GEOMAGNETIC UNREST EXPECTED: A minor stream of solar wind is heading for Earth. Estimated time of arrival: Feb. 5-6. The gaseous material is flowing from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere. Arctic sky watchers should expect an uptick in auroral activity when the stream arrives. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
A SMALL CRACK IN EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD: Last night, a small crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind poured in to fuel a brief but dramatic display of auroras over the Alps of Norway:
"The Moon and auroras lit up the Lyngyn Alps near Tromsø," reports photographer Peter Schurte, who used a Sony A7s digital camera and a 3.2 second exposure @ ISO 3200 to capture the outburst.
The crack developed on Feb. 3rd when the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth tilted south. This partially canceled our planet's north-pointing magnetic field, creating a gap through which solar wind could flow. During Solar Minimum (happening now), we rely on such cracks and gaps to "stoke the fires" of aurora borealis without the usual support of sunspots and solar flares.
Realtime Spaceweather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
ODD-RADIUS SUN HALOS: We've all seen a sun halo--a ring of light around the sun caused by ice in the clouds. On Feb. 1st, photographer Jenn Williams was covering the Yukon Quest dog sled race outside Fairbanks AK when she saw multiple nested sun halos:
"After wrapping up a very cold morning photographing the Yukon Quest, I was headed home and came across this! " says Williams. "At -22°, moving traffic blew snow gusts wildly in front of this bank of spruce trees with multiple halos hanging overhead."
Atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley explains what multiplied the usual single halo into many halos: "Normal single halos are formed by ice crystals shaped like pencils--they are long, six-sided, with flat ends. Occasionally, however, the flat ends are replaced by pyramids. Sunlight has more ways to pass through these pyramidal crystals, forming a whole range of 'odd-radius' halos. Williams ca[tured an 18° radius halo inside a cluster of 20, 22, 23 and 24° radius circles. With up to 20 faces, pyramidal crystals have more ways to go wrong and are rarely perfect. They give fuzzy broad halos like these."
Realtime Spaceweather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
24K SPACE ROSE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: On Feb. 1, 2020, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon to the stratosphere. This 24k gold foil-gilded rose went along for the ride. At the apex of the flight, the acrylic bloom was 115,823 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $156.75. The students are selling these roses to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. They make great Valentine's Day gifts. Each one comes with a romantic card showing the rose 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
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter