MM#021 Parker Solar Probe Perihelion Passage

Max Millennium Chief Observer mmchiefobserver at gmail.com
Sat Jan 16 17:06:32 MST 2021


Dear Collaborators,

Solar activity remains at an extremely low level. The small flux region
in the Southern hemisphere that developed pores has now been designated
as NOAA 12796. This region is classified as a beta/C-type sunspot group
and produced an A7.2 flare on 16-Jan-2021 at 10:27 UT. However, 12796
has subsequently shown signs of decay. No change in flaring activity is
expected over the following 24-hour period. The Max Millennium Program
continues to support the coordination of observations for the PSP 7th
perihelion passage. PSP is expected to cross the Heliospheric Current
Sheet (HCS) in the next 6 hours, with its magnetic-footpoint location
jumping to the Southern hemisphere (and also jumping in longitude). As
such, we provide the model-consensus magnetic-footpoint of PSP here for
two separate times (i.e., before and after PSP crosses the HCS).

The approximate position of this region on 16-Jan-2021 at 23:00 UT is:

N32W02 , ( 29", 585" )

then, following the HCS crossing, the approximate position of this
region on 17-Jan-2021 at 06:00 UT is:

S27W35 , ( 500", -383" )

NOTE: PSP is orbiting in the same direction as solar rotation, but at
a faster rate.

See http://www.SolarMonitor.org for images and
http://solar.physics.montana.edu/max_millennium/ops/observing.shtml
for a description of the current Max Millennium Observing Plan.

Regards,

Shaun Bloomfield (Northumbria University)


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