MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A brief G1-class geomagnetic storm erupted on July 12th when Earth entered a stream of fast-moving solar wind. Shock-like discontinuities in the solar wind data suggest that at least one minor CMEs might have been embedded in the stream. No auroras have been reported, probably because of full moonlight. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
SPACE JUNK OVER MONTANA: Across western Montana, reports are coming in of flaming objects in the sky. "Last night (July 12th) at 10:33 pm something big exploded and caught fire in the atmosphere," reports Marcin Grzybowski, who video recorded some of the fragments:
Misty Lundberg of Bozeman, MT, saw it, too. "It started as a bright white cloud, which broke apart into flaming bits streaking across the sky," she says.
This may have been the fuel tank of an old Russian rocket. Shortly before the explosion over Montana, the U.S. Department of Defense Space Track website issued a Trajectory Impact Prediction (TIP) message for an object called "BREEZE-M DEB (TANK)." According to their alert, a Breeze-M fuel tank would fall into Earth's atmosphere on July 13th at 04:06 ± 52 minutes UT. That fits the timing of the Montana explosion.
The fuel tank had been orbiting Earth for almost 10 years. It was part of a rocket that launched Russia's Yamal 402 geostationary communications satellite on Dec. 8th, 2012. Recent increases in solar activity (thank you, Solar Cycle 25) accelerated its orbital decay, finally bringing it down in a fiery display.
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SNEAK PREVIEW: Tomorrow's top story on Spaceweather.com will feature these 22-year-old explosions on the sun:
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They were so powerful, they reached the edge of the solar system. Stay tuned!
"I LOVE YOU MORE" OPAL: Nothing says "I love you" like jewelry from space. On June 3, 2022, this sterling silver opal pendant hitched a ride on an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon. At the apex of the flight it floated 101,326 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
You can have it for $142.95. The opal's infinity wrap is engraved with "I Love You More." It's the perfect birthday, anniversary or (never too early!) Christmas gift for that special someone who loves space. Each pendant comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back.
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