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Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica
Credit: NOAA/Ovation
Planetary K-index
Now: Kp=
1.33 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 1.33 quiet
explanation | more
data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 6.59 nT
Bz: -1.66 nT south
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1226 UT
Coronal Holes: 05 Oct 25
Solar wind flowing from this equatorial coronal hole should reach Earth on Oct. 11-12. Credit: NASA/SDO | more data
Polar Stratospheric Clouds
Colorful Type II polar stratospheric clouds (PSC) form when the temperature in the stratosphere drops to a staggeringly low -85C. NASA's MERRA-2 climate model predicts when the air up there is cold enough:
On Oct. 5, 2025, the Arctic stratosphere is too hot for polar stratospheric clouds. | more data.
SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts |
|
Updated at: 2025 Oct 05 2200 UTC
FLARE |
0-24
hr |
24-48
hr |
CLASS M |
45
% |
45
% |
CLASS X |
10
% |
10
% |
Geomagnetic Storms:
Probabilities for significant
disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor
storm, severe
storm
Updated at: 2025 Oct 05 2200 UTC
Mid-latitudes
|
0-24
hr |
24-48
hr |
ACTIVE |
35
% |
40
% |
MINOR |
10
% |
30
% |
SEVERE |
01
% |
10
% |
High latitudes
|
0-24
hr |
24-48
hr |
ACTIVE |
15
% |
05
% |
MINOR |
25
% |
20
% |
SEVERE |
45
% |
75
% |
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This is an AI Free Zone: Text created by Large Language Models is spreading across the Internet. It's well-written, but frequently inaccurate. If you find a mistake on Spaceweather.com, rest assured it was made by a real human being.
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INCOMING: 2 SLOW-MOVING CMES Updated models from NOAA suggest that *two* CMEs are approaching Earth. Both are relatively slow moving, and normally their impact would barely be felt. However, because of the equinox Russell-McPherron effect, their combined impact on Oct. 7-8 could spark a G1-class geomagnetic storm. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
DON'T FORGET COMET LEMMON: With so much attention on interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS, it is easy to forget a local comet brightening so rapidly that ordinary sky watchers will soon be able to see it with their own eyes: Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6). It is falling toward the sun for a close encounter near the orbit of Mercury on Nov. 8th.
"This comet is developing very nicely and it is already an impressive object, well-placed for observation in the morning sky," says Nick James of the British Astronomical Association. "It is definitely worth getting up for!"
The light curve of Comet Lemmon shows that it is about to cross the threshold (m=+6) of naked-eye visibility:
"I think we can now be reasonably confident that this will be a very nice evening object when it is at its brightest around New Moon in late October," says James.
Not only is this comet bright, but also it is remarkably active. In recent nights, amateur astronomers have watched dozens of gaseous knots and filaments billowing down Lemmon's tail. Here's a freeze-frame on Oct. 5th from Italian astronomer Rolando Ligustri:
The ever-changing structure in the comet's tail is a likely result of two factors: Buffeting by the solar wind and dynamic jets in the comet's core. They're combining to make this a very satisfying target for astrophotographers.
Finding Comet Lemmon is easy. It's in the constellation Ursa Major (the Big Dipper) near the 3rd magnitude star mu Ursa Majoris. For most observers in the northern hemisphere, it is located well above the eastern horizon before sunrise. Sky maps: Oct. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
Realtime Comet Lemmon Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
REAL MONEY FROM SPACE: They're back by popular demand: NASA Spacewalker $1 Coins (D Mint). On Sept. 6, 2025, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched them to the edge of space onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have a single coin for $49.95 or an entire unbroken roll for $299.95. No longer available from the US Mint, these rare coins flew 101,944 feet above the Sierra Nevada. One side shows an American astronaut conducting a spacewalk outside the International Space Station; the other side features the Statue of Liberty in profile.
Did you buy the P Mints we flew in July? These D Mints will complete your set.
Bonus: If you need to, you can spend the coins. They're legal tender.
