FARSIDE SUNSPOTS: NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft is monitoring an ultraviolet hotspot just behind the sun's southeastern limb. It is probably a sunspot group. We'll find out later this weekend when the active region rotates over the edge of the solar disk, revealing itself to observers on Earth. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
LAST WEEK'S X-FLARE: One week ago, active sunspot AR2994 exploded, producing a magnificent X1-class solar flare. In Portugal, the sun was high overhead when the flare occured; astrophotographer Miguel Claro swung his camera to the blast site and recorded a 4K movie of the flare's aftermath:
Click to view the complete video
Hot plasma can be seen arcing over the blast site for more than 27 minutes after the explosion subsided. The sunspot itself was hidden. "It was already behind the edge of the sun," says Claro.
Indeed, AR2994 rotated off the solar disk just hours before the flare, starting a two-week journey around the farside of the sun. We know it's still there because it is affecting the way the sun vibrates. Helioseismic imaging reveals a massive active region on the farside of the sun just where AR2994 should be. If the sunspot holds together for another week, we will see it return over the sun's eastern limb. Another video, anyone? Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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MOTHER'S DAY IS MAY 8TH: Are you looking for an out-of-this world Mother's Day gift? Consider this: Every time the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launch a cosmic ray balloon, they include something extra in the payload--something Mom will love:
Every item in the Earth to Sky Store has flown to the edge of space and comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight. The interior of the card tells the story of the gift's journey from launch to landing. Mom-satisfaction guaranteed!
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Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
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