CME REPORT: A NASA model of recent CME activity suggests that a solar storm cloud could graze Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of April 26th. The slow-moving CME is heading mostly south of our planet, but its northern flank could deliver a glancing blow sufficient to spark a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
RAPID-FIRE PLASMA JETS: Sunspot complex AR3638-47 has been in a almost-constant state of eruption for days. This animation from earlier today shows multiple jets of plasma shooting into space in only a few hours:
Since last week, dozens of these jets have flown away from the sunspot group. All of them have missed Earth. The magnetic structure of the sunspot complex is guiding debris to the south--just far enough to miss our planet when the resulting CMEs pass nearby.
An exception might be on the way. One of the jets emitted on April 22nd *might* have an Earth-directed component. ETA: April 26th. Stay tuned. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
THE 'DEVIL COMET' AT PERIHELION: Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks hasn't been this close to the sun for 71 years. On April 21st, the 'devil comet' reached perihelion at a distance of 0.78 AU. Solar heat brightened the comet, but sky watchers couldn't enjoy the show. This animation from Mike Olason of Tucson, Arizona, shows why:
The comet is very close to the horizon when the sun sets. Bright twilight almost washes it out. Add in this week's full Moon and you have a very tricky observing problem.
"The comet is getting closer to the horizon each evening as twilight is getting brighter," says Olason. "By the end of the month 12P will no longer be observable from here in Tucson."
Now for the good news: In May, the comet will move away from the sun and into the night skies of the southern hemisphere. In fact, astronomer Michael Mattiazzo is already seeing it from Australia.
Realtime Comet Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
A FAR-OUT MOTHER'S DAY GIFT: Mother's Day is less than 3 weeks away. Are you looking for a far-out gift? Mom will love Snoopy at the Edge of Space. Here is the hand-crafted figurine floating 112,505 feet above Earth's surface on Jan. 30, 2024:
You can have it for $159.95. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched the figurine to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. It spent more than 2 hours floating at the top of Earth's atmosphere while cosmic ray sensors gathered data. Snoopy had a wild ride, and the students got great data for their atmospheric radiation monitoring program.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Comet Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter