GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G1): A CME might graze Earth on Nov. 1st, sparking a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm. The CME was hurled into space by an erupting filament of magnetism on Oct. 29th. A NASA model shows the CME barely touching Earth, so this is a low probability forecast. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
A COLOSSAL SOLAR PROMINENCE: Argentine astronomer Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau is a longtime observer of the sun, and he is not easily impressed. "Yesterday," he says, "I was impressed. On the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 29th, the sun put on a spectacular show. Through my Coronado solar telescope, I captured this colossal prominence."
"It stretched more than 500,000 km above the sun's southwestern limb (greater than the distance between Earth and the Moon)," he says. "This image is a clear reflection that we are currently experiencing Solar Maximum."
The prominence was lifted into space by an erupting filament of magnetism near the sun's surface. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) saw the initial stages of the explosion, which quickly became too big for the spacecraft's cameras. Some of the debris could hit Earth on Nov. 1st, arriving in the form of a glancing-blow CME. Stay tuned! CME impact alerts: SMS Text
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
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 Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Comet Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter