solar

Sudden Ionospheric Disturbances (SIDs)

The AAVSO SID Program consists of solar observers who monitor very low frequency (VLF) radio stations for sudden enhancements of their signals. Earth's ionosphere reacts to the intense X-ray and ultraviolet radiation released during a solar flare. The ionospheric disturbance enhances VLF radio propagation. By monitoring the signal strength of a distant VLF transmitter, sudden ionospheric disturbances (SIDs) are recorded and indicate a recent solar flare event.

Solar Observing Guide in German

Thanks to an excellent volunteer effort by Ilka Petermann, the AAVSO's Solar Observing Guide is now available in German.

Click here to get to download (free-of-charge)

If you would like to translate the Guide into your native language, please contact Sara at AAVSO HQ. In addition to this new German version, we also have a French translation and Italian and Spanish versions are in progress.

Introducing... The AAVSO Solar Observing Guide

Thanks to a lot of hard work on the part of long-time sunspot observer Frank Dempsey and his team, the AAVSO is proud to announce the publication of a brand new observing manual designed to help introduce observers to the art and science of solar observing.

The AAVSO Solar Observing Guide

Click the link above to read more and download your copy - free of charge.

 

 

AAVSO Solar Section Update for 2013

The AAVSO Solar Section has been actively improving its data collection and analysis methods over the past year.  We've gotten critically important feedback from the global solar research community on the importance of amateur observations of sunspots, and the AAVSO Solar Section is building new and stronger relationships with the professional community.  We've never been in a better position to support both the solar observers and the researchers that critically depend upon your data, and we're looking to make even more improvements in the near fut

SunEntry - A sunspot data entry program

SunEntry is a data entry program for solar observers. It will help you to create reports and send them to our database where they will be used in the AAVSO American Relative Sunspot Program. The information you submit will also be used in the monthly Solar Bulletin.

Getting Started

Before you can use SunEntry, you must have an AAVSO website account and an AAVSO Observer code if you don't already have both. Here are instructions on how to get them: