GEOMAGNETIC STORMS LIKELY TODAY: NOAA forecasters say there is a 60% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Nov. 8th as Earth moves into a fast-moving stream of solar wind. Isolated periods of G2-class storming are possible as well. The gaseous stream is flowing from a wide hole in the sun's atmosphere, and our planet is expected to remain inside it for at least another 24 hours. Free: Aurora Alerts.
NORTHERN LIGHTS INVADE THE USA: Space weather forecasters predicted a minor geomagnetic storm on Nov. 7th. It turned out to be much stronger. As night fell across North America, auroras spilled across the Canadian border into more than a dozen US states. Jack Webb photographed these red columns towering over Wapiti, Wyoming:
"That's a 10,500 ft (3200 m) mountain in the foreground," says Webb. "At this latitude (+44 N) it takes a pretty good geomagnetic storm to get above it."
Auroras were sighted in Alaska, Vermont, New York, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and--believe it or not--Nebraska:
"This was predicted to be a G1-class storm, but I think it went crazier," says photographer Jingpeng Liu of Prague, Nebraska (lat. +41 N). "Immediately after sunset I noticed a red-ish glow above the horizon and it turned out to be strong auroras. What a treat to central Nebraska!"
What made this display so strong? A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 7th. The leading edge of the stream contained a co-rotating interaction region (CIR). CIRs are transition zones between slow- and fast-moving streams of solar wind; they hold density gradients and strong magnetic fields that do an extra-good job sparking auroras. The arrival of the CIR sparked a G2-class geomagnetic storm and a surprisingly good show. Free: Aurora Alerts.
SOLAR ECLIPSE CRYSTAL PYRAMID: On Aug. 21, 2017, during the Great American Solar Eclipse, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched 11 space weather balloons from the path of totality. The armada of balloons soared into the stratosphere, touching the shadow of the Moon more than 100,000 feet above Earth's surface. As a fundraiser, one of the balloons carried this pyramid, and you can have it for $139.95:
With the sun, Earth, and Moon perfectly aligned, the faces of the 5-sided crystal caught the reflection of the eclipsed sun while wrapped in the space-cold shadow of our planet's gray cratered companion. Watch the video! The payload capsule contained more crystals just like it.
Each pyramid comes with a unique gift card showing the crystal floating at the top of Earth's atmosphere and passing through the Moon's shadow. The interior of the card tells the story of the flight and confirms that this gift has been to the edge of space and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All proceeds support hands-on STEM education
WHITE SATIN AURORAS: A solar wind stream engulfed Earth during the early hours of Nov. 7th, igniting a display of Northern Lights over Alaska. Todd Salat sends this picture from the Kenai Mountains in south-central Alaska:
"The auroras made beautiful music above Portage Lake on November 7th," says Salat. "During my aurora hunt I was playing a Moody Blues CD and their classic song 'Nights in White Satin' was the perfect soundtrack with white satin snow and powerful auroras that kept coming through in huge waves for hours on end."