SpaceWeather.com Archive — Mon, Oct 16, 2023

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GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G1): A magnetic filament connected to sunspot AR3467 erupted today, Oct. 16th, and hurled a CME into space. It is not heading directly for Earth. However, NASA models suggest it might deliver a glancing blow late on Oct. 19th. If so, the off-target CME could cause a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text

A VERY DEEP CRESCENT: "Annular eclipses produce amazing crescents," says Eliot Herman, who, on Oct 14th, photographed this one from the path of annularity near Albuquerque New Mexico:

"I captured this picture using a Questar telescope, Questar Solar filter, IR cut filter and a Nikon Z7II," says Herman. "Questars have been used by eclipse chasers for decades and have a historic relationship with eclipse photography. To use one for this purpose feels like it links to eclipses of the past."

The Questar gave this crescent a truly vintage vibe. But who needs a telescope? Other photographers captured the eclipse using colanders, lemon squeezers, lawn chairs, leafy trees, mirrors, human fingers, dogs and more. Browse the Realtime Solar Eclipse Gallery for a tour de force of astrophotographic ingenuity.

Got a picture? Submit it here.

Realtime Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery
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ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE PENDANT: This pendant has touched the shadow of the Moon. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere on Oct. 14, 2023, during the annular solar eclipse. The handmade pendant was 78,500 feet high when the Moon's shadow arrived and wrapped it in a cool twilight-like darkness:

You can have it for $169.95. The pendant left Earth from Nevada's Valley of the Moon--a remote area filled with the scent of sage and herds of wild horses. Indeed, no fewer than three mustang families approached the launch team during the eclipse to see what was going on. It was magical!

The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.