CME IMPACT AND GEOMAGNETIC STORM: Arriving a full day earlier than expected, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field on July 16th: data. The impact at 1920 UT caused a 20 nT jolt in the USGS's magnetometer at Fredericksburg, Virginia, and a G1-class geomagnetic storm. More CME impacts are possible on July 17th and 18th due to multiple recent eruptions from big sunspot AR3363. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
FLOATING IN AN OCEAN OF AIRGLOW: Surging solar activity is amplifying a phenomenon most people have never seen: Airglow. Dan Bush photographed a magnificent display on July 13th from his home in Albany, Missouri:
"It was almost like I was floating in an ocean of airglow," says Bush. "The faint rippling lights moved primarily from south to north in waves similar to what one would see in cirrus clouds or ocean waves. Often times my cameras pick up little to no airglow, but this evening was exceptional."
Airglow is produced by photochemistry in Earth's upper atmosphere. There is a thin layer of air 95 km high where oxygen atoms (O) and oxygen molecules (O2) mix together. When O bumps into O2, the collision creates a spark of green light--airglow.
Solar Max is boosting this process. Right now, the active sun is heating Earth's upper atmosphere, increasing the rate of O vs. O2 collisions. Brighter-than-normal airglow is the result.
"There have also been other evenings lately that have shown fantastic displays of airglow," says Bush. "I look forward to seeing more."
more images: from Juan Carlos Casado of Sant llorenç de la Muga, Girona, Spain;
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A DRAGONFLY IN THE STRATOSPHERE: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the Sterling Silver Space Dragonfly. On Jan 12th, this winged pendant flew 113,451 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, hitching a ride onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon:
You can have it for $172.95. The dragonfly's heart is a Celtic love knot, and its wings are decorated with blue marquise crystals--all plated with 14k white gold. It's an exquisite ensemble for birthdays, anniversaries or any other romantic occasion.
The students are selling dragonfly pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
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