, emerged on the concealed hemisphere of the Sun on April 16, 2024. Subsequently, it pivoted to face Earth in May, precipitating geomagnetic disturbances of extraordinary magnitude, the most potent observed in decades. The region egressed from observational purview on July 18, 2024, and appeared to have diminished in activity by the time it reappeared within view.
Scientists were privileged to observe NOAA 13664 with minimal interruption for the duration of that approximate 90-day interval, experiencing only brief periods of lost contact between April 26 and 29.
“This represents the most extensive continuous collection of imagery ever compiled for a singular active region,” affirms Ioannis Kontogiannis, a solar physicist affiliated with ETH Zurich in Switzerland. “It is a significant landmark in the field of solar physics.”
Typically, solar researchers have a limited observation window of approximately two weeks for studying active solar regions. This constraint arises from the Sun’s rotation period of roughly 28 days, meaning any given region is observable from Earth for only about half of that cycle.
However, in this exceptional circumstance, two distinct spacecraft facilitated continuous monitoring by observing from disparate vantage points concurrently. The Solar Orbiter, a joint endeavor launched by the European Space Agency (ESA) in 2020, was positioned to observe the Sun’s far side at the time of NOAA 13664’s formation, while NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory maintained its vigilant watch from Earth’s orbit.
Through the combined perspectives of these two orbital observatories, scientists were enabled to scrutinize the evolutionary patterns of the active region’s magnetic fields and elucidate how these dynamic changes correlate with and instigate solar phenomena.
Solar episodes are not merely precursors to spectacular celestial light displays; they possess the potential to inflict damage upon satellites, disrupt terrestrial power grids, and compromise vital communication infrastructures. Consequently, a profound understanding of these events and the ability to anticipate their occurrence are of paramount importance.
