FARSIDE SUNSPOTS: Today, there are 8 sunspot groups on the solar disk--the most in years. Get ready for two more. NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft is monitoring a pair of extreme ultraviolet hotspots behind the sun's eastern limb. It is probably the glow of two more sunspot groups. The active regions will rotate into view by mid-week. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE MOON: There's something magic about the darkness that falls during a lunar eclipse. The nightscape should be flooded full moonlight. Instead, the stars pop out. On May 15th, Brad Goldpaint photographed the phenomenon from Farmington, New Mexico:
"One of my favorite memories from a number of years ago was experiencing the darkness during totality--and it happened again on Sunday night," says Goldpaint. "This image tries to capture that mystical display to show just how many stars were visible during the total lunar eclipse."
This eclipse was actually extra magical--a result of volcanic ash. Earlier this year, an undersea volcano erupted near Tonga, hurling 400 million kilograms of ash and fumes deep into the stratosphere. During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the Moon passes through Earth's stratosphere where it is reddened by scattering. Lingering exhaust from Tonga almost certainly made this eclipse darker and redder than usual.
Stars also came out in Los Angeles. Laura-May Abron sends this picture of the red Moon floating above a 'milky way' of city lights:
"I work at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles and shot the eclipse rising above it on a wide angle lens and Nikon D700," says Abron. "I was the only person on the hill, but could hear the cheers from the crowd gathered at the Observatory, enjoying the eclipse!"
Realtime Lunar Eclipse Photo Gallery
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"I LOVE YOU MORE" MOONSTONE PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? 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 anniversary or birthday 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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Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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