GEOMAGNETIC STORMS THIS WEEKEND: Photographers, prepare your cameras. This weekend, a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm could produce auroras at mid-latitudes in Europe and the USA. NOAA forecast models show a CME striking Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 5-6, igniting the storm. .CME impact alerts: SMS Text
A COMET AND THE EIFFEL TOWER: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) is approaching the sun where most comets would be impossible to photoigraph. However, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is not like most comets. Yesterday, French photographer Gwenael Blanck had no trouble capturing the comet over the tip of the Eiffel Tower:
"I first tried to take this picture on Sept. 28th, but I could barely see the comet," says Blanck. "It has brightened since then, so my attempt on Oct. 4th as a success. It wasn't visible to the naked eye, but was obvious on the camera screen and with binoculars."
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A 'NIGHT LIGHT' FROM THE STRATOSPHERE: Looking for an out-of-this-world gift? Consider the Full Moon Night Light. On Jan. 4th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus flew the glowing globe to the stratosphere on board a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $149.95. The surface of the sphere is a 3D-printed topo-map of the Moon, tracing every major crater and mountain range. It is also a night light. A built-in USB-rechargeable battery provides up to 20 hours of soothing illumination.
The glowing orb comes with a greeting card showing the Moon in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. Sales support the Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray ballooning program and hands-on STEM research.
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THE SHADOW OF THE MOON: On Oct. 2nd, the Moon passed directly in front of the sun and cast its shadow on the Earth below. That shadow is circled in this GOES satellite image of the western hemisphere:
Click here to play a movie of the shadow in motion
A timelapse movie from the satellite shows the shadow racing across the South Pacific at 2,000 mph. Very few people were inside the shadow zone--less than 175,000 by some estimates. The largest group of astronomers congregated on Easter Island (Rapa Nui) where the eclipse was maximum. Browse the gallery to see some of their pictures.
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