BIG FARSIDE SUNSPOT: Helioseismic maps of the farside of the sun continue to show a large hidden sunspot. Based on its current location, the active region will rotate onto the Earthside of the sun early next week. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
ESCAPE FROM THE SUN: A plasma twister in the sun's northern hemisphere broke apart on Dec. 28th and hurled a spinning cloud of hot gas into space. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded its escape:
At first glance this tiny cloud may seem inconsequential. However, on its way out of the sun's atmosphere, it triggered magnetic instabilities that turned into a surprisingly large CME. Here it is. The CME will not hit Earth. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
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THE MARS HELICOPTER: NASA's Ingenuity Mars Helicopter doesn't get enough attention. It landed on the Red Planet in 2021 with a mission profile of only 5 flights. This month it completed flight #69 with a record-breaking flight path more than 2300 feet long, and there's no end in sight.
Ingenuity is the first aircraft to achieve powered, controlled flight on another planet, a feat that's been called a "Wright Brothers moment." As 2023 comes to an end, the helicopter has flown for 125.5 minutes, covering 10.4 miles, and reaching altitudes as high as 78.7 ft. That might not sound very high, but consider this: The Martian atmosphere is only 1% as dense as Earth's. Ingenuity's spinning blades have to claw their altitude from that extremely thin air.
Stay tuned for more Martian air travel in 2024.
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AMBER DRAGONFLY SPACE PENDANT: This dragonfly has touched space. On Nov. 28th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon, 109,228 feet above California's Sierra Nevada:
You can have it for $179.95. Made of genuine Baltic Amber with a sterling silver exoskeleton, the pendant measures 1 1/4 inch and comes with a matching 18-inch sterling silver chain. The wings of the dragonfly include four pieces of natural amber colored Cognac, Olive Green and Honey Yellow.
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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