AI writing is everywhere -- except here. This website is written by Dr. Tony Phillips, a carbon-based lifeform with 30 yrs of forecasting experience. Our guarantee: If you find a mistake, it was made by a real human being.
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VERY HIGH SPEED SOLAR WIND: Earth is inside a fast-moving stream of solar wind flowing from a wide hole in the sun's atmosphere. Wind speeds are currently topping 700 km/s (1.6 million mph). NOAA forecasters are predicting a G1-class geomagnetic storm with high-latitude auroras on Nov. 9th. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
MUTUAL OCCULTATION OF JUPITER'S MOONS: What would Galileo think? When the great astronomer discovered Jupiter's moons 400 years ago, they were no more than pinpricks of light in his primitive telescope. Fast-forward to 2026, and they are fully-resolved spherical worlds:
This rare movie shows Europa partially eclipsing Ganymede on Nov. 7th. Günther Strauch recorded the event from Borken, Germany, using a 16-inch Meade telescope.
Galilean moons can only eclipse and occult each other near Jupiter’s equinox--or about once every 6 years. This season’s equinox falls on Dec. 16th. Observers who try to record these events typically see no more than unresolved points of light. Strauch actually resolved both disks: Ganymede at 1.34" and Europa at 0.80". A 16-inch telescope's theoretical resolution limit (the Dawes limit) is about 0.29 arcseconds, so he was working near the edge of what the instrument can do
In the video, Europa is the smaller, brighter dot. Its icy surface reflects much more light than Ganymede’s darker landscape. Europa's higher surface brightness makes it easy to follow as it passes in front of Ganymede, which is larger than the planet Mercury.
Answer: "I think I'd like a Meade"
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Space Weather Newsletter
BE ALERT FOR FIREBALLS THIS WEEK: If you see a fireball this week, it is probably a Taurid meteor. Eliot Herman photographed this one disintegrating over Tucson, Arizona, on Nov. 7th:
"It is Taurid season," says Herman. "This fireball was at 11:49 pm in Tucson captured over the Catalina mountains. It left a faint 30 sec smoke trail."
Taurids come from Comet 2P/Encke. Encke’s debris stream is rich in pebble-sized chunks, much bigger than the dust grains that fuel most meteor showers. They strike the atmosphere at a leisurely 65,000 mph, burning slowly and brightly, with many becoming fireballs.
The shower peaks this week on Nov. 11th and 12th. The phase of the Moon is favorable: Only a slender crescent will be in the evening sky, and it sets early. Streaks of light may be seen all night long, but especially around midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky.
Realtime Meteor Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
"I NEED MY SPACE" ASTRONAUT SNOOPY CUP: Coffee tastes better in a cup that's been to space. On July 16th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched the "I Need My Space" Astronaut Snoopy cup to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. Here it is floating more than 105,315 feet above Earth's surface:
You can have it for $99.95. It's Peanuts for a cup from space! The students are selling Snoopy cups to support their cosmic ray monitoring program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the cup in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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 November 8, 2026, the network reported 10 fireballs.
(8 sporadics, 1 November omega Orionid, 1 omicron Eridanid)
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 November 9, 2026 there were 2349 potentially hazardous asteroids.
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Recent
& Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
| Asteroid |
Date(UT) |
Miss Distance |
Velocity (km/s) |
Diameter (m) |
| 2026 VC3 |
2026-Nov-03 |
7.8 LD |
21.5 |
53 |
| 2026 VF3 |
2026-Nov-03 |
5.7 LD |
17.4 |
84 |
| 2026 VF6 |
2026-Nov-03 |
1.6 LD |
8.6 |
12 |
| 2026 VN3 |
2026-Nov-03 |
2.4 LD |
24.3 |
18 |
| 2026 VE |
2026-Nov-03 |
9.1 LD |
14.7 |
26 |
| 2026 VU3 |
2026-Nov-03 |
8.5 LD |
12.3 |
17 |
| 2026 VY4 |
2026-Nov-03 |
4.7 LD |
20.1 |
15 |
| 2021 VC4 |
2026-Nov-03 |
6 LD |
11.2 |
15 |
| 2026 VK |
2026-Nov-03 |
8.9 LD |
7.3 |
30 |
| 2026 VV4 |
2026-Nov-04 |
1.1 LD |
12.5 |
7 |
| 2026 VJ5 |
2026-Nov-04 |
17.8 LD |
9.2 |
46 |
| 2026 VR3 |
2026-Nov-04 |
11.5 LD |
9 |
13 |
| 2026 VO4 |
2026-Nov-04 |
0.5 LD |
7.5 |
14 |
| 2026 VC |
2026-Nov-04 |
13.1 LD |
11.7 |
20 |
