WEEKEND GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: A CME (movie) is expected to hit Earth this weekend--probably on Nov. 19th. The impact could spark minor G1-class geomagnetc storms on the 19th and 20th. During such storms, naked-eye auroras typically fill the Arctic Circle. Fainter photographic auroras (best seen using cameras) may cross the US-Canadian border, dipping into states from New York to Washington. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
A BIG NEW SUNSPOT GROUP: A large and active sunspot group is emerging over the sun's northeastern limb. This 24-hour movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows seven Earth-sized dark cores, with more to come:
Newly-numbered "AR3490," the sunspot group is cracking with flares. Earth-orbiting satellites have registered three M-class flares and nearly a dozen C-class flares since the weekend began.
The sunspot group is so large, it is affecting the way the whole sun vibrates. Helioseismologists used the tremors to detect this sunspot group while it was still on the farside of the sun. Their latest seismic maps confirm that we haven't seen all of it; some of the group is still wrapped around the edge of the sun. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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IS THIS THE WEIRDEST COMET EVER? Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks continues to baffle astronomers, who are monitoring the aftermath of its 4th major cryo-volcanic eruption in 2023. Previous eruptions in July and October produced "devils horns." The latest and biggest blast on Nov. 14th has transformed the comet into a pearly-green sphere with a dark lane inside:
"Bursting Comet 12 has a very interesting coma!" says photographer Rok Palcic of Kamnik, Slovenia.
The "devil's horns" of July and October may have been caused by complex topography on the comet's surface. It's possible that exhaust from ice volcanos could be blocked and redirected by obstacles, creating strange shapes. If so, the dark lane in thos month's expanding debris could be just another blockage.
Eliot Herman, who has been photographing the comet every night, has a different idea: "I think the substructure is a shadow," he says. In a contrast-enhanced photo of the comet's core, Herman sees a bright plume, which may trace back to a specific volcanic vent:
"The dark lane is curved, and its curvature appears to match that of the bright vent emission," he notes. "This gives the impression that the dark lane may be a shadow of the brighter plume projected onto the coma."
Comet 12P is changing every night, so monitoring is encouraged. The comet is currently shining at 9th magnitude, which makes it an easy target for amateur telescopes. Look for it in the constellation Hercules not far from the bright star Vega. [sky map]
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OUT-OF-THIS-WORLD STOCKING STUFFER: Are you looking for a far-out stocking stuffer? The logical choice is Spock Soap. This bar touched space on April 29, 2023, when it hitched a ride onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon:
You can have it for $49.95. Not only does the bar smell like the mint gardens of Vulcan, but also each side of the wrapper features hilarious Spock lore. Take a look.
The students of Earth to Sky are selling space soap to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each bar comes with a greeting card showing the soap in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere and back again. Jean-Luc Picard soap is available, too!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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