ALL QUIET: There are four sunspots on the sun today. All four have stable magnetic fields unlikely to explode. NOAA forecasters say there is a 5% chance of M-class flares and no more than 1% chance of X-flares on Oct. 31st. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
THE 'TAURID SWARM' IS COMING: Have you ever heard of the "Halloween Fireballs?" Astronomers call them Taurid meteors. They appear every year from late October through early November when Earth passes through a stream of debris associated with Comet 2P/Encke. Dan Bush photographed this Taurid exploding over Albany, Missouri:
"Fireball season has arrived," says Bush. "I have caught many with my meteor camera system including this Taurid fireball above the clouds on Oct. 27th and another good one on Oct. 28th"
We're about to see a lot more of these. Forecasters believe that a swarm of Taurid meteoroids is approaching Earth, and it could double the usual rate of fireballs--not only on Halloween, but also through the early weeks of November.
Taurid meteors are thought to be debris from a giant comet that broke apart in the inner Solar System 10 to 20 thousand years ago. The breakup produced a mixture of dust and larger bodies that are still present today. Comet 2P/Encke itself may be just one of the fragments.
Over the years, Jupiter's gravity has shepherded some of these meteoroids into a well-defined cloud--the "Taurid Swarm." It visits Earth every 3 or 7 years. Previous encounters with the Swarm in 2005 and 2015 produced showers of fireballs observed around the world. The last outburst was 7 years ago, which means 2022 should be a Swarm year, too.
A total lunar eclipse on Nov. 8th will provide dark skies for sighting Taurid fireballs and possible lunar impacts: visibility map.
In 1975 the Swarm contacted the Moon, making Apollo seismic sensors ring with evidence of objects hitting the lunar surface. If there's a repeat strike this year, Nov. 8th might be a good time to look for it. The Moon's surface will be darkened by Earth's shadow during a total lunar eclipse, improving the visibility of any exploding lunar meteors.
Although the Taurid shower typically peaks on Nov. 5th, it is a broad maximum, weeks long. Any of the nights ahead could produce a Taurid display. Look up during the hours around midnight; you can expect to see a few fireballs per hour streaking from the horns of Taurus--and many more if the Swarm arrives.
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MARS GOES RETROGRADE: For months, Mars has been creeping eastward among the stars of the constellation Taurus. Yesterday, Oct. 30th, it reversed course. Now the planet is moving westward. Astronomers call this "retrograde motion." It's a sign that Earth and Mars are about to have a close encounter. This movie from graphic artist Larry Koehn explains everything:
The onset of retrograde motion means that Earth and Mars are converging. At closest approach on Dec. 1st, the two worlds will be just 0.545 AU (51 million miles) apart. Mars will shine at magnitude -1.9, brighter than Sirius, and the size of its disk will swell to 17.2 arcseconds, providing spectacular views through backyard telescopes. Less than a week later on Dec. 7th the Moon will pass in front of Mars, creating a lunar occultation visible from parts of the Americas, Europe and Northern Africa.
Retrograde motion will continue through Jan 12, 2023, and lots will happen between now and then. Enjoy the show! [sky map]
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"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 Oct. 15, 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, Christmas 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.
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