AURORAS FOR HALLOWEEN? Arctic sky watchers are in for a treat. Solar wind flowing from a hole in the sun's atmosphere is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 30th, sparking a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm with high-latitude auroras on Oct. 30-31. A glancing blow from an off-target CME might contribute as well. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
THIS CORONAL HOLE IS NO COINCIDENCE: In recent weeks, daily sunspot numbers have dropped to their lowest level in more than a year. At the same time, a large hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere. These events are no coincidence.
This hole is called a "coronal hole." It is a vast region where the sun's magnetic field has opened up, allowing solar wind to escape. Solar wind emerging faster than 500 km/s is now heading almost directly toward Earth.
Coronal holes are common during Solar Minimum, less so during Solar Max. Sunspots tend to crowd them out and push them closed. The recent disappearance of sunspots has allowed this big hole to open. Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible on Oct. 30-31 when the solar wind arrives. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
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MERCURY-MARS CONJUNCTION: Mercury and Mars are converging for a conjunction in the constellation Libra. The action is happening too close to the sun to see with the human eye, but coronagraphs on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are getting a great view of the action:
At closest approach on Oct. 29th, the two planets will be only 20 arcminutes apart--a remarkable pair. If this were happening in a dark night sky, it would be headline news.
In a few months, it will be headline news. Mars and Mercury will loop around the sun for another even closer conjunction on January 27, 2024. During the event, the planets will be only 12 arcminutes apart--almost as close as Jupiter and Saturn were during the Great Conjunction of 2020. Both planets will be visible to the naked eye in the morning sky just before sunrise. Stay tuned.
HANDMADE 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 $129.95. 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 a magical experience.
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.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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