Solar Activity Dashboard

The Sun, a G-type main-sequence star (G2V), is the dominant object in our solar system, containing 99.86% of its total mass. With a surface temperature of approximately 5,500°C (9,932°F) and a core temperature exceeding 15 million°C, the Sun is a dynamic thermonuclear furnace that drives space weather throughout the heliosphere. Its structure consists of several distinct layers: the core where nuclear fusion occurs, the radiative zone, the convective zone, the visible surface (photosphere), the chromosphere, and the outermost layer — the corona, which extends millions of kilometers into space.

Space weather originates from the Sun's magnetic activity, which follows an approximately 11-year cycle. We are currently in Solar Cycle 25, which began in December 2019. Solar maximum — the period of peak activity with the most sunspots, flares, and CMEs — is expected around 2025. During solar maximum, the Sun can produce multiple M- and X-class flares per day, along with frequent coronal mass ejections that send billions of tons of magnetized plasma hurtling through interplanetary space.

Solar events are categorized into three primary types monitored by NASA's DONKI (Database Of Notifications, Knowledge, Information) system. Solar flares are intense bursts of electromagnetic radiation that travel at the speed of light, reaching Earth in about 8 minutes. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are massive clouds of magnetized plasma that take 1 to 3 days to reach Earth. Geomagnetic stormsoccur when CMEs or high-speed solar wind streams interact with Earth's magnetosphere, measured on the Kp index scale from 0 (quiet) to 9 (extreme).

Space weather has real-world consequences. Strong geomagnetic storms can induce electrical currents in power grids (the 1989 Quebec blackout left 6 million people without power for 9 hours), damage satellite electronics, disrupt GPS navigation and aviation communications, increase radiation exposure for astronauts on the International Space Station, and produce spectacular auroral displays visible at mid-latitudes. DSCOVR at L1 provides early warning of incoming solar wind disturbances — see Earth from Space for daily imagery from that vantage point. For terminology definitions, visit our space glossary.

The Sun's magnetic field is the engine behind all space weather phenomena. Sunspots — dark regions on the photosphere where intense magnetic fields inhibit convection — serve as markers of magnetic activity. When magnetic field lines in these regions become twisted and suddenly reconnect, they release enormous amounts of energy as solar flares (electromagnetic radiation) and sometimes as coronal mass ejections (physical plasma clouds). The solar wind, a continuous stream of charged particles flowing outward from the corona at 300–800 km/s, fills the heliosphere and interacts with every planet's magnetic field or atmosphere.

Monitoring space weather has become critical for modern technological society. Satellite operators, power grid managers, aviation authorities, and communications engineers all rely on space weather forecasts. NASA's DONKI database (Database Of Notifications, Knowledge, Information) aggregates data from multiple spacecraft including SOHO, STEREO, SDO, ACE, and DSCOVR to provide comprehensive solar event tracking. The data shown on this dashboard is sourced directly from DONKI and updated hourly. For launch scheduling considerations related to space weather, visit the launch calendar.