X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Giant sunspot AR3615 just produced another strong solar flare. Peaking on March 28th at 2053 UT, the X1-class explosion ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean. This follows similar blackouts over over the Indian Ocean and South America earlier the same day due to strong M-class flares. AR3615 is active again, and more flares may be in the offing. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
GIANT SUNSPOT APPROACHES "THE DANGER ZONE": After a few days of stalled progress, sunspot AR3615 is growing again. A 50% increase in surface area since yesterday has ballooned one of its dark cores to triple the size of Earth. "I saw the sunspot this morning just off the wingtip of an RAF A400," says Marc Charron, who sends this picture from Ayr, Scotland:
"The plane was doing training circuits from Prestwick, Scotland, and on one pass it crossed the sun from where I was standing," says Charron. "The massive sunspot group AR3615 was clearly visible through the clouds, while AR3619 and AR3614, respectively, can be seen above that group."
As Charron's photo shows, AR3615 is approaching the western edge of the sun. That's "the danger zone." Sunspots located there are magnetically connected to Earth via the Parker Spiral. If AR3615 erupts while it is transiting the danger zone, energetic protons and electrons may be funneled back toward our planet for a days-long radiation storm. Stay tuned!
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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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