A SOLAR STORM WILL BARELY MISS EARTH: On Dec. 5th, a magnetic filament in the sun's southern hemisphere exploded. The swirling debris will probably sail just south of our planet on Dec. 10th. No geomagnetic storms are expected, but the near miss could spark auroras around the poles. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
COMET LEONARD UPDATE: Since this week began, Comet Leonard (C/2021 A1) has nearly tripled in brightness as it approaches Earth for a relatively close encounter (35 million km) on Dec. 12th. Yesterday, Michael Jaeger photographed the approaching comet from Turmkogel, Austria. Prepare to scroll because the comet's tail is more than 4 degrees long:
"It has been stormy, so I had to drive many kilometers to find a break in the clouds," says Jaeger. "This picture was also taken at an altitude of 1100 meters above sea level with minus 6 degrees temperature, strong wind and snowy air."
He forgot to mention, it was about 4 o'clock in the morning! That's when you have to wake up to find the comet. Comet Leonard is currently in the constellation Serpens diving toward the morning sun. The early hour and decreasing altitude of the comet can make it a challenge to photograph.
Nevertheless, it's worth a try. Comet Leonard is now shining like a fuzzy star of 5th magnitude--technically bright enough to see with the naked eye from dark-sky sites and an easy target for small telescopes and cameras. Browse the gallery for sightings.
Comet Leonard sky maps: Dec 9, 10, 11, 12.
Realtime Comet Leonard Photo Gallery
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THE SHAPE OF VENUS: Like the Moon, Venus has phases. Right now it is a delicate crescent. Shahrin Ahmad of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, photographed the cloud-covered arc on Dec. 9th:
"Venus is beginning to thin rapidly!" says Ahmad.
Indeed, "crescent season" is underway. On Jan. 8, 2022, Venus will pass almost directly between us and the sun--a moment astronomers call "inferior conjunction." Between now and then, Venus will turn its night side toward Earth, transforming the planet into an increasingly slender crescent.
This is easy to see. Venus is so bright in the southwestern sky at sunset, many onlookers think they've seen a UFO or airplane. Just point a small telescope at the second planet and voilà--the crescent. Sky maps: Dec. 9, Dec. 10.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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