INSIGHT LANDS ON MARS: NASA's InSight Mars lander is safe on the Red Planet. InSight touched down in the plains of Elysium Planitia at 11:54 a.m. PST (2:54 p.m. EST) and has already sent back its first picture. A post-landing news briefing expected at 2 p.m. PST (5 p.m. EST). Stay tuned to NASA TV .
A LONG-LASTING HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: It's back. A hole in the sun's atmosphere that opened in June is turning to face Earth for the 6th time. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure, which stretches for more than 700,000 km across the sun's equator:
This is a "coronal hole"--a place where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. An emerging stream of solar wind is expected to reach Earth on Nov. 30th or Dec. 1st.
The last time solar wind from this hole lashed Earth's magnetic field, on Nov. 4th, it sparked a G1-class geomagnetic storm with auroras photographed in northern-tier US States including Wyoming, Montana, Iowa, Washington, North Dakota and, of course, Alaska. Similar displays may be in the offing this weekend. Free: Aurora Alerts.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
COMET PLUNGES INTO THE SUN: Subtract one from the Solar System's total count of comets. On Saturday, Nov. 24th, a small unnamed comet dove into the sun and evaporated. Coronagrapbhs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded the death plunge:
A subsequent movie shows the comet going in, but not coming out again. R.I.P.!
The doomed comet was a member of the Kreutz family. Kreutz sungrazers are fragments from the breakup of a single giant comet many centuries ago. They are seen falling into the sun dozens of times a year. This particular sungrazer measured a few tens of meters in diameter, too small to survive a close approach with the sun.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
A GIFT FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Nothing says "Merry Christmas" like a moonstone from the edge of space. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew this moonstone wrapped in a hand-crafted sterling silver Celtic love knot 35.1 km (115,158 feet) above Earth's surface:
You can have it for $179.95. 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. 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