ALL QUIET: Solar activity is low. There are plenty of sunspots, but they all have stable magnetic fields that pose no immediate threat for strong explosions. NOAA forecasters say there is a 5% chance of M-class flares and no more than a 1% chance of X-flares on Nov. 6th. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
21 YEARS AGO, A SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM: It could happen again--and soon. Twenty-one years ago today, a full-halo CME struck Earth's magnetic field, sparking a severe G4-class geomagnetic storm. "Skies over Central Europe glowed bright red and violet," recalls Heiko Ulbricht, who photographed the display from Saxony, Germany, on Nov. 6, 2001:
"The shock front hit the Earth's magnetic field around 2 a.m. CET--good timing for sky watchers in Europe," says Ulbricht. From there, auroras spread around the world, descending as far south as Florida, Texas, and California in the United States. The storm persisted for more than 24 hours.
The CME left the sun two days earlier, propelled by an X1-class solar flare from sunspot AR9684. SOHO coronagraph images of the CME were quickly overwhelmed by a "snowstorm" of energetic particles accelerated by shock waves in the approaching storm cloud
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The kind of explosion that produced this storm is, interestingly, not rare. Young Solar Cycle 25 has already produced 8 similar X-flares since 2021. None of the related CMEs delivered a direct hit, however.
"If you look at the sun today, it could definitely produce a spectacle of this kind again," says Ulbricht. Browse the aurora gallery from 21 years ago to see what might be coming.
Nov. 6, 2001, Aurora Photo Gallery
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"ALWAYS AND FOREVER" PREMIUM SPACE PENDANT: Are you looking for an unforgettable gift? Consider the Always and Forever Space Pendent. On Oct 9, 2022, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $199.95. Engraved with the words "I love you always and forever", this 18K gold-plated pendant has a heart-shaped citrine crystal in the middle surrouunded by a ring of glittering 5A cubic zirconia nuggets. It is a visually striking premium pendant that makes a once-in-a-lifetime Christmas, anniversary or birthday gift.
The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry 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
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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