SUBSIDING STORMS: Contrary to forecasts, a stream of solar wind that hit Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 27th did not produce G2-class geomagnetic storms. Instead, minor G1-class storms were observed. Sometimes that happens... Even those storms are subsiding now as the solar wind speed ebbs below 500 km/s. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
This weekend's storm may have been "minor," but it was enough to create an explosion of auroras over northern Norway. Aurora tour guide Marianne Bergli was on the beach in Tromsø with her camera ready to capture the outburst:
"What a night! And a reminder that autumn auroras are best," says Marianne. "The night was very warm and comfortable, not like the bitter cold winter nights of January or February. We had a great time with our guests, who enjoyed a stunning sunset aurora and, later, this wonderful corona that looks like an eagle."
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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MAGNETIC VIBRATIONS: What happens when a stream of solar wind traveling 1.5 million mph hits Earth's magnetic field? The magnetic field vibrates. In Preston, UK, Stuart Green has been monitoring this weekend's solar wind event using a magnetometer in his backyard:
"Earth's magnetic field has definitely been vibrating in response to a stream of fast flowing solar wind racing from a large coronal hole," says Green.
Indeed, the wild swings on his plot are the textbook definition of a geomagnetic storm--in this case, category G1. They are the magnetic manifestation of auroras dancing at the same time around Arctic Circle.
"The sensor is buried in my garden about 0.5 meters below the surface in an East/West orientation," he explains. "This allows very sensitive (sub nanotesla) measurements of magnetic declination during geomagnetic storms. The plot shows the change in magnetic flux density in nanotesla occurring between readings every few minutes."
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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THE FULL MOON PENDANT: Poets, lovers, and artists have long known this simple truth: Nothing is more romantic than a full Moon. Now you can give the full Moon as a gift--the full Moon space pendant, that is. This one flew to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon:
You can have it for $119.95. The students are selling these spherical glass pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a Valentine's card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education