SpaceWeather.com Archive — Thu, Apr 18, 2024

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GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G1): NOAA forecasters say that a G1-class geomagnetic storm is possible on April 18th when a CME is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. It's a faint CME, probably not very potent, but even a weak CME impact can spark auroras. A similar CME hit Earth on April 15th and the results were beautiful. Aurora alerts: SMS Tex t

A COMET MOVIE FROM SPACE: In only a few days, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks will make its closest approach to the sun (0.78 AU). NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft is monitoring the devil comet's progress. On April 12th it captured 12P passing by Jupiter just as a CME billowed into space:

Note the kink in the comet's tail. This is a "disconnection event" caused by a CME impact or sharp gust of solar wind. The full movie shows the kink rippling away from the comet's core.

Stay tuned for new movies as 12P nears perihelion on April 21st. STEREO-A's heliospheric imager may capture additional examples of the comet's tail responding to solar activity at point blank range.

EXTRA: The kink in 12P's tail was also visible from Earth. Chris Schur photographed it April 9th from Payson, Arizona:

"The comet was very low, only about 10 degrees above the horizon after sunset," says Schur. "The gas tail has a magnificent kink and many fine structures. And look at the killer parabolic shape of that coma!"

Realtime Comet Photo Gallery
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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.