SpaceWeather.com Archive — Tue, Aug 13, 2024

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GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH--CANCELLED: Today's geomagnetic storm watch is cancelled. Earth is now exiting the wake of recent CMEs, which sparked a severe (G4-class) geomagnetic storm on Aug. 12th. At most, minor G1-class storms are possible on Aug. 13th, then quiet is expected on Aug. 14th. Geomagnetic storm alerts: SMS Tex t

SEVERE STEVE: The severe geomagnetic storm of Aug. 12th sparked widespread auroras in both hemispheres, with sightings in the USA as far south as Texas, Mississippi and Arizona. Upon closer inspection, not all the lights were auroras. Many observers saw STEVE:

"Here in New Zealand we had a front row seat for an exciting display of Southern Lights," reports photographer Ian Griffin from a remote area of the Otago Peninsula. "The auroras were topped off by one of the best displays of STEVE I have ever seen."

STEVE (Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement) is the pink ribbon of light in Griffin's photo. It looks like an aurora, but it is not. The pink glow is caused by hot (3000°C) ribbons of gas flowing through Earth’s magnetosphere faster than 13,000 mph. Strong geomagnetic storms do a good job of setting these ribbons in motion.

Sky watchers have been watching STEVE for centuries not realizing what it was. Only recently have researchers started studying it as a phenomenon distinct from auroras. There is still much to learn, so submit your sightings here.

more images: from Andrew Harvey of Zigzag, Oregon; from Anthony Kroes of Pulaski, Wisconsin

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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GLOW-IN-THE-DARK AURORA PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the Glow-in-the-Dark Aurora Pendant. On July 8, 2024, it flew to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:

You can have it for $99.95. For 3 hours, the necklace floated 106,444 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California while radiation sensors inside the balloon's payload gathered data for the students' cosmic ray monitoring project. It comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and explaining the Earth to Sky Calculus radiation experiment.

The students of Earth to Sky Calculus are selling space jewelry to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Don't wait for Christmas--get yours now!