solar.openmonitor.org
Frequently asked questions

What is Solar OpenMonitor and how do I use it?

Quick answers about the viewer, the data behind it, and the four instruments it covers.

Is Solar OpenMonitor free?

Yes. Free to use, no signup, no paywall, no API keys.

Do I need to sign up?

No. The viewer runs entirely in your browser. No account, no email collection. Analytics are anonymous.

What instruments does Solar OpenMonitor cover?

Four instruments on a shared time axis:

  • GOES XRS — soft X-ray flux
  • RSTN — microwave, 245 MHz to 15.4 GHz
  • RHESSI — hard X-ray
  • POEMAS — millimeter, 45 and 90 GHz

Plus the flare event catalog overlay (NOAA SWPC + HESPERIA) and cross-links with the CDAW CME catalog. Coverage spans 1995 to today across GOES-8 through GOES-19.

Where does the data come from?

GOES X-ray flux from NOAA SWPC. Flare event catalog from NOAA SWPC and HESPERIA. RSTN microwave from NGDC. RHESSI hard X-ray from NASA. POEMAS millimeter from CRAAM/Mackenzie's MackSUN. CME cross-links from CDAW.

Raw datasets are normalized and rebundled for browser-side rendering.

How often is the data updated?

GOES X-ray flux refreshes every 5 minutes via a cron job pulling NOAA SWPC. The live flare catalog regenerates every 10 minutes from the HESPERIA mirror.

Historical archives (RHESSI, RSTN, POEMAS) update on the schedule of their upstream sources, typically daily to weekly.

Why include GOES-8 and not just the modern GOES-R series?

GOES-R series (GOES-16 onward) is included, but Solar OpenMonitor stitches the full GOES-8 through GOES-19 timeline so you get a multi-decadal view of solar activity from 1995 to today, not just the modern era.

The value is continuity across satellites and flare cycles.

What languages does Solar OpenMonitor support?

English, Spanish, and Portuguese. The language switcher in the topbar persists your choice in localStorage and reflects it in the URL via the ?lang= query parameter, so a shared link preserves the language too.

Is the source code open?

No. The viewer source code is intentionally private.

What is open is the service (free, no signup, anonymous analytics). The "Open" in OpenMonitor refers to open-access service, not open-source code.

Who built Solar OpenMonitor?

Mauricio Romero, independent researcher collaborating with CRAAM / Mackenzie (São Paulo).

Contact: romero@rudimirz.com. ORCID: 0000-0001-8818-4876.

How do I report a bug or request a feature?

Email romero@rudimirz.com.

Bug reports with a "Copy debug info" payload from the viewer's Tools menu are most actionable; the payload includes browser timezone, sample data, and the pre-render bundle state.