CHANCE OF MAGNETIC STORMS: NOAA forecasters say there is a 50% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Nov. 27th when a narrow stream of solar wind is expected to engulf Earth. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras, possibly pink. Free: Aurora Alerts.
A LOCAL GEOMAGNETIC STORM: Space weather forecasters and aurora chasers love to talk about the "planetary K index" (Kp). It's like a Richter Scale for geomagnetic storms, ranking global geomagnetic activity with numbers ranging from 0 (low) to 9 (extreme). When Kp shoots above 5, a storm is in progress and auroras ring the Arctic Circle. When Kp is near 0, you wouldn't expect to see anything. Yet on Nov. 24th, Kp was 0 when aurora tour guide Oliver Wright witnessed a magnificent display over Abisko, Sweden:
"The sky went completely crazy with vivid greens and pinks," says Wright. "Totally not what we expecting to see with the Kp score as low as it was. "
What happened? Wright himself solved the mystery: "We have just been looking at magnetometer data from the nearby town of Kiruna. Locally, there was a magnetic disturbance corresponding to a K index of 7--a strong geomagnetic storm. It just goes to show how geomagnetic activity can be much more localized than expected."
Indeed, this episode and others like it highlight a shortcoming of space weather forecasting: For decades, analysts have used a global index (Kp) to express forecasts of regional activity. It would be like a terrestrial weather forecaster announcing "there is a chance of rain today around the Arctic Circle." Okay. But where around the Arctic Circle?
Regional forecasting of geomagnetic effects is a relatively new frontier in space weather research. NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center and its university partners are starting to make strides in this area. For instance, experimental Geospace Ground Magnetic Perturbation Maps show realtime estimates of geomagnetic activity in a five-by-five degree polar grid, providing more local information than ever before. Try watching the movies the next time a "planetary" geomagnetic storm is in progress; the regional information may surprise you.
A CRYSTAL BALL IN THE STRATOSPHERE: For the first time ever, a crystal ball has visited the stratosphere. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it on Oct. 19, 2017--a combination optics experiment and fundraiser. Watch the video as the crystal orb travels onboard a giant helium balloon 93,000 feet above Earth's surface, stretching, focusing, and inverting the incredible landscape of the Sierra Nevada mountains behind it:
This 800 gram crystal ball contains an embedded model of the Solar System, including the sun, eight planets and their moons. It makes an incredible gift for anyone interested in space.
We have flown only a small number of these heavyweight crystal balls. You can have one for $199. Each crystal ball comes with a unique gift card showing the item at the edge of space and telling the story of its flight. It also comes with a complementary crystal stand so you can display this unique keepsake on a desktop or shelf. QUANTITIES ARE LIMITED.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
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