MINOR STREAMS OF SOLAR WIND: Today, Earth is exiting a minor stream of solar wind, and for the rest of the weekend wind speeds will ebb. The next stream, also minor, is due on Feb 5th. Arctic sky watchers can expect an uptick in auroras when the gaseous material arrives next week. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.

RED AIRGLOW OVER DENMARK: They look like auroras, but they're not. On Jan. 22nd, Ruslan Merzlyakov went to the beach in Bulbjerg, Denmark, to photograph the Milky Way. His camera revealed a sky filled with rippling red lights:

"Really strong red airglow appeared in the sky over Northern Jutland as the darkness arrived," says Merzlyakov.

Airglow is aurora-like phenomenon caused by chemical reactions in the upper atmosphere, kickstarted by solar UV radiation. Human eyes seldom notice the faint glow, but it can be photographed on very dark nights anywhere in the world.

Airglow comes in two colors: green and red. Green is caused by oxygen. Red like Merzlyakov saw is a sign of OH. These neutral molecules (not to be confused with the OH- ion found in aqueous solutions) exist in a thin layer 85 km high where gravity waves impress the red glow with a dramatic rippling structure.

"The gravity waves were quite clear," says Merzlyakov. "They made the airglow look even more like auroras." Even though they're not.

Realtime Airglow Photo Gallery
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Realtime Spaceweather Photo Gallery
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ARCTIC NORTHERN LIGHTS PENDANT: Valentine's Day is coming. Nothing says "I Love You" like a Northern Lights pendant from the Arctic stratosphere. On Jan. 22, 2020, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon to measure atmospheric radiation inside the Arctic Circle. This pendant hitched a ride, floating more than 75,000 feet above the frozen terrain of northern Sweden:

You can have it for $139.95. The students are selling these pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a romantic 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

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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