CHANCE OF FLARES TODAY: Big sunspot AR3354 has developed a 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong solar flares. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of M-class flares and a 10% chance of X-flares on June 28th. Any eruptions will likely be geoeffective as the sunspot is turning to face Earth. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
NAKED-EYE SUNSPOT: If you have eclipse glasses, put them on and look at the sun. There's a naked-eye sunspot today (AR3354). South Korean astronomer Bum-Suk Yeom saw it this morning and created this infographic:
The sunspot is seven times wider than Earth itself, covering an area of the sun equal to ~25% of the historical Carrington sunspot. These dimensions mean it can be seen with the human eye (no magnification required) if the sun is properly filtered.
The amazing thing is, this sunspot didn't exist two days ago. It has grown with remarkable rapidity. Ths movie tracks the last 12 hours:
Such a fast-changing active region can hardly be stable. Indeed, it is seething with activity and could soon produce a significant flare. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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STAR TREK ENTERPRISE WINE STOPPER: It's the best way to explore Strange New Wines: The rare Star Trek Enterprise Wine Stopper. This one just flew to the edge of space onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $119.95. On June 4, 2023, this handcrafted resin bottle stopper floated 103,808 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California. It comes with a greeting card showing the stopper in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again.
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