DEEP SOLAR MINIMUM: As of today, the sun has been blank (no sunspots) 74% of the time in 2019. This is significant because the previous record for spotlessness during the Space Age was 73% set in 2008. If low sunspot counts continue apace, 2019 could end up as the deepest Solar Minimum of the modern era.
FOR NO PARTICULAR REASON, AURORAS AT SEA: Geomagnetic storms and auroras go together. Northern Lights are the telltale glow of Earth's magnetic field vibrating in response to solar wind. So how do we explain this? There was no geomagnetic storm on October 16th when bright auroras appeared off the coast of Tromsø, Norway. Alan Dyer photographed the display from the deck of the ferry ship Trollfjord:
"Despite the fact that geomagnetic activity was low, we had a crowd-pleasing show of Northern Lights from our position in the Norwegian Sea north of Tromsø," says Dyer. "While the purpose of the ferry is to deliver people, cars and cargo, the majority of passengers are sightseers sailing the coast for the spectacular scenery by day and the frequent auroras by night."
So where do the auroras come from? The seas around Tromsø are located beneath Earth's persistent auroral oval. A gentle rain of solar wind electrons, guided to Earth by our planet's curved magnetic field creates a polar ring of Northern Lights that intersects the latitude of Tromsø. Auroras appear there most nights--no geomagnetic storm required. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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THE SHOOTING STAR PENDANT: It's simple. It's elegant. And it's been to the edge of space. On Sept. 27th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon to the stratosphere. This stainless steel "shooting star" pendant hitched a ride, all the way to 108,245 feet:
You can have it for $89.95. The students are selling shooting star pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space and back again. These make great birthday and Christmas gifts.
Bonus: The star contains a hidden chamber, which you may fill with the ashes of a loved one or anything else you wish to keep close to your heart.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education