A CME IS COMING: On March 20th, the sun launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space: movie. It wasn't aimed directly at Earth. Nevertheless, we might feel its effect on March 23rd when the storm cloud is expected to deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
A WILD WEEKEND IN THE MAGNETOSPHERE: The first hours of northern Spring were eventful. First, a solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field. Next, a crack opened. Then, "an amazing display of auroras rocked our world," says Todd Salat, who watched the light show from Trapper Creek, Alaska:
"As we entered the equinox on March 20th, the auroras spiraled out control!" he says.
During the G2-class geomagnetic storm, auroras were sighted across Canada and Alaska, in multiple northern-tier US states, and 35,000 feet above the Southern Ocean. STEVE made an appearance, too.
What caused the outburst? It's simple: Auroras love equinoxes. Around the beginning of spring and fall, cracks open in Earth's magnetic field--a phenomenon called "the Russell-McPherron effect." Solar wind pours in to fuel geomagnetic storms. An unusually large crack opened on March 20th, supercharging the display.
The same phenomenon could multiply the effect of the CME expected on March 23rd, turning a glancing blow into a nice show. Stay tuned. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
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STERLING SILVER HUMMINGBIRD: This hummingbird has touched space. The sterling silver pendant hitched a ride to the stratosphere on Jan. 15, 2021, when the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon. Here it is, floating 111,202 feet above the snow-capped Sierra Nevada of central California:
You can have it for $133.95. The students are selling hummingbird pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the hummingbird in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. It makes an out-of-this-world birthday, anniversary, or Mother's Day gift!
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