GEOMAGNETIC UNREST POSSIBLE: A minor stream of solar wind is expected to brush past Earth on Nov. 18th or 19th. This could unsettle our planet's polar magnetic field, resulting in auroras around the Arctic Circle as the new week begins. Full-fledged geomagnetic storms are not expected. Free: Aurora Alerts
LEONID METEOR SHOWER UPDATE: The 2018 Leonid meteor shower is peaking this weekend as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. International Observers report seeing nearly 15 meteors per hour from dark-sky sites. Sven Melchert caught this one coming almost straight at him from the head of Leo on Nov. 18th:
"In the early morning at 04:09:40 UT a bright meteor appeared over Stuttgart, Germany-- obviously one of the Leonid meteors," says Melchert. "This image, a 4 minute exposure, shows the fireball itself plus the debris drifting way after the meteoroid exploded."
Meteor rates are expected to drop sharply on Nov. 19th as Earth begins to exit the comet's stream of debris. Did you miss the shower? Browse the Realtime Meteor Gallery for highlights. [sky map]
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
A GIFT FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Don't just see the Northern Lights, wear them! To support their cosmic ray balloon program, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have flown a payload of Northern Light Pendants to the edge of space. This one reached an altitude 109,908 feet above Earth's surface:
You can have it for $79.95. The students are selling these pendants to pay their helium bill. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. All 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