PARTIAL HALO CME MIGHT HIT EARTH: A small magnetic filament on the sun erupted yesterday, Aug. 25th, hurling a partial halo CME into space. NOAA forecasters say there is a 50-50 chance it will hit Earth on Aug. 29th. The glancing blow, if it occurs, could spark a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm with auroras around the Arctic Circle. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
STRONG SOLAR FLARE ACTIVITY: Today, the sun is crackling with M-class solar flares. Two sunspots are contributing: AR3088 (on the right side of the sun) and AR3089 (on the left). The strongest flare so far (Aug. 26 @ 1216 UT) registered M7 and caused a shortwave radio blackout over much of Europe and Africa.
Above: The extreme ultraviolet flash from today's M7-class solar flare (AR3089).
Preliminary data from SOHO coronagraphs show CMEs emerging. However, it is too soon to know if any will hit Earth. The two sunspots are book-ending the Earth strike zone. It's possible that all of today's CMEs will miss. Confirmation awaits additional images.
Meanwhile, AR3089 appears to be on the verge of producing an X-flare. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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AURORAS AND SUNFLOWERS: It was the perfect time to be crouching in a field on sunflowers. On Aug. 22nd, a crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. MaryBeth Kiczenski captured the resulting glow of geomagnetic activity:
"Ever since visiting this field in Michigan a few years ago, I knew I wanted to get back there if there was a chance for aurora," says Kiczenski. "It finally happened. I was in the field just after midnight when Bz turned south, sparking a very short substorm that lasted maybe 15 mins. That's all I needed!!"
Magnetic cracks are very difficult to predict. However, you can get an instant text message when they open by subscribing to our Space Weather Alert Service (Pro Plan). Next time, the photographer crouching among the sunflowers could be you.
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CAPT. KIRK BEER COZY: Boldly going where no beer has gone before, this Capt. Kirk beer cozy flew to the edge of space onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon. Here it is parachuting back to Earth from an altitude of 109,888 feet:
You can have it for $79.95. The students are selling beer cozies (beer not included) to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. They make great anniversary, birthday and Christmas gifts. Each one comes with greeting card showing the cozy in flight, and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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