A TREMOR IN EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD: On June 23rd, Earth's quiet magnetic field was unexpectedly disturbed by a wave of magnetism that rippled around much of the globe. There was no solar storm or geomagnetic storm to cause the disturbance. What was it? Find out here.
SOLAR CYCLE 25 SUNSPOT: A bipolar sunspot is emerging near the sun's southwestern limb, and it appears to be a member of new Solar Cycle 25. The sunspot is inset in this magnetic map of the sun's surface made June 28th by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:
The sunspot's magnetic polarity (+/-) and high latitude (26S) identify it as a member of new Solar Cycle 25. If it survives another day, the sunspot will receive an official number (AR2766), making it the 10th numbered new-cycle sunspot so far this year. Ten sunspots is a lot during Solar Minimum. Their growing number is a sign that Solar Cycle 25 is gaining strength.
Astronomers with safely-filtered solar telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments. Pictures may be submitted here.
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METEOR RADAR ECHOS: Have you ever wondered what a meteor echo sounds like? If so, play this movie --and turn up the volume!
Giuseppe Petricca recorded this sound on June 27th from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. "It was the echo of a meteor disintegrating over the GRAVES space surveillance radar in France," he explains.
Every day, 24/7, GRAVES scans the skies for satellites, meteors and other space debris passing over Europe. The radar sends a series of 143 MHz pulses straight up, and anything it "pings" is reflected far and wide. Petricca listens to the echos using a Yagi antenna and receiver tuned to the GRAVES frequency.
"This was one of the most intense meteors I have ever captured," says Petricca. "Doppler-shifting of the radar frequency allows me to measure the meteor's velocity: ~610 mph for the first part of the detection, decelerating to zero very quickly! This gives the reflection an 'L-shape' in the dynamic spectrum."
Would you like to hear more echos? Petricca is broadcasting a live stream from his receiver. Listen now.
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ARCTIC WOLF PENDANT: This wolf glows in the dark--and it's been to space. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched this special pendant to the stratosphere on April 15, 2020, on board a high-altitude cosmic ray balloon. The payload of radiation sensors (and lupine jewelry) traveled 107,611 feet above Earth's surface:
You can have it for $99.95. The students are selling these pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the wolf in flight and describing its journey to the stratosphere and back again.
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All sales support hands-on STEM education
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