The students are selling space coins to support to support their cosmic ray research program. (Helium is expensive!) Each order comes with a greeting card showing the coins in flight and telling the story of their journey to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Every night, a network
of NASA
all-sky cameras scans the skies above the United
States for meteoritic fireballs. Automated software
maintained by NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office
calculates their orbits, velocity, penetration depth
in Earth's atmosphere and many other characteristics.
Daily results are presented here on Spaceweather.com.
On Oct 05, 2025, the network reported 8 fireballs.
(8 sporadics)
In this diagram of the inner solar system, all of the fireball orbits intersect at a single point--Earth. The orbits are color-coded by velocity, from slow (red) to fast (blue).
[Larger image] [movies]
Potentially Hazardous Asteroids ( PHAs)
are space rocks larger than approximately 100m that
can come closer to Earth than 0.05 AU. None of the
known PHAs is on a collision course with our planet,
although astronomers are finding new
ones all the time.
On October 6, 2025 there were 2349 potentially hazardous asteroids.
 |
Recent
& Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
| Asteroid |
Date(UT) |
Miss Distance |
Velocity (km/s) |
Diameter (m) |
| 2023 EH2 |
2025-Sep-30 |
19.8 LD |
17.8 |
51 |
| 2025 TP2 |
2025-Sep-30 |
3.4 LD |
30.4 |
24 |
| 2025 TN1 |
2025-Sep-30 |
8.7 LD |
7.5 |
13 |
| 2025 SA3 |
2025-Sep-30 |
7 LD |
7.2 |
17 |
| 2025 SX10 |
2025-Sep-30 |
6.6 LD |
3.3 |
9 |
| 2025 SM27 |
2025-Sep-30 |
12 LD |
7.8 |
22 |
| 2025 TE |
2025-Sep-30 |
0.7 LD |
14.9 |
7 |
| 2025 TK1 |
2025-Sep-30 |
15.7 LD |
9.7 |
40 |
| 2025 TF |
2025-Oct-01 |
0 LD |
20.9 |
2 |
| 2025 TQ |
2025-Oct-01 |
0.8 LD |
10.1 |
6 |
| 2025 SQ12 |
2025-Oct-01 |
17.1 LD |
12.9 |
32 |
| 2025 SZ |
2025-Oct-01 |
9 LD |
2 |
8 |
| 2025 TB |
2025-Oct-01 |
3.6 LD |
11.9 |
17 |
| 2025 SY21 |
2025-Oct-01 |
4.5 LD |
20.5 |
15 |
| 2025 TP |
2025-Oct-01 |
0.3 LD |
14.7 |
5 |
| 2025 QL23 |
2025-Oct-01 |
7.1 LD |
10 |
75 |
| 2025 SY |
2025-Oct-02 |
12.2 LD |
5.9 |
14 |
| 2025 TG |
2025-Oct-02 |
5.2 LD |
6.1 |
14 |
| 2025 TP1 |
2025-Oct-02 |
0.6 LD |
12.6 |
11 |
| 2025 SH |
2025-Oct-02 |
3.6 LD |
3.7 |
12 |
| 2025 TQ2 |
2025-Oct-02 |
0 LD |
14.7 |
3 |
| 2020 GE1 |
2025-Oct-02 |
13.7 LD |
4.7 |
14 |
| 2025 TC |
2025-Oct-03 |
0.2 LD |
16.1 |
14 |
| 2025 TS |
2025-Oct-03 |
1.7 LD |
9.1 |
12 |
| 2025 SV6 |
2025-Oct-03 |
4.7 LD |
5 |
13 |
| 2025 RH2 |
2025-Oct-03 |
19.6 LD |
5.1 |
37 |
| 2025 SE29 |
2025-Oct-03 |
12.4 LD |
8.6 |
106 |
| 2025 SZ27 |
2025-Oct-04 |
3.1 LD |
16.4 |
32 |
| 2025 SY10 |
2025-Oct-05 |
15.7 LD |
11.4 |
21 |
| 2025 TO |
2025-Oct-05 |
3.3 LD |
6.9 |
9 |
| 2025 SO27 |
2025-Oct-05 |
10.3 LD |
6.5 |
12 |
| 2025 SN21 |
2025-Oct-05 |
7.4 LD |
8.3 |
16 |
| 2018 SP1 |
2025-Oct-05 |
13.2 LD |
16.4 |
85 |
| 2025 TO2 |
2025-Oct-05 |
3.7 LD |
6.3 |
19 |
| 2025 TL |
2025-Oct-05 |
11.6 LD |
18 |
75 |
| 2025 SJ22 |
2025-Oct-05 |
11.2 LD |
8.4 |
29 |
| 2025 TC1 |
2025-Oct-06 |
