CHINA IN POSITION FOR MOON LANDING: Today, China's Chang'e-4 spacecraft moved into an elliptical orbit that puts it in good position for an historic soft-landing on the farside of the Moon. At closest approach, Chang'e-4 is now swooping only 15 km above the lunar surface. The China National Space Administration (CNSA) has not yet announced exactly when the ship will descend. Early January seems like a good bet because at that time the landing site will be flooded with sunlight. Stay tuned!
THE NEXT GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A hole in the sun's atmosphere is turning to face Earth and spewing a stream of solar wind in our direction. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure on Dec. 29th:
The gaseous material is expected to arive on Jan. 4, 2019. The incoming stream could spark the first geomagnetic storm of the New Year with auroras likely around the Arctic Circle. Free: Aurora Alerts.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
A GIFT FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: The students of Earth to Sky Calculus are about to kick off a new year of cosmic ray balloon launches, continuing a 5-year campaign to monitor increasing levels of radiation in Earth's atmosphere. You can help. Buy any gift item from the Earth to Sky Store and we'll give you 10% off to celebrate the New Year.
All items in the Earth to Sky Store have flown to the edge of space onboard cosmic ray balloons. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey. 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