BRIGHTENING COMET: Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3) continues to brighten as it approaches Earth for a close encounter (0.28 AU) on Feb. 1st. Experienced observers are now reporting brightness values as high as magnitude +4.6. This means it is visible to the naked eye from very dark sites and a great target for small telescopes. Point your optics here.
BIG FARSIDE SUNSPOT: A big farside sunspot may be hiding just behind the sun's southeastern limb. Its location is marked by the big dark "echo" in this helioseismic map of the sun from NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory:
This could be old sunspot AR3182, returning after a two-week trip around the farside of the sun. In early January, AR3182 produced an X1-class solar flare (movie) and multiple strong M-class flares. If it has indeed survived its farside transit, the potent sunspot could boost the chance of strong flares when it turns to face Earth again in February. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
FIRE AND ICE--COMET ZTF OVER MOUNT ETNA: Astrophotographer Dario Giannobile has been yearning to photograph Comet ZTF (C/2022 E3). "Animated by this desire, I took advantage of the only night with clear skies that occurred in this last ten days of January," says Giannobile. "My destination? Snowy Mt. Etna!"
Mt. Etna in eastern Sicily is one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Right now its hot vents are surrounded by deep snow--a marvelous yet challenging backdrop for comet photography.
"During the night the temperature dropped to -8°C at an altitude of 2000 meters, an exceptionally cold temperature for Sicily!" says Giannobile. "However, the landscape was breathtaking: an expanse of soft snow disturbed only by some fox and rabbit footprints. In the South East crater, some hot spots appear in the dark. They are fumaroles from which volcanic vapors come out... and in all this, the beauty of the sky with the splendid comet rising from the side of the volcano."
"The view was breathtaking, expressing, in a single image, a feeling of strength and delicacy, fire and ice."
Realtime Comet ZTF Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
PREMIUM VALENTINE'S PENDANT: Are you looking for an unforgettable Valentine's Day gift? Consider the Always and Forever Space Pendent. 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 Valentine's, 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 Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter