QUIET WEDNESDAY: The sun is peppered with sunspots--usually a sign of high solar activity. In this case, however, all of the sunspots have stable magnetic fields that pose little threat for strong flares. NOAA forecasters say there is no more than a 1% chance of X-flares on Aug. 16th. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
NEW COMET NISHIMURA: Astronomers are monitoring a new comet that could become a naked eye-object next month. It is Comet C/2023 P1 (Nishimura), discovered just a few days ago by Japanese amateur astronomer Hideo Nishimura. This morning just before dawn in June Lake, California, Dan Bartlett photographed it rising in the constellation Gemini:
Right now the comet is shining like a 10th magnitude star, a relatively easy target for backyard telescopes, and it could become more than 100 times brighter. Newly-discovered comets are famously unpredictable, so take this with a grain of salt: Forecasters believe the Comet Nishimura will brighten to 3rd magnitude in mid-September when it passes by the sun inside the orbit of Mercury. This would make it visible to the naked eye from rural areas.
This might be a "hyperbolic comet." In other words, it appears to have a hyperbolic orbit (e>1) with too much energy to remain inside the solar system. The comet will only visit us once, with the sun acting as a gravitational slingshot, sending the comet hurtling out of the solar system after its flyby. However, this conclusion could be overturned by additional, more precise measurements of its orbit.
Astronomers who wish to observe this comet may find an ephemeris here.
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FANTASTIC DRAGON SPACE PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the Fantastic Dragon Space Pendant. This one hitched a ride onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon, reaching an altitude of 117,524 ft:
You can have it for $124.95. The pendant is hand-crafted with colorful enamel inlaid on a hypoallergenic dragon exoskeleton. It makes a great gift for anyone who loves fantasy and dragonlore.
The students are selling space 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.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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