11.1 LD |
5.7 |
15 |
| 2025 SC24 |
2025-Oct-06 |
11.8 LD |
13.3 |
28 |
| 2025 SH25 |
2025-Oct-06 |
9.2 LD |
12.8 |
15 |
| 2025 SM15 |
2025-Oct-07 |
8 LD |
10.3 |
12 |
| 2025 SJ29 |
2025-Oct-08 |
8.4 LD |
10.5 |
17 |
| 2022 TU1 |
2025-Oct-08 |
16.9 LD |
12.9 |
10 |
| 2020 QU5 |
2025-Oct-08 |
11.7 LD |
13.2 |
26 |
| 2025 TF1 |
2025-Oct-08 |
8.4 LD |
17.5 |
21 |
| 2025 TN2 |
2025-Oct-08 |
3.5 LD |
14 |
27 |
| 2025 SP23 |
2025-Oct-09 |
1.3 LD |
14.8 |
29 |
| 2025 SA21 |
2025-Oct-09 |
9.3 LD |
7.8 |
18 |
| 2025 SP15 |
2025-Oct-09 |
16.4 LD |
8 |
36 |
| 2025 SP29 |
2025-Oct-10 |
9.7 LD |
14.2 |
22 |
| 2025 SN29 |
2025-Oct-10 |
12.5 LD |
9 |
21 |
| 2025 TS2 |
2025-Oct-11 |
17.3 LD |
8.3 |
26 |
| 2025 TU1 |
2025-Oct-13 |
6 LD |
7.5 |
18 |
| 2025 SC29 |
2025-Oct-14 |
14.9 LD |
6.7 |
18 |
| 2022 AY5 |
2025-Oct-14 |
7.4 LD |
8.4 |
5 |
| 2022 UY3 |
2025-Oct-15 |
10.2 LD |
7.4 |
15 |
| 2025 SX26 |
2025-Oct-16 |
8.7 LD |
8.4 |
20 |
| 2025 SQ27 |
2025-Oct-16 |
15.2 LD |
7.5 |
17 |
| 2025 TR2 |
2025-Oct-17 |
12.8 LD |
16.4 |
64 |
| 2022 UU15 |
2025-Oct-19 |
14.8 LD |
16.1 |
34 |
| 2025 SD7 |
2025-Oct-21 |
9.9 LD |
12.5 |
54 |
| 2023 UK3 |
2025-Oct-21 |
6.7 LD |
9 |
5 |
| 2024 GD2 |
2025-Oct-22 |
17.8 LD |
4.2 |
28 |
| 2022 HM1 |
2025-Oct-23 |
15.1 LD |
13.3 |
27 |
| 2012 TP231 |
2025-Oct-25 |
15.2 LD |
6.7 |
37 |
| 2020 FA5 |
2025-Oct-26 |
15.7 LD |
26.5 |
210 |
| 2009 HC |
2025-Oct-26 |
8.6 LD |
4.2 |
39 |
| 434196 |
2025-Oct-27 |
17.4 LD |
10.9 |
171 |
| 2023 VK6 |
2025-Nov-03 |
7.6 LD |
9.6 |
15 |
| 2021 VQ10 |
2025-Nov-08 |
9 LD |
15 |
13 |
| 2019 UH7 |
2025-Nov-08 |
13.3 LD |
5.8 |
11 |
| 2018 KC |
2025-Nov-09 |
16 LD |
9.3 |
11 |
| 2017 WG14 |
2025-Nov-09 |
16.7 LD |
11.7 |
45 |
| 2020 VK4 |
2025-Nov-10 |
16.4 LD |
3.8 |
9 |
| 2012 VC26 |
2025-Nov-11 |
13.3 LD |
6.4 |
6 |
| 2019 VL5 |
2025-Nov-14 |
14.7 LD |
9.1 |
24 |
| 2022 FG4 |
2025-Nov-17 |
18.7 LD |
22.2 |
105 |
| 3361 |
2025-Nov-19 |
14.8 LD |
9.1 |
435 |
| 2013 NJ4 |
2025-Nov-20 |
12.6 LD |
6.4 |
12 |
| 2021 WR |
2025-Nov-22 |
19.3 LD |
10 |
31 |
| 516155 |
2025-Nov-24 |
12.5 LD |
16.7 |
338 |
| 2020 WM |
2025-Nov-24 |
17.4 LD |
11.8 |
36 |
| 2019 UT6 |
2025-Nov-25 |
6.2 LD |
12.6 |
147 |
| 2018 WG2 |
2025-Nov-27 |
13.5 LD |
7.5 |
3 |
| 2007 VM184 |
2025-Dec-01 |
13.1 LD |
20 |
224 |
| 2018 WC2 |
2025-Dec-03 |
9.8 LD |
8.9 |
36 |
Notes: LD means
"Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance
between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256
AU.
| |
Cosmic Rays in the Atmosphere |
SPACE WEATHER BALLOON DATA: Almost once a week, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus fly space weather balloons to the stratosphere over California. These balloons are equipped with sensors that detect secondary cosmic rays, a form of radiation from space that can penetrate all the way down to Earth's surface. Our monitoring program has been underway without interruption for 10 years, resulting in a unique dataset of in situ atmospheric measurements.
Latest results (Nov. 2024): Atmospheric radiation is sharply decreasing in 2024. Our latest measurements in November registered a 10-year low:
