CME SPARKS MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM: As predicted, a CME propelled by Saturday's X1.8-class solar flare hit Earth today (Oct. 28th @ 0450 UTC). The impact sparked a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm, but no widespread display of auroras. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
THE SUN JUST SWALLOWED A COMET: The solar system has one less comet. Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) melted away today when it passed within 0.008 AU of the sun. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory witnessed the final moments:
In the movie, an opaque disk covers the sun, blocking its glare to produce an artificial eclipse. This allowed SOHO's digital cameras to see the comet only 550,000 km from the surface of the sun.
Comet ATLAS is a Kreutz sungrazer, a family of comets which 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.
The end of Comet ATLAS is a disapointment. When it first appeared in September, an outburst brightened the comet, making it appear larger than average Kreutz fragments. Many astronomers hoped it would survive the sun and put on a magnificent display like Kreutz Comet Ikeya-Seki did in 1965. Maybe next time :)
Realtime Comet 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
MEANWHILE, COMET TSUCHINSHAN-ATLAS: Comet ATLAS (C/2024 S1) may be gone, but Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (C/2023 A3) is still with us. Wioleta Gorecka photographed it Saturday night (Oct. 26th) from Vik, Iceland:
"My plan was to photograph only the comet, but the aurora had a different plan," says Gorecka. A CME struck during her photoshoot, igniting a wave of auroras arpound the Arctic Circle. "Pink and red dominated the entire sky."
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS has faded since its urban-bright display in mid-October, but it is still a great target for night sky photographers. Shining like a 5th magnitude star, the comet shows up nicely in exposures optimized for auroras and the Milky Way.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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