THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM? Giant sunspot AR3354 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' class magnetic field that harbors energy for X-class solar flares. Yet it has been strangely quiet for days. Is this the calm before the storm? Strong flares remain possible despite the low activity of the past 48+ hours. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
SOLAR MAX IS MELTING NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: 2023 has not been a good year for noctilucent clouds (NLCs). First, NASA's iconic AIM spacecraft broke, losing power when its main battery failed. We could no longer see noctilucent clouds from space. Next, the clouds themselves failed:
"As we have have passed Summer Solstice, the NLC season still has not started for me," laments Ruslan Merzlyakov, who usually photographs many NLCs from his home in Jutland, Denmark. "I made this new film to share my experience trying to photograph them."
NLCs are clouds of frosted meteor smoke. They form every year in summer when wisps of water vapor rise up to the edge of space. At altitudes greater than 80 km, the water crystallizes around disintegrated meteoroids, forming electric-blue structures visible in the night sky.
In recent years, bright NLCs have been sighted as far south as Spain and southern California. This year appears to be different; NLCs in 2023 are dimmer and less widespread than before.
What's going on? The solar cycle may be to blame. This year, the active sun is hitting Earth's upper atmosphere with lots of extreme ultraviolet radiation. These high energy photons make it harder for ice crystals to form in the mesosphere, thus suppressing NLCs.
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
LASER-ETCHED MOON CUBE: Last week, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon to the stratosphere. This unique laser-etched Moon cube went along for the ride, ascending to an altitude of 101,140 feet:
You can have it for $119.95. The students are selling these cubes as a fund-raiser for their cosmic ray ballooning program. It's an authentic representation of the Moon, with all of the craters, mountains and lava plains accurately portrayed.
The Moon-cube comes with a unique gift card showing the item floating at the top of Earth's atmosphere. The interior of the card tells the story of the flight and confirms that this gift has been to the edge of space 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
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter