Metallic photos of the sun by renowned photographer Greg Piepol bring together the best of art and science. Buy one or a whole set. They make a stellar gift. |
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PHOBOS-GRUNT
SIGNALS DECIPHERED: Russian analysts
have deciphered some of the transmissions received
from Phobos-Grunt on Nov. 24th. According to reports,
however, the data do not reveal why the Mars probe
failed to fire its main engines on Nov. 9th, when
it should have left Earth orbit en route to the
Red Planet. The window of opportunity to reach Mars
has closed, but if Roscosmos (theRussian space agency)
can regain control of Phobos-Grunt before it falls
back into Earth's atmosphere, the spacecraft could
be re-purposed for a different mission.
BLACK
FRIDAY SOLAR ECLIPSE: Earlier today,
Nov. 25th, the new Moon passed in front of the sun,
slightly off-center, producing a partial solar eclipse
visible from Antarctica, Tasmania, and parts of
South Africa and New Zealand. Mike Nicholson photographed
the event about two minutes before sunset from Otaki
Beach, NZ:
"We were experiencing gale force
Sou'westerlies when I took the picture," says
Nicholson. "Low clouds plus flying salt and
sand provided a natural filter to reduce the glare
of the sun."
Maximum coverage occurred about 100
miles off the coast of Antarctica where the sun
turned into a slender 9% crescent. Will any pictures
be submitted from that
remote location? Stay tuned.
more images: from
James of Christchurch, New Zealand; from
Joerg Schoppmeyer of Signal Hill, Cape Town;
from
Bonar Carson of Dunedin, New Zealand; from
Peter Sayers of Penguin, Tasmania, Australia
NORTHERN
LIGHTS: As winter approaches, days
are growing short around the Arctic Circle. "Luckily
we still have Northern Lights to illuminate our
village," says Miika Sirkiä, who sends this
picture from Kittilä in the Finnish Lapland on Nov.
24th:
"Around midnight, the auroras
were very bright--enough to turn the river Ounasjoki
green," says Sirkiä.
Auroras have been flickering around
the Arctic Circle for several days. These displays
are not caused by major solar activity. Instead,
they are prompted by small magnetic fluctuations
in the solar wind. The interplanetary magnetic field
(IMF) near Earth
tips south, partially canceling Earth's north-pointing
magnetic field. Solar wind pours in, oh so briefly,
to excite the Northern Lights. Aurora
alerts: text,
phone.
more images: from
Andy Keen of Ivalo, Northern Lapland, Finland;
from
Thomas Achermann of Jerisjärvi, Muonio, Lapland,
Finland; from
Steve Milner of Ft. St. John, British Columbia;
from
Borkur Hrolfsson of Reykjavik, Iceland; from
Eric Rock of Churchill, Manitoba; from
Pavel Kantsurov of Norilsk, Russia;
