The mission of the National Solar Observatory is to advance knowledge of the Sun, both as an astronomical object and as the dominant external influence on Earth
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☀️ Ka Lā | The Sun, the Earth and Us 🌍 We’re proud to share a new @NSF documentary filmed on Haleakalā, Maui! Discover our timeless connection to the Sun and the groundbreaking science at the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope🎬: youtu.be/FKzly6fIGsM
#NSFfunded #InouyeSolarTelescope
Solar Activity Report: Oct. 5-11, 2026 ☀️ Activity varied substantially, rising from low to high and then returning to low levels. Such variability is typical of the declining phase of the solar cycle, when sudden bursts of enhanced activity are common.
All of these active regions were located in the northern hemisphere, which was more active than the southern hemisphere. The X‑ray flux remained near the B/C‑level boundary. The quietest day of the week was Oct. 11, when the flux stayed predominantly in the B‑level.
☀️ A new 3D solar eruption model wins a NASA award! 🏆 Created by @NSF @NSO, @NASAGoddard & @USNRL, “CHAR” is a revolutionary methodology enabling a new era of reliable #spaceweather forecasting. Read the full story: nso.edu/blog/nasa-award-char…
Solar Activity Report: Sep. 28-Oct. 4, 2026 ☀️As solar cycle continues its declining phase, magnetic activity has decreased significantly. Solar activity remained at very‑low to low levels throughout the reporting period.
No Earth‑directed CMEs were observed.
Current helioseismic map of the far side indicates no significant active regions poised to rotate onto the visible disk in the next few days. A few small regions, however, may turn toward Earth toward the end of the week.
Two papers from the @NSF NSO engineering team detail vital updates to the NSF Inouye Solar Telescope’s cooling systems. Smart automation upgrades across 7 miles of piping ensure the observatory runs efficiently and sustainably ☀️🛠️ nso.edu/blog/taming-the-sun-…
Solar Activity Report: September 21-27, 2026
Solar activity remained at low levels during the reporting period, with X‑ray flux generally at mid‑B levels except for a few impulsive low C‑class flares.
Data by NSF-NOAA GONG, operated by NSF NSO. Additional Credits: Jain/Oien/NSF/GONG/NSO/AURA, with contributions by NOAA
What can a nearly 300-year-old solar eclipse teach us about the Sun today? NSF NSO Associate Director Alexei Pevtsov recently co-authored a paper analyzing 18th-century eclipse observations, highlighting why preserving historical data is crucial for studying past solar activity.
A New Look at a Centuries-Old Solar Eclipse
Handwritten eclipse observations and sketches of solar prominences from 1733 offer researchers a rare window into a data-poor period of solar history. aasnova.org/2026/09/23/a-new…
Solar Activity Report: Sep. 14-20, 2026 ☀️
Solar activity during the reporting period remained in the very‑low to low range. At the beginning of the week, all named active regions (AR) were clustered in the western hemisphere, leaving the eastern hemisphere without sunspots.
In addition, AR 14534 generated the strongest event of the week, a C3.7 flare, while positioned near the central meridian in the northern hemisphere. No Earth‑directed CMEs were observed.