RADS ON A PLANE--NEW RESULTS: For the past three years, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have been flying cosmic ray sensors onboard commercial airlines, gathering data over 27 countries, 5 continents and 2 oceans. Results from the study are now available. Also, we've launched a new website to showcase this ongoing research. Check out RadsonaPlane.com.
CORONAL CANYON FACES EARTH: A large canyon-shaped hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere, and it is turning to face Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this false-color UV picture of the structure on Oct. 4th:
This is a coronal hole--a place in the sun's atmosphere when magnetic fields open up and allow solar wind to escape. Coronal holes are common, but this one is unusually large. It stretches more than 900,000 km from the sun's north polar crown across the equator into the sun's southern hemisphere. Now that's a grand canyon.
The emerging stream of solar wind will reach Earth on Oct. 7th or 8th bringing a chance of G1- to G2-class geomagnetic storms. Arctic sky watchers, prepare for auroras! Free: Aurora alerts.
FLY ME TO THE MOONSTONE: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Nothing says "I love you" like a moonstone from the edge of space. On June 12th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew this moonstone wrapped in a sterling silver Celtic love knot 34.1 km (111,877 feet) above Earth's surface:
You can have it for $149.95. The students are selling these pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. Sales support the Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray ballooning program and hands-on STEM research.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education