PROTONS ARE RAINING DOWN ON EARTH: Solar protons are raining down on Earth's upper atmosphere today following a March 14th explosion from departing sunspot AR3599. This is causing a polar cap absorption event. Shortwave radio transmissions inside the Arctic Circle are being absorbed by the ionizing effect of the protons. This event is expected to continue for at least another 24 hours.
SOMETHING FLARE-Y THIS WAY COMES: Today, March 16th (1635 UT), Earth-orbiting satellites detected an impulsive M3.5-class solar flare. The source was just behind the sun's southeastern limb:
The flare was partially eclipsed by the edge of the sun. That means it was stronger than it appeared, potentially even X-class. The underlying sunspot could rotate onto the Earthside of the sun before the weekend is done. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
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AURORA MOONDOG: Yesterday, astrophotographer John Chumack was running an aurora workshop in Alaska's Chena River Recreational Area when the moondogs showed up:
"The temperature was -6F, and it was snowing on us during our aurora workshop," says Chumack. "The air was full of ice crystals."
Those crystals caught the light from the Moon and bent it into a luminous ring. Moondogs are the bright spots to the left and right of the moon, lying on the ring. They are caused by the same floating crystals. It turns out a bit of snow during aurora workshops isn't such a bad thing, after all.
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18K GOLD "LOVE YOU TO THE MOON" LOCKET: This is a very special locket. It's heart-shaped, plated with 18K gold, and we will fly it again during this year's total eclipse of the sun. Keep reading...
On Jan. 26, 2024, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched this locket to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. At the apex of the flight, it floated 111,535 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
Buy it now for $149.95, and we'll fly it again--FOR FREE--during the total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. The students will be launching multiple balloons from the path of totality in Texas. Your pendant will go along for the ride, touching the shadow of the Moon at the edge of space. (Simply type "FLY IT AGAIN" in the comments box at checkout.)
The locket, which opens to hold a personal photo or other small item, comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space.
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