What's going on? Ironically, the radiation drop is caused by increasing solar activity. Solar Cycle 25 has roared to life faster than forecasters expected. The sun's strengthening and increasingly tangled magnetic field repels cosmic rays from deep space. In addition, solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) sweep aside cosmic rays, causing sharp reductions called "Forbush Decreases." The two effects blend together to bring daily radiation levels down.
.Who cares? Cosmic rays are a surprisingly "down to Earth" form of space weather. They can alter the chemistry of the atmosphere, trigger lightning, and penetrate commercial airplanes. According to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan school of public health, crews of aircraft have higher rates of cancer than the general population. The researchers listed cosmic rays, irregular sleep habits, and chemical contaminants as leading risk factors. A number of controversial studies (#1, #2, #3, #4) go even further, linking cosmic rays with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.
Technical notes: The radiation sensors onboard our helium balloons detect X-rays and gamma-rays in the energy range 10 keV to 20 MeV. These energies span the range of medical X-ray machines and airport security scanners.
Data points in the graph labeled "Stratospheric Radiation" correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California. When cosmic rays crash into Earth's atmosphere, they produce a spray of secondary particles that is most intense at the entrance to the stratosphere. Physicists Eric Regener and Georg Pfotzer discovered the maximum using balloons in the 1930s and it is what we are measuring today.
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The
official U.S. government space weather bureau |
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The
first place to look for information about sundogs,
pillars, rainbows and related phenomena. |
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Researchers
call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO
is the most advanced solar observatory ever. |
| |
3D
views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial
Relations Observatory |
| |
Realtime
and archival images of the Sun from SOHO. |
| |
information about sunspots based on the latest NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary |
| |
current counts of failed and deployed Starlink satellites from Jonathan's Space Page. See also, all satellite statistics. |
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Authoritative predictions of space junk and satellite re-entries |
| |
from
the NOAA Space Environment Center |
| |
fun to read, but should be taken with a grain of salt! Forecasts looking ahead more than a few days are often wrong. |
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from the NOAA Space Environment Center |
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the
underlying science of space weather |
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