MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible on March 15th and 16th in response to a number of incoming CMEs. NOAA forecasters believe that 2 or 3 glancing blows are possible, individually weak but collectively effective. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
FARSIDE SUNSPOTS: The source of yesterday's farside CME (described below) is a mystery, but there are two leading suspects. Helioseismic maps reveal a pair of large active regions on the far side of the sun:
Both will rotate around to the Earthside of the sun within a week, potentially bringing potent sunspots into our planet's "strike zone." In the meantime we will keep an eye out for CMEs flying over the edge of the sun, indicating additional farside activity. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
'EXTREMELY RARE' FARSIDE CME: Something big just happened on the farside of the sun. During the early hours of March 13th, SOHO coronagraphs recorded a farside halo CME leaving the sun faster than 3000 km/s:
Note: The bright object at 4 o'clock is Mercury: diagram
Because of its extreme speed, this CME is classified as "extremely rare," a fast-mover that occurs only once every decade or so. A NASA model of the event shows the CME heading almost directly away from Earth. Good thing!
Although the CME was not Earth-directed, it has nevertheless touched our planet. See all the snowy dots and streaks in the coronagraph movie above? Those are energetic particles accelerated by shock waves in the CME. They create short-lived luminous speckles when they hit SOHO's digital camera.
NOAA's GOES-16 satellite has detected the particles reaching Earth--all from the CME's backside. Imagine what a frontside blast would have been like. Earth's magnetic field is funneling the particles toward the poles where a type of radio blackout is underway--a polar cap absorption (PCA) event:
Note the broad red areas. Airplanes flying over these regions may find that their shortwave radios won't work due to the ionizing effect of infalling protons. This PCA could persist for a day or more. You can monitor its progress here. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
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"ALWAYS AND FOREVER" SPACE PENDANT: Are you looking for a romantic 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 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
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