SOLAR MINIMUM CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT: The sun has been without spots for 7 consecutive days--a sign that Solar Minimum is underway. Many people think Solar Minimum is uninteresting. Not so. This phase of the solar cycle brings extra cosmic rays, long-lasting holes in the sun's atmosphere, and strangely pink auroras. Aurora Alerts: SMS text, email.
SPEAKING OF PINK AURORAS: Last night, Feb. 6th, a minor crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind poured in to fuel an outburst of green and pink auroras. Oliver Wright of Lights over Lapland was guiding a group of tourists through Abisko National Park in Sweden when he photographed the display:
"The forecast did not call for geomagnetic storms, so this came as a bit of a surprise," says Wright. "The pink band was very strong."
Most auroras are green--a verdant glow caused by energetic particles from space hitting oxygen atoms 100 km to 300 km above Earth's surface. Pink appears when the energetic particles descend lower than usual, striking nitrogen molecules (N2) at the 100 km level and below. For reasons that are not fully understood, pink auroras are sighted relatively often during Solar Minimum.
Readers, would you like to know when a crack is opening in Earth's magnetic field? Sign up for Space Weather Alerts. The PRO Plan includes instant text notifications of such cracks based on solar wind data from NASA's DSCOVR satellite.
VALENTINE'S GIFTS FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Valentine's Day is only 9 days away. Nothing says "I love you" like a gift from the edge of space. Everything in the Earth to Sky Store is 10% off from now until Feb. 14th:
Everything in the store has been flown to the stratosphere onboard cosmic ray balloons, which the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launch approximately once a week to monitor atmospheric radiation. All sales support our cosmic ray ballooning program and help launch young scientists into research careers through hands-on STEM education.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
A PERFECT STORM FOR SUNDOGS: At this time of year, northern Minnesota can be brutally cold. The afternoon of Feb. 4th was no exception. "It was -26 F, the sun was setting, and snow was blowing," reports Todd Renslow of Moorhead, MN. In other words, he says, "it was a perfect storm for sundogs."
Blowing snow had a strange effect upon the sunset. Ice crystals in the air caught the light of the low-hanging sun, surrounding the orange orb with a pair of sundogs, a 22-degree halo and, atop it all, an upper tangent arc. A towering sun pillar bisected the display. These luminous shapes were caused by a mix of plate-shaped and pencil-shaped ice crystals.
If it's cold where you live, keep an eye on the setting sun. The storm does not have to be perfect for sundogs to appear. Ordinary wintry air is often enough for a good display.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery