MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Confidence is growing that a CME might graze Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 17th, possibly sparking minor G1-class geomagnetic storms. The CME left the sun on Sept. 13th, propelled toward us by an exploding filament of magnetism. Tracking this CME has been tricky, because in coronagraph imagery it overlapped at least two other storm clouds. Confusion among simultaneous CMEs increased the uncertainty of the forecast. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
STEVE IS IN THE AIR: Northern autumn is less than a week away. That means it's time to be alert for STEVE. Spencer Dant caught the purple ribbon over Fox, Alaska, on Sept. 12th:
"I've seen STEVE numerous times but never so bright," says Dant.
STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) looks like an aurora, but it is not. The phenomenon is caused by hot (3000°C) ribbons of gas flowing through Earth’s magnetosphere at speeds exceeding 6 km/s (13,000 mph). These ribbons appear during some geomagnetic storms, revealing themselves by their soft purple glow.
Studies show that STEVE tends to occur more frequently during spring and fall than summer and winter. The onset of northern autumn seems to lure the arc out of summer hiding. Got a picture of STEVE? Submit it here.
Realtime STEVE Photo Gallery
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STAR TREK WINE STOPPER: It's the most far-out wine stopper ever! On Sept. 9, 2021, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched the USS Enterprise to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. Here is the starship-shaped stopper floating 105,563 feet above the rugged Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $99.95. The students are selling these must-have bar accessories to support their cosmic ray research program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the stopper in flight, telling the story of its trip to the edge of space and back again.
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
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter