THE CHRISTMAS STORM DIDN'T HAPPEN: A CME expected to hit Earth on Dec. 25th did not. Either the CME missed or it is moving more slowly than expected. A tardy arrival on Dec. 26th could still spark a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm, albeit too late for auroras on Christmas. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
HIGH SOLAR ACTIVITY: The sun is crackling with solar flares. Witness these four M-class events within a 2 1/2 hour period on Dec. 26th:
Sunspots 3933, 3936 and 3938 are all participating--but not independently. These are "sympathetic solar flares," one triggering another, then another, in a chain reaction. Sometimes this happens when widely-spaced sunspots are connected by invisible loops of magnetism threading through the sun's high atmosphere.
The four flares pictured above combined to produced X-ray peaks of M3 and M7. If the sunspots continue to work together, a powerful X-flare may be just a matter of time. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
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POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUD SIGHTINGS: Observers are now seeing polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) around the clock. Karsten Berger sends these Christmas day and night photos from the Finnish Lapland:
"Polar night is not as dark as people might think," says Berger. "These clouds were shining brightly in the twilight glow of Christmas in the Finnish Lapland."
PSCs are a very rare type of cloud. They form in the Arctic stratosphere for a few days each year, usually near the winter solstice when the temperature drops to a staggeringly low -85 C. Sunlight touching the ice crystals inside PSCs cause them to blossom with pastel color.
Although PSCs normally appear only a few times each winter, sky watchers have been seeing them regularly since Dec. 10th, when they were first noticed over Norway. This means the polar cold spell is lasting longer than usual. Until further notice, Arctic photographers should remain alert for PSCs and, please, submit your photos here.
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CHRISTMAS GIFTS FROM THE EDGE OF SPACE: Christmas is here! Are you looking for a far-out gift? Check out the Earth to Sky Store. It's filled with unique items that have flown to the edge of space onboard cosmic ray research balloons.
Carried aloft by giant helium balloons, these unique gifts have flown above 99.7% of Earth's atmosphere, experiencing space-like blasts of cosmic rays, extreme cold, and a wild ride parachuting back to Earth after the balloon explodes. Even Amazon doesn't carry items this far out.
Don't forget to enter coupon code "BLACKCAT" at checkout for a 10% holiday discount.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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