THE ORIONID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY: This weekend, Earth is crossing through a stream of dust from Halley's Comet, source of the annual Orionid meteor shower. International observers are now reporting more than 15 Orionids per hour. The best time to look is during the dark hours before sunrise on Sunday, Oct. 21st, when the nearly-full Moon is below the horizon. [sky map] [photo gallery]
A HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: An irregular hole in the sun's atmosphere is turning to face Earth, spewing a ragged stream of solar wind toward our planet. Estimated time of arrival: Oct. 23-24. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this false-color UV image of the structure on Oct. 20th:
This is a "coronal hole"--a place where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. Coronal holes look dark because the glowing-hot plasma normally contained there is missing. In this case, it is en route to Earth.
High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the gaseous material arrives. A bright full Moon on Oct. 24th will add its luminosity to that of any geomagnetic storm, creating some nice landscape photo-ops around the Arctic Circle.Free: Aurora Alerts.
THE PLUTO PENDANT: When NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto in the summer of 2015, planetary scientists were amazed by what they saw: towering mountains, methane dunes, deep canyons. Most amazing of all was the giant heart in Pluto's southern hemisphere. That heart, a.k.a. "Tombaugh Regio", is featured on the Pluto Pendant:
On Oct 11th the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched this pendant to the edge of space using a high altitude cosmic ray balloon. It reached an altitude of 35.6 km (116,798 feet) above Earth's surface. You can have it for $119.95. The students are selling these pendants support their cosmic ray ballooning program.
Bonus: If you buy one now, you may have a "Pluto is a Planet" Space Pendant free of charge.
Each pendant comes with a unique gift card showing the item at the edge of space and telling the story of its flight. Proceeds support Earth to Sky Calculus and hands-on STEM research.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education