Custom Space Weather Live Image Dashlet Nagios XI

The Nagios Custom Space Weather Live Image Dashlet is a versatile tool that offers various options for viewing the sun and other space weather-related images. Currently, it provides 18 different images, including aurora oval images for both the northern and southern hemispheres, as well as detailed views of the sun showcasing features like sunspots, coronal holes, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections.

Before exploring the Dashlet, if you’d like to learn more about the importance of monitoring space weather, click here for an in-depth article on the topic. For those interested in tracking space weather metrics and receiving alerts, click here to read about the plugin that helps monitor these metrics.

The Space Weather Live Image Dashlet

As mentioned earlier, the Space Weather Live Image Dashlet provides 18 different real-time images to track solar activity. It includes views of aurora ovals, sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections. This dashlet allows you to monitor space weather from both hemispheres, offering a visual way to stay informed about solar events and their potential effects on Earth.

Different Types of Images Provided

There are many different images on the space weather Dashlet. This section will list what images there are and a brief description on what the image shows or what its typical purpose is.

Aurora Oval Map

The two Aurora Oval Maps provide real-time insights into aurora conditions for both the northern and southern hemispheres. They show the likelihood of auroras being visible in different locations, helping users gauge the best places to spot auroras.

Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) Solar Images

There are three different HMI live images of the sun: Intensitygram, Magnetogram, and Magnetogram AIA (Atmospheric Imaging Assembly) 171.

• Intensitygram: This image highlights sunspots on the sun’s surface, showing their distinct locations and labels for easy identification.
• Magnetogram: This image captures the magnetic fields of sunspots, revealing whether the sunspot has a north, south, or a combination of both magnetic regions.
• Magnetogram AIA 171: This provides a detailed view of the sun’s atmosphere, showing the magnetic activity in a broader context.

The Magnetogram’s magnetic field data is particularly useful for understanding sunspot activity. Sunspots with both north and south magnetic regions are often more active and potentially more dangerous, as they are linked to higher solar flare and coronal mass ejection risks.

Lasco C3 Coronagraph

The LASCO C3 Coronagraph captures detailed images of the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona, by blocking out the bright light from the sun’s surface. This allows for the observation of solar phenomena such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar wind structures. The images produced by the C3 are crucial for studying the sun’s dynamic behavior and understanding solar storms that can impact space weather. By monitoring the corona, this tool helps scientists track solar activity and predict potential impacts on Earth’s magnetosphere, satellite communications, and power grids.

Thematic Map

The Thematic Map of the sun offers a detailed, dynamic snapshot of solar activity, highlighting various features on its surface and atmosphere. It showcases solar flares, prominences, and filaments, while also marking the quiet regions and bright spots that reveal intense solar activity. Coronal holes and the sun’s limbs are clearly outlined, giving insight into the sun’s ever-changing behavior. This map provides a visual guide to understanding the sun’s diverse regions, helping researchers track solar events and better predict their potential effects on space weather and Earth.

Coronal Hole Map

The Coronal Hole Image highlights the locations of coronal holes on the sun’s surface. These regions are significant because they release high-speed solar winds, which can impact Earth when they are directed toward our planet. The solar winds from coronal holes can trigger geomagnetic storms, potentially disrupting satellite communications, navigation systems, and power grids. Monitoring these holes is crucial for understanding and predicting space weather events.

SDO AIA Images

The Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captures detailed images of the sun through the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA). Each wavelength provides valuable insights into different solar phenomena and space weather conditions.

• AIA 094: Captured at 94 Ångströms, this image highlights the sun’s corona and active regions, making it ideal for observing solar flares and high-energy events.
• AIA 131: Captured at 131 Ångströms, it focuses on the hotter regions of the sun, showing solar flares, prominences, and magnetic activity in the lower corona.
• AIA 171: Captured at 171 Ångströms, this image provides a clear view of the sun’s corona, revealing coronal holes, loops, and quieter areas, helping track solar magnetic activity.
• AIA 193: Captured at 193 Ångströms, this image reveals the hotter layers of the sun’s atmosphere, highlighting solar flares, active regions, and coronal mass ejections.
• AIA 211: Captured at 211 Ångströms, it shows larger solar structures like coronal loops and magnetic field lines, aiding the study of solar wind and space weather.
• AIA 304: Captured at 304 Ångströms, it highlights cooler areas of the sun such as prominences and filaments, providing insights into solar material ejections.
• AIA 335: Captured at 335 Ångströms, this image focuses on high-energy regions, making it useful for studying solar flares and coronal structures.
• AIA 1600: Captured at 1600 Ångströms, it emphasizes the sun’s photosphere and lower chromosphere, showing sunspots and small-scale magnetic activity.
• AIA 1700: Captured at 1700 Ångströms, it reveals the sun’s photosphere and lower chromosphere, providing a detailed view of sunspots, prominences, and solar granulation.

Conclusion

This dashlet offers a comprehensive and dynamic way to monitor solar activity in real time. By utilizing various images and maps, users can track important solar phenomena like sunspots, solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and auroras. With the ability to visualize these events through different wavelengths and map views, it helps both professionals and enthusiasts better understand space weather and its potential impact on Earth. Whether you’re studying the sun’s intricate behavior or keeping an eye on geomagnetic activity, this tool serves as a vital resource for staying informed and prepared.

Want to Download the Dashlet?

The dashlet is available for download on Nagios Enterprises’ GitHub page linked here. Simply download the ZIP folder, then go to Admin > System Extensions > Manage Dashlets in Nagios XI. Click Browse, upload the ZIP file, and you’ll gain access to all the live images, which you can easily add to your dashboards.