BIG SUNSPOT ALERT: A new sunspot is emerging over the sun's southeastern limb, and it appears to be a big one. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is monitoring multiple dark cores as they creep over the horizon:
It is premature to evaluate the flare potential of this severely foreshortened sunspot group. Clearly, though, it's big enough for amateur photography using safe solar telescopes and even simple projection techniques. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
MARS CLOSEST APPROACH TO EARTH: Today, Mars makes its closest approach to Earth for all of 2022. Look east after sunset. The planet is shining brightly in the constellation Taurus; its rusty-red color is unmistakable: sky map.
Although today is the date of closest approach, the real show happens one week from today. On Dec. 7-8, there's going to be a beautiful lunar occultation of Mars:
Movie credit: Larry Koehn of Shadowandsubstance.com
People across most of North America and Europe will be able to see this bright naked-eye event. The full Moon will pass in front of Mars for as much as an hour, depending on the observer's location: visibility map.
At the time of the occultation, Mars will be within a week of its closest approach to Earth. This means the Red Planet's disk will be unusually wide (more than 17 arcseconds across). Even modest backyard telescopes will reveal details on the Martian surface partially eclipsed by lunar mountains and crater rims. This is a great photo-op for amateur astronomers.
Local times for the occultation: North America, Europe.
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STORM TROOPER WHISKEY GLASS: If you like your drink cold--really cold--this glass is for you. On Nov. 25th, it flew to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon. At the apex of the flight (117,109 ft), the temperature was a frosty -63C:
You can have it for $99.95. This double-walled whiskey glass is cast from one of the original molds for Storm Trooper helmets used in Star Wars: A New Hope in 1977. Made of high quality borosilicate, the glass is thin, hard and lead-free. It makes a great Christmas gift for Star Wars fans.
The glass comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight, and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again.
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