PI DAY SOLAR WIND STREAM: A stream of solar wind flowing from a wide gash in the sun's atmosphere is approaching Earth. Estimated time of arrival: March 14 (3.14). Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras after sunset on Pi Day. Free: Aurora Alerts
VENUS AND MERCURY: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. If you have a clear view of the horizon, you'll see Venus and Mercury beaming through the sunset. Kouji Ohnishi sends this picture of the duo from Sugadaora, Nagano, Japan:
"Nagano city was cloudy, but I was able to climb up and see the planets on a sea of clouds," says Ohnishi. "Venus and Mercury were brightly shining. It is unusual for Mercury to look so bright."
Ohnishi entitled this picture Vespers. "Vespers is an evening prayer, but also the meaning of the evening star in Japan," he explains.
The sunset planet show is about to get even better. On March 18th, the slender crescent Moon will join Venus and Mercury for a loose but beautiful conjunction in the evening sky. The three will form a slightly bent line less than 8 degrees long--about the size of the bowl of the Big Dipper. [sky map]
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
WILD RIDE OF THE EASTERNAUTS: Easter is coming early this year: April 1, 2018--hence the flight of the Easternauts. To support their cosmic ray ballooning program, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have launched a payload full of bunnies to the edge of space:
You can have one for $49.95. (Space helmet included!) They make great Easter gifts for young scientists, and all proceeds support STEM education. Each bunny comes with a greeting card showing the Easternaut in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All proceeds support hands-on STEM education
AURORAS IN THE USA: On March 9th, an "equinox crack" opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind poured in, igniting bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. Thomas J. Spence saw the distant glow from Tofte, Minnesota:
"After hearing that northern lights could be active, I went for a jaunt into the woods after sunset," says Spence. "The aurora were putting off a nice glow and I did a little snowshoeing, waiting to see if they would pick up. It was a subtle, quiet aurora here in Minnesota, but the snowshoes made for some nice photos and memories."
With the northern vernal equinox less than 8 days away, Earth's magnetic field will be "cracking" even more in the nights ahead. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for Spring Green. Free: Aurora Alerts