GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G2): Yesterday's X1.8-class solar flare hurled an impressive CME into space. Although the bulk of the CME will miss Earth, there is an Earth-directed component. NOAA and NASA models predict that the CME's flank will strike Earth on Oct. 28th, potentially sparking G2-class (Moderate) geomagnetic storms. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
A COMET IS FALLING INTO THE SUN (UPDATED): Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) is falling into the sun. Look in the lower right corner of this Oct 26th coronagraph movie from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO):
Not to be confused with Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, Comet ATLAS is a Kreutz sungrazer, a family of comets that are fragments from the breakup of a single giant comet ~1000 years ago. SOHO has discovered thousands of them, almost all disintegrating near the sun.
Comet ATLAS is special because astronomers thought it might be larger than average Kreutz comets, with the potential to survive and put on a magnificent display like Kreutz Comet Ikeya-Seki in 1965. Instead, it looks fairly ordinary. Comet ATLAS will probably disintegrate completely when it comes within 0.008 AU of the sun on Oct. 28th. Stay tuned for updated movies.
Realtime Comet Photo Gallery
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'THE SKY EXPLODED': A CME gently grazed Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 26th. At first it seemed like nothing would happen. Then, "the sky exploded," says Terence Murtagh, who took this picture using his iPhone 16 outside Tromso in Norway:
"In many decades of viewing and photographing auroras, I've never seen so many spectacular bright multicoloured coronas bursting over the sky," he says. "I couldn't believe my eyes as a small group of us were transfixed by this cosmic kaleidoscope. It was probably caused by the tail of the weak CME."
Indeed it was--which means a similar CME due to arrive on Oct. 28th could cause a repeat light show. Arctic sky watchers, submit your photos here.
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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THE GEOMAGNETIC MOONCAT: This cat has experienced a geomagnetic storm. Multiple CMEs hit Earth's magnetic field during the weekend of August 10-11. Students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a cosmic ray balloon into the resulting severe geomagnetic storm. The Geomagnetic Mooncat went along for the ride:
You can have it for $199.95. Supported by a sterling silver frame, the black cat is curled around a genuine blue moonstone. It floated through the stratosphere for almost 3 hours during the storm, gathering radiation data for the students' monitoring program. The Mooncat comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and explaining the 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!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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