| 2026 VJ |
2026-Nov-04 |
5.6 LD |
13.8 |
30 |
| 2026 VC6 |
2026-Nov-04 |
2.2 LD |
6.3 |
15 |
| 2026 VO5 |
2026-Nov-04 |
0.5 LD |
8.8 |
27 |
| 2017 WJ2 |
2026-Nov-05 |
14.7 LD |
12 |
118 |
| 2026 VT4 |
2026-Nov-05 |
13.5 LD |
7.8 |
14 |
| 2026 VP1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
0.6 LD |
12.6 |
6 |
| 2026 VW4 |
2026-Nov-05 |
6.4 LD |
7.1 |
9 |
| 2016 VZ1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
20 LD |
13.5 |
21 |
| 2026 VV1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
4.6 LD |
6.1 |
11 |
| 2026 VF1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
9.1 LD |
4.3 |
14 |
| 2026 VS4 |
2026-Nov-06 |
2.3 LD |
7.8 |
5 |
| 2001 KF54 |
2026-Nov-06 |
18.9 LD |
16.4 |
391 |
| 2026 VN1 |
2026-Nov-06 |
1.6 LD |
17.1 |
8 |
| 2026 VM5 |
2026-Nov-06 |
5.7 LD |
9.7 |
14 |
| 2026 VZ4 |
2026-Nov-06 |
9 LD |
4.3 |
12 |
| 2026 VG3 |
2026-Nov-07 |
0.6 LD |
8 |
11 |
| 2026 VZ3 |
2026-Nov-07 |
18.4 LD |
15.3 |
18 |
| 2026 VL5 |
2026-Nov-07 |
0.1 LD |
13.7 |
2 |
| 2026 UX |
2026-Nov-07 |
19.6 LD |
9.7 |
39 |
| 2026 VP4 |
2026-Nov-07 |
10.4 LD |
10.7 |
11 |
| 2026 VK2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
2.3 LD |
4.9 |
3 |
| 2026 VB1 |
2026-Nov-08 |
8.9 LD |
14.2 |
23 |
| 2026 VY1 |
2026-Nov-08 |
4.2 LD |
13.6 |
20 |
| 2026 UG4 |
2026-Nov-08 |
6.7 LD |
7.2 |
34 |
| 2026 VR5 |
2026-Nov-08 |
0.7 LD |
16.1 |
5 |
| 2026 VW2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
8 LD |
14.8 |
16 |
| 2026 VO2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
4.7 LD |
7 |
9 |
| 2025 UF5 |
2026-Nov-09 |
18.9 LD |
1.9 |
10 |
| 2026 VQ4 |
2026-Nov-09 |
10 LD |
10.2 |
13 |
| 2015 VH65 |
2026-Nov-10 |
9.7 LD |
8 |
10 |
| 2026 VT3 |
2026-Nov-10 |
4.3 LD |
9.8 |
13 |
| 2026 VK1 |
2026-Nov-10 |
9.6 LD |
9.1 |
15 |
| 2026 VK5 |
2026-Nov-10 |
12.3 LD |
9.8 |
22 |
| 2012 YD7 |
2026-Nov-10 |
18.6 LD |
7.5 |
49 |
| 2026 VN4 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8.6 LD |
3.6 |
13 |
| 2023 VF3 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8.5 LD |
8.8 |
19 |
| 2026 VY |
2026-Nov-11 |
18.4 LD |
6.5 |
19 |
| 2026 VX1 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8 LD |
4.3 |
10 |
| 2022 MP2 |
2026-Nov-13 |
19.8 LD |
3.8 |
23 |
| 2025 VG5 |
2026-Nov-13 |
18.2 LD |
4.9 |
16 |
| 2026 VO1 |
2026-Nov-13 |
9.8 LD |
14.3 |
39 |
| 2026 VV5 |
2026-Nov-13 |
15.2 LD |
13 |
52 |
| 2026 UY |
2026-Nov-14 |
19.7 LD |
4.3 |
64 |
| 2026 VQ2 |
2026-Nov-16 |
19.6 LD |
12.6 |
32 |
| 2026 VM3 |
2026-Nov-16 |
8.1 LD |
3.7 |
12 |
| 2023 VE6 |
2026-Nov-17 |
18.4 LD |
10.1 |
13 |
| 2022 VB2 |
2026-Nov-17 |
7.8 LD |
9 |
33 |
| 2012 VF46 |
2026-Nov-18 |
16.6 LD |
11.2 |
68 |
| 2019 WT1 |
2026-Nov-18 |
19.7 LD |
9.7 |
16 |
| 2018 NE1 |
2026-Nov-19 |
16.7 LD |
13.3 |
74 |
| 2026 TB84 |
2026-Nov-19 |
12.1 LD |
9.9 |
64 |
| 2026 VD6 |
2026-Nov-20 |
10.5 LD |
9.4 |
16 |
| 2026 VQ5 |
2026-Nov-26 |
5.3 LD |
11.6 |
62 |
| 2025 CP1 |
2026-Nov-30 |
12.9 LD |
10.8 |
6 |
| 2019 XF2 |
2026-Dec-04 |
3.1 LD |
10.2 |
14 |
| 2023 XH3 |
2026-Dec-06 |
18.7 LD |
16.5 |
14 |
| 2020 XC3 |
2026-Dec-08 |
14.5 LD |
14.3 |
110 |
| 2016 NV |
2026-Dec-08 |
14.3 LD |
10.4 |
379 |
| 2010 VQ |
2026-Dec-12 |
4.6 LD |
4.3 |
10 |
| 2025 XN6 |
2026-Dec-12 |
6.9 LD |
12.2 |
5 |
| 2026 QQ8 |
2026-Dec-13 |
3.5 LD |
0.8 |
2 |
| 2026 LZ1 |
2026-Dec-14 |
14.4 LD |
11.2 |
36 |
| 2025 YN |
2026-Dec-18 |
18.3 LD |
13.1 |
21 |
| 2018 FQ4 |
2026-Dec-19 |
16.7 LD |
10.4 |
14 |
| 2021 PF7 |
2026-Dec-26 |
15.5 LD |
7.7 |
10 |
| 2019 AY3 |
2027-Jan-04 |
20 LD |
20 |
61 |
| 2023 FP1 |
2027-Jan-05 |
10.4 LD |
2.7 |
17 |
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. |
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3D
views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial
Relations Observatory |
| |
Realtime
and archival images of the Sun from SOHO. |
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information about sunspots based on the latest NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary |
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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 |
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from
the NOAA Space Environment Center |
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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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Got a chipped or cracked windshield that prevents you from seeing space weather events while driving? Get windshield replacement from SR Windows & Glass with free mobile auto glass service anywhere in the Phoenix area. |
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