GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: Minor (G1-class) geomagnetic storms are possible on March 20-21 due to a glancing blow from an incoming CME. The CME was hurled into space on March 17th by the eruption of a magnetic filament containing dark plasma. A similar eruption last week sparked auroras at both ends of our planet. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
A LARGE HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: A large hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere, and it is spewing a stream of solar wind toward Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure on March 20th:
This is a "coronal hole" -- a region in the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up and allow solar wind to escape. It looks dark in this ultraviolet image because glowing-hot gas normally contained there is missing.
The solar wind will reach Earth on March 23-24, only a few days after the vernal equinox. This is perfect timing for aurora chasers. Because of the Russell-McPherron effect, even a slight gust of solar wind around the equinoxes can spark a good display of high-latitude auroras. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
SOLAR TORNADO: For much of the past week, astronomers have been watching a colossal "solar tornado" dance near the sun's North Pole. "This thing was twisting and growing for 3 days," says Apollo Lasky of Naperville, Illinois, who made the following movie using images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:
"I've never seen anything like it in all my years of watching the sun," he says. "It was twisting and growing nonstop for 3 days."
Unlike tornadoes on Earth, which are shaped by wind, tornadoes on the sun are controlled by magnetism. Solar magnetic fields twist in a furious spiral, dragging clouds of plasma around with them. They are seen from time to time.
This twister finally overtorqued itself. On March 18th it spun out and hurled a cloud of magnetized gas into space. The unraveling debris is flying up from the sun's North Pole and will not hit Earth.
more images: from Efrain Morales Rivera of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
RARE MR. SPOCK MUG: It's the logical way to wake up in the morning: Coffee in a rare Mr. Spock mug. This unique ceramic collector's item flew to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:
You cannot buy these mugs anywhere on the internet--not even Amazon. But you can have one from Earth to Sky Calculus for $170.10. That's the serial number of the Enterprise divided by 10. The mug comes with a greeting card showing the item in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space and back again. It's a great gift for any Trekkie!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter