EXPERTS PREDICT A LONG, DEEP SOLAR MINIMUM: An international panel of researchers led by NASA and NOAA has released a new prediction for the solar cycle: The current solar minimum is going to deepen, potentially reaching a century-class low in the next year or so. This will be followed by a new Solar Max in the years 2023-2026. Get the full story here.
B IS FOR "BOMB": Big sunspot AR2738 is crackling with B-class solar flares. This morning in France, astrophotographer Philippe Tosi caught the sunspot in mid-flare, inserting an image of Earth for scale:
On the Richter Scale of Solar Flares, B-class events are considered weak. In solar physics, however, such terms are relative. A typical B-class solar flare releases as much energy as 100 million WWII atomic bombs. Only on the sun, which is itself a 1027 ton self-contained nuclear explosion, would such a blast be considered "weak."
Despite the objective potency of B-flares, they have little effect on Earth. Their UV output causes short-lived waves of ionization to ripple through our planet's upper atmosphere, subtly affecting the propagation of shortwave radio waves. That's it. An M-class or X-class flare would have more impact, but the relatively simple magnetic field of sunspot AR2738 does not appear to harbor sufficient energy for those more powerful explosions. Solar flare alerts: SMS text, email.
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A GIFT FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Looking for an over-the-Moon gift? Consider this: On Jan. 4th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew this 3D printed Moon globe to the stratosphere, 36.3 km (119,095 ft) above California's Sierra Nevada mountains:
You can have it for $149.95. The students are selling these globes to support their cosmic ray ballooning program.
The surface of the sphere is an accurate topo-map of lunar terrain, tracing every major crater and mountain range. It is also a night light. A built-in USB-rechargeable battery provides up to 20 hours of romantic illumination. Each glowing orb comes with a greeting card showing the Moon in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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