THE SOLAR WIND IS HERE: A stream of solar wind flowing ~600 km/s from a hole in the sun's atmosphere is buffeting Earth's magnetosphere today. NOAA forecasters say there is a slight chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms while Earth is inside the stream. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
SUPER MAGNETIC FILAMENT: The biggest thing on the sun today is not a sunspot. "It's a super magnetic filament," says Pepe Manteca, who photographed the structure using a backyard solar telescope in Barcelona, Spain:
"It's very big," says Manteca. To be precise, it stretches 370,000 km from end to end--about the same as the distance from Earth to the Moon. One end of the filament is attached to sunspot AR3032; the other end is not pinned to anything.
Powerful currents of plasma are coursing through the filament, according to NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory. If the structure becomes unstable and erupts, it could hurl a significant CME away from the sun. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
more images: from Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau of Rafaela, Santa Fe, Argentina; from Richard N. Schrantz of Nicholasville, KY; from Philippe Tosi of Nîmes, France; from Martin Wise of Trenton, Florida
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
SAHARA SUNRISE (IN SAXONY): Each year, winds pick up an estimated 100 million tons of dust from the Sahara Desert. Some of it just blew over Germany. "The sunrise today was colored by Sahara dust," reports Heiko Ulbricht of Freital, Germany. "It looked like the desert, but in the middle of Saxony."
"Enormous quantities of warm dusty air have been transported to Europe," says Ulbricht. "Temperatures up to 38°C are expected here today with peaks of 40°C elsewhere."
The dust has caused another phenomenon as well--a "Bishop's ring" around the sun. Bishop's rings are usually caused by volcanic ash, but fine desert dust can make them too. Peter Paul Hattinga Verschure saw one yesterday in The Netherlands.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
"I LOVE YOU FOREVER" MOONSTONE PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the "I Love You Forever" Moonstone. This one hitched a ride to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research ballooin on May 13, 2022:
You can have it for $162.95. The moonstone's sterling silver infinity wrap is inscribed with the words "I love you forever." It makes a great anniversary or birthday gift. The moonstone comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight, telling the story of its trip to the edge of space and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter