Did you miss the aurora surprise of August? Next time get a wake-up call: Spaceweather PHONE.
SOLAR SENTINELS: With astronauts returning to the Moon, reliable forecasts of space weather are more important than ever. A newly-proposed mission called "Solar Sentinels" would surround the sun with spacecraft to keep an eye on solar activity: full story.
RETURN OF A SUNSPOT: Remember photogenic sunspot 904? It's back. After a two-week journey around the far side of the sun, 904 is emerging again over the sun's eastern limb:
Image credit: Pete Lawrence of Selsey, UK. Sept. 5, 2006. Coronado PST.
When last we saw it, sunspot 904 was decaying, a process that probably continued on the sun's farside. So it may not be as photogenic as before. We'll know soon enough; the sun's rotation is turning the spot toward Earth for a face-on view.
more images: from John Stetson and Shane P. of S. Portland, Maine; from Vasilis Wooseas of Greece.
BRIGHT AURORAS: On Sunday night, photographer Geoff Lussier of Manitoba, Canada, "had a feeling" he should stay up late--and he was right. Around 2:30 in the morning, the sky over Patrica Beach (where he had his camera set up) erupted in color:
September 2006 Aurora Gallery
The display was caused by a solar wind stream hitting Earth's magnetic field. It was a gentle gust, but at this time of year even gentle gusts can cause bright Northern Lights. What's special about "this time of year"? Auroras appear more often during the early months of autumn than at any other time of year. It's aurora season, so be prepared!
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