GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS: A minor G1-class geomagnetic storm is in progress during the late hours of Jan. 14th. The cause? A crack has opened in Earth's magnetic field: data. Solar wind pouring through the gap ignited the storm. High latitude sky watchers (especially around the Arctic Circle) should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
SOMETHING FLARE-Y THIS WAY COMES: Earth-orbiting satellites detected an M2-class solar flare on Jan. 14th (0203 UT). The explosion was even bigger than it seemed. The actual blast may have been a near-X class event, partially eclipsed by the edge of the sun:
This is the latest in a series of farside explosions which began earlier this week. The blast site is just behind the sun's northeastern limb, probably an unstable sunspot group. It has been hurling debris over the edge of the sun all week long.
Although the flare was a farside event, it still touched Earth. A pulse of X-rays ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused a shortwave radio blackout over Australia:
Pilots, mariners and ham radio operators may have noticed unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 25 MHz. The source of this activity will turn to face Earth this weekend. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
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A 'GREEN FLASH' ON VENUS: Italian Nature photographer Marcella Giulia Pace was watching Venus sink into the sunset on Jan. 5th when something unexpected happened. The reddened horns of the crescent planet suddenly filled with green light. "It was a green flash," says Pace.
"I video-recorded Venus as it moved down toward the horizon," Pace continues. "The green emissions were popping like explosive bubbles." Watch the video to see what she means.
The bubbles in the video are literally bubbles of warm and cold air mixing in Earth turbulent atmosphere. Temperature gradients at each bubbles' edge act like prisms, separating the light of Venus into R-G-B colors. When Venus crosses an especially strong gradient, the effect is magnified, producing a "flash."
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"I LOVE YOU MORE" MOONSTONE PENDANT: Valentine's Day is coming! Nothing says "I love you" like a moonstone from space. This one hitched a ride on an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon, floating 112,201 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $142.95. The students are selling these sterling silver infinity-wrapped moonstone pendants to support their ballooning program. Engraved with "I Love You More," it makes a romantic Valentine's gift. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the moonstone in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
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