Solar M5.8 class flare as observed by GONG

 Video: Niles Oien, NSO

 A major solar flare of X-ray class M5.8 erupted on May 10, 2026 from active region 14436 near the solar East limb (N19E65). M- and X-class flares are some of the most energetic solar events, typically associated with the coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, CMEs originating near solar East limb are less likely to impact the Earth.  Attached video shows the development of this flare as observed by GONG H-alpha at Cerro Tololo, Chile.

  

A Recent Visitor to the Boulder GONG Farm

When a cloud is not a cloud! Roosting birds like this visiting hawk can cause a false cloud indication in the site's pyranometer data (see large dip in intensity plot on the right). Pyranometer is a device to measure the amount of sunlight at each site from the sunrise (left side of the plot), noon (peak), and sunset (right side of the plot). Clouds appear as dips in this otherwise a smooth plot. Colloquially, GONG engineering site (in Boulder, Colorado) is often referred to as "GONG farm". This originates in early period of GONG development, when the test site was set up on the grounds on the Agricultural Experiment Station of the University of Arizona in Tucson.

  

Photo: Detrick Branston / NSO

GONG/CT - Site Update

The shelter painting project at CTIO has commenced. Brief data outages are anticipated this week as the the painting crew works above and around the light feed turret.

Photo: Esteban Parkes / NOIRLab CTIO

 

GONG Project Presence at the 2026 Space Weather Workshop

The GONG Project presented a series of four coordinated posters at the recent 2026 Space Weather Workshop in Boulder, CO. The series of posters was introduced by an overall GONG Project Overview, followed by three supporting posters highlighting GONG Science, GONG Data, and GONG Operations.

A number of NISP staff members attended the workshop to present the posters. Workshop attendees were very receptive of this comprehensive presentation, and a number of  interesting conversations were had.

• "GONG: A Global Ground-Based Network for Continuous Solar Observations" by A. Pevtsov et al.
• "The Continuing Role of Scientists in Sustaining the GONG Project" by S. Tripathy et al.
• "GONG Solar Data Collection, Processing, and Distribution" by O. Burtseva et al.
• "GONG Operations and Engineering Support" by G. Card et al.

GONG/ML Site Update

Site Access:

The Mauna Loa Observatory remains closed to the general public. Since the site will be an active construction zone for the next two years, NOAA staff are tightly scheduling site access for mission-critical activities only to ensure personnel safety. All visitors require explicit authorization to access the site.

Site Power and Construction Update:

NOAA does not have a date for commercial power restoration, but is actively engaging with local utility provider, HELCO. Concurent to HELCO repairing power lines and poles, site power and network infrastructure upgrades will be occuring at MLO.  GML will provide updated timelines for restoring power back to campus buildings when an updated construction schedule is available - full power restoration is likely several months after HELCO repairs the grid.

The components for the new 40m high sampling tower arrived onsite at MLO. GML will be reaching out to partners impacted by the tower replacement, and will provide a timeline for the installation when available.

GONG data processing update

 Processing of the network-merged daily velocity and magnetogram images,  p-mode-coefficient time series, and ring-diagram analysis products for GONG month 312,  and  the  p-mode frequency data products for central GONG month 311 is completed and the data products are now available.

Solar Activity Report: April 27 - May 3, 2026

Solar activity during the reporting week remained generally low, with X‑ray flux staying within the low C‑class range aside from a few high‑C and low M‑class events. Activity briefly rose to moderate levels on the first two days: an M1.0 flare from active region 11425 on April 27, followed by three low M‑class flares and several high C‑class flares, including C8.1, C9.0, and C9.3, from the active region 11420 on April 28. Consequently, April 28 was the most active day of the week, and the strongest event was an M1.5 flare from active region 11420. This region also produced a C7.4 flare on May 1 and a C8.7 flare on May 2. No significant Earth‑directed CMEs were detected in coronagraph observations.

The latest helioseismic far‑side map suggests that a moderate to strong active region may rotate onto the north‑east limb around May 9.