Dear RHESSI Collaborators,
The level of solar activity is currently low. NOAA region 11698 was the source of the largest event in the past 24 hours, a B8.0 flare on 16-Mar-2013 at 18:50 UT. This region has grown in terms of spot area and number of spots (mostly in its intermediate portion), and is classified by NOAA as a beta/D-type sunspot group. NOAA region 11696 also produced B-class activity (a B6.9 flare on 17-Mar-2013 at 00:51 UT) and remains classified by NOAA as a beta-gamma/E-type sunspot group. This region has evolved somewhat over the past 12 hours with some of the intermediate spots developing penumbrae. B-class activity is expected, with C-class events possible. The level of activity might increase in the following 24 hours as the previously flare-productive region NOAA 11682 is due to return over the South East limb.
The position of NOAA 11696 on 17-Mar-2013 at 12:30 UT is:
N04W43, ( 657", 154" )
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 (Trinity College Dublin)
mmmotd@solar.physics.montana.edu