SUBSIDING SOLAR WIND: Earth is exiting a stream of solar wind that sparked a G1-class geomagnetic storm and short-lived auroras in the USA on June 15-16. Quiet conditions have resumed and are expected to persist for the next 3 days. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS IN THE USA: Noctilucent clouds (NLCs) are no longer stuck inside the Arctic Circle. Last night they visited the USA. Larry Anderson sends this picture from outside Dillon, Montana:
"This is the second time this week I have seen noctilucent clouds," says Anderson. "They appeared after sunset on June 16th just as Venus was setting behind Baldy mountain. It was a gorgeous display!" The clouds were also seen in Washington state, North Dakota and other locations in Montana.
NLCs are Earth's highest clouds. They form when summertime wisps of water vapor rise to the edge of space (~83 km high) and crystallize around disintegrated meteoroids. When you see an NLC, you're literally seeing a cloud of frosted meteor smoke.
NLCs can appear at any time of night, glowing electric-blue among the stars. But they are best seen just after sunset or before sunrise:
In recent summers, NLCs have spread as far south as Los Angeles and Las Vegas, giving low-latitude sky watchers a look at what was once a purely Arctic phenomenon. Last night's sightings could mark the onset of a new low-latitude excursion. Stay tuned.
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
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FATHER'S DAY GIFTS FROM SPACE: What do you get the dad who has everything? Consider a gift from the edge of space. Every item in the Earth to Sky Store has flown to the top of Earth's atmosphere onboard a cosmic ray balloon, and they're all 10% off between now and Father's Day (June 20th).
Each gift comes with a unique greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again. Cosmic ray data collected during the flights form a unique record of radiation in Earth's atmosphere--100% gathered and analyzed by young scientists. Sales support the students and their high-altitude ballooning program.
Don't forget to use the coupon code LUKEIAMYOURFATHER at checkout for a 10% Father's Day discount.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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