GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH--CANCELLED: A pair of minor CMEs expected to graze Earth on April 14th have either missed or are moving more slowly than expected. Either way, they are unlikely to cause a geomagnetic storm. The watch is cancelled. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
INCREASING SOLAR FLARE ACTIVITY: During the past 24 hours, the sun has produced half-a-dozen M-class solar flares. Most have come from growing sunspot AR3639 near the sun's northeastern limb:
We expect this activity to continue and intensify. AR3639 has quadrupled in size since the weekend, and it is now turning toward Earth. Geoeffective solar flares are likely on April 16th. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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SOLAR ECLIPSE COMETS--PLURAL: Chinese amateur astronomer Lin Zixuan made headlines last week when he traveled to New Hamphire and photographed a comet disintegrating during the total eclipse of the sun. Make that two comets. A closer look at his photos revealed Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks as well:
Only one of these comets still exists. Sungrazer SOHO-5008 disintegrated soon after Zixuan took its picture. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is still falling toward the sun for a close encounter (0.78 AU) on April 21st. It is expected to survive.
Recent photos of 12P show a magnificent tail bent and twisted by the solar wind. Amateur astronomers can find it low on the western horizon after sunset, right here.
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18K GOLD TOTAL ECLIPSE PENDANT: This pendant has touched the shadow of the Moon. On April 8, 2024, during a total eclipse of the sun in Texas, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. Floating more than 118,110 feet high, the locket spent 3 minutes and 45 seconds wrapped in lunar shadow:
You can have it for $199.95. The 18K gold-plated locket is inscribed with the words "I love you to the Moon and back," and opens to hold a personal photo or other small item. It comes with a greeting card showing the locket in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space during the total eclipse.
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