AURORA FORECAST: A high-speed stream of solar wind is expected to graze Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 6th. The gaseous material is flowing from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere. The stream probably won't cause a full-fledged geomagnetic storm, but enhanced auroras around the Arctic Circle are likely. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
BIG SUNSPOT TURNS TOWARD EARTH: New sunspot AR2781 is growing larger and turning toward Earth. This movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows its development over the past 24 hours:
This sunspot will be facing Earth for the next ~10 days as solar rotation carries it across the face of the sun. Based on its size, AR2781 could become a source of strong solar flares. So far, though, it has been mostly quiet, unleashing only two minor C-class explosions.
AR2781 is the biggest sunspot of new Solar Cycle 25. Its trailing dark core alone is about the size of Neptune. This makes it an easy target for backyard solar telescopes. Amateur astronomer Philippe Tosi sends this picture from Nîmes, France:
To take the picture, Tosi used an H-alpha filter tuned to the red glow of solar hydrogen. It shows the hot magnetic maelstrom swirling through the sun's atmosphere just above the sunspot group. Looking at this photo, it is easy to believe that a solar flare is in the offing. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
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PIONEER 10 CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT: In 1972, NASA launched a gold-anodized aluminum plaque onboard the Pioneer 10 spacecraft. Its purpose: To tell alien civilizations about Earth. Today the plaque is at the edge of interstellar space. On Oct. 24, 2020, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched their own copy onboard a cosmic ray balloon:
You can have it for $71.95. This ceramic Pioneer 10 plaque traveled 102,362 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, experiencing near-vacuum, cosmic rays, and space-like cold. It's the closest thing on Earth to the actual plaque.
The students are selling these replicas to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a red ribbon for hanging on your Christmas tree! You'll also receive a greeting card showing the ornament in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space and back again.
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