WEEKEND AURORA WATCH: NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Jan. 28th when a stream of fast-moving solar wind is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras this weekend. Free: Aurora Alerts
"You know that you have seen something special when the snow turns green," says aurora tour guide Peter Rosen, who took this picture on Jan. 18th from the Reindeer Lodge in Kiruna, Sweden:
"We had some amazing aurora last week and the forecast looks good for this weekend as well," he says.
TWO BIG HOLES IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is now tracking two large holes in the sun's atmosphere. One (on the right) is almost directly facing Earth, and the other (left) is still turning toward us:
These are "coronal holes" (CHs)--places in the sun's atmosphere where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. Coronal holes turn the sun into a kind of gassy lighthouse. They strobe Earth with streams of solar wind every 27 days, the rotation period of the sun.
Earth will encounter solar wind streams from both of these holes. The first is due to arrive on Jan. 28th. The second, larger stream should reach our planet on or about Feb 1st. Arctic sky watchers, mark you calendars; auroras are in the offing.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
FAR-OUT VALENTINE'S GIFT: To raise money for their cosmic ray ballooning program, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have flown a payload-full of Valentine's pendants to the edge of space--and you can have one for $89.95. Buy one this week and we will include a space rose free of charge.
Each glittering pendant comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and certifying that it has been to the stratosphere and back again.
More far-out Valentine's gifts may be found in the Earth to Sky store. All proceeds support cosmic ray balloon flights and STEM education.
Realtime Airglow Photo Gallery