MAGNIFICENT ERUPTION: For days, astronomers around the world have been monitoring a colossal prominence dancing over the sun's southeastern limb. It just erupted. Cameras's onboard NOAA's GOES-16 satellite recorded a magnificent uncurling of the structure, which also hurled a CME into space. The CME is not Earth directed. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
CME TO HIT VENUS, THEN EARTH: NASA analysts have modeled a CME that left the sun on Feb 6th. It's going to hit Venus, then Earth:
The Venus impact on Feb 9th will not cause a geomagnetic storm. It can't; Venus has no internally-generated global magnetic field. Instead, the impact will erode a small amount of atmosphere from Venus's unprotected cloudtops.
The Earth impact on Feb. 10th will play out differently. Our planet's magnetic field will intercept the CME, preventing it from reaching the atmosphere below. Reverberations from the impact could spark a G1-class geomagnetic storm with high-latitude auroras spilling out of the Arctic Circle.
The CME was hurled into space on Feb. 6th by a long-duration solar flare in the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2939. The explosion peaked at category C3, which is considered to be weak. However, the flare made up for its low amplitude by lasting for more than 3 hours; it put more power into the CME than its feeble C3 rating might suggest. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
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VALENTINE'S GIFTS FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Does your sweetheart love space? Their perfect Valentine's gift may be in the Earth to Sky Store. All items in the store have flown to the edge of space on board cosmic ray research balloons. From now until Feb. 14th, everything is 10% off:
Each purchase comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again. Don't forget to enter the coupon code "ILOVESPACE" for your Valentine's discount!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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