BIG SUNSPOT ALERT: A second large sunspot is emerging over the sun's southeastern limb, joining AR3105, which itself has doubled in size since yesterday. If you have a solar telescope, point your optics here. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
AN EXPLOSION OF AURORAS OVER NORWAY: Last night in Tromsø, Norway, there was an explosion of auroras so intense "it made my guests scream and laugh at the same time," says aurora tour guide Markus Varik. "We had no idea the night would turn out like this!"
"There were swirls, spikes, curtains, draperies, you name it," says Varik. "We must be getting close to the equinox."
Indeed, that's exactly what's happening. The northern autumnal equinox is only 3 days away and, as all Arctic sky watchers know, auroras love equinoxes.
Researchers call it the "Russell-McPherron effect." During the weeks around equinoxes, cracks form in Earth's magnetic field. Even a slight gust of solar wind can slip through to spark a light show--no geomagnetic storm required.
Stay tuned for more outbursts of light as autumn approaches. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
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COSMIC RAY YIN-YANG PENDANT: To celebrate the yin-yang relationship between solar activity and galactic cosmic rays, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus just launched a yin-yang pendant to the stratosphere. Here it is, flying 104,265 ft high onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $142.95. The pendant's sterling silver frame surrounds balancing swirls of black onyx and mother of pearl--all suspended from a matching 18-inch sterling silver chain. It makes a great anniversary, birthday or (never too early!) Christmas gift.
The students are selling yin-yang pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space and back again.
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