Day 1 of solar stormwatch! A warm welcome to everyone, from the seasoned zooites who helped us test the beta version to those of you who have just found us! The NASA STEREO mission was launched in 2006 and we have been viewing the Sun ever since from two (almost) identical spacecraft, one drifting ahead of the Earth (we call this STEREO Ahead or STEREO A) and the other drifting behind the Earth (you guessed it, STEREO Behind or STEREO B). These spacecraft give us a unique view of the Sun and solar wind and we would like you to help us scrutinise the many thousands of images we have taken so that we can learn more about solar storms and anything else that you happen to see.
We have now added all the data from the STEREO mission so far and will continue to add it as it comes back from the spacecraft. So, if it’s raining, snowing or even dark, come on in and see what the Sun is doing! You’ll be helping us to understand our nearest star. How cool is that?
Chris.
The Solar Stormwatch Blog 
It is an honor to add my tiny bit to this worthwhile endeavor along side lost UK cousins (Baileys & Phillips’) and others around the globe.
Besides all the serious stuff, I didn’t know the Sun had the ability to grow ‘lollipops’; a bright stem from the surface out to a bright circle with a dark central disk.
Regards, ~robin – South Carolina
Has anyone tried Sikuli to analyze these images? http://sikuli.csail.mit.edu/
Processing may help visualize the solar images. A sequence of images can be used to represent storm animations.
http://processing.org
http://processing.org/learning/books/
I had to create a much cruder tool to make genome maps from Electrophoresis Xray film images at Los Alamos Natl. Lab.
Sikuli will allow users to annotate the choices they made on the screen.
This could then be used to determine the best process in marking the image.
Xray film images tended to not always match from experiment to experiment.
We had to create a calibration program.
The next step was to reassemble map images to show the step by step progression of DNA contig assembly.
From the information we created a contig map of the Human Genome.
In a sense we had to characterize DNA behaviour repeatedly to find the patterns.
This may not be that different from creating a mapping of solar storms over time. By giving Solar Stormwatch participants opensource tools they can modify the project may find a new approach.
We ended up using genetic algorithms to build our maps.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_algorithm
I was able to create an expert system similar to Mycin to analyze past data to make matches.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycin
Today this approach is now being used with DNA microarrays in medicine.
Looking forward to helping out in the field of solar astronomy. This is another really neat way for anyone interested in the science to help out.
For me Storm Watch is not a go, it’s a nonsense. I have now be made to train three times over the last few months, yet I have absolutely no idea of how to get any further into the site. Clearly it’s me because I can see people talking about it on the forum as if it works, but for stupid people like me making this site work is completely impossible. Where are the storms?
Geeeezzz!!!! I always wonder where/which from those ISS pics are taken above them out there. Amazing! Would that be from a Space Shuttle or any other sattelite? Congrats to you who make possible our home vision worthwhile (paroding Ph.D. Carl Sagan). 🙂
Thanks so much for another opportunity to help in information gathering for the astronomy community. I have always been very interested in the solar activity and look forward to learning more as the program progresses.
Iwould very much like to join the group
this is a great opportunity,thanks
What a cool idea to enlist volunteers this way — a model for other pursuits. But, let me get going now…
i would like to help if i can.
Maurice
i would like to help the world from my home if it’s possible and i like very munch the astronomy
very good idea. the sun is so cool i might actually start worshipping it in some way. ill call it god. wait. they’ve been there and done that. DARN! :]
im in.
I would like to have a go, but forcing users to sign up sucks, *sigh*
Anyone intrested in solar science would appreciate some of the Vista Windows 7 gadgets that I have written over the past few years. This shows soho images real time from desktop.
http://gallery.live.com/liveItemDetail.aspx?li=df48e62d-d3d2-4fae-8044-7ab06dedd0b4
Good to be on board
Although a molecular biologist, I would be happy to participate in this. After all, discovery in any field of science is meant for welfare of the planet.
Thanks to BBC for directing me here today! I’ll get stuck into it when I get some time through the week!