THREE WEEKS WITHOUT SUNSPOTS: The sun has been blank for 22 days--more than three weeks without sunspots. Solar Cycle 25 started months ago, but the new cycle is not yet strong enough to break the icy grip of Solar Minimum. Until sunspots reappear, solar activity will remain low. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
BLUE CLOUDS ON MARS: Seasons are changing on Earth. Ditto on Mars. Winter has just begun at the Martian north pole, and icy-blue clouds are gathering there. Jefferson Teng photographed them last night from Bandar Lampung, Indonesia:
"Good seeing allowed me to get this Mars image through my 11-inch telescope," says Teng. "The bluish north hemisphere clouds were simply breathtaking."
Astronomers call this the "North Polar Hood." It's made of ice--crystals of H2O and CO2, floating high above the Martian arctic circle. These tiny crystals give the Hood its blue color by preferentially scattering short (blue) wavelengths of sunlight.
The giant blue cloud will expand and intensify in the weeks ahead as Mars moves deeper into northern winter. Perfect timing for observers on Earth: We're having a close encounter with Mars on Oct. 6th, and the North Polar Hood will be very easy to see.
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PACIFIC CREPUSCULAR RAYS: Yesterday, when the sun came up over Guam, the sky divided itself into dozens of pie-shaped wedges. "It was the best display of crepuscular rays that I have ever seen," says Jared Aicher, who took this picture facing the sunrise:
Crepuscular rays are shadows, immense tubes of darkness stretching hundreds of miles. They are cast by clouds.
"As the sun broke the eastern horizon, thunderstorms were building east of Guam in the mid-Pacific," says Aicher. "Towering cumulus clouds blocked the low angle rays of the rising sun, which cast the shadows. Mother Nature at her finest!"
Observing tip: If you ever see crepuscular rays this magnificent, turn around and look directly away from the sun. You might see anti-crepuscular rays, too.
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NEED BABY YODA, YOU DO: Baby Yoda has been to the stratosphere. The future Jedi left Earth onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon. Here he is floating Force-free 107,611 feet above Earth's surface:
You can have Baby Yoda for $119.95. The students are selling these adorable bobbleheads to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. They make great birthday, Christmas, and graduation gifts. Each one comes with a greeting card showing Yoda 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
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