GEOMAGNETIC STORMS ARE UNDERWAY: Geomagnetic storms are underway on March 26th as Earth enters a stream of fast-moving solar wind flowing from a giant hole in the sun's atmosphere. The intensity is fluctuating between category G1 (Minor) and G2 (Moderate). Earth should remain inside the stream for the next 24 hours, so storm conditions could continue into March 27th. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
"THE SKY BURST INTO FLAMES": Last night in Finland, Sebastian Sainio went outside to photograph some "pretty normal" green auroras. They didn't stay normal for long. "All of a sudden, the sky burst into flames, and this beautiful corona appeared behind our local radio tower," he says.
Sainio wasn't the only one. Karsten Berger in Muonio, Finland, also described the light show as an explosion. It was so bright, she says, "the intensity saturated the camera of my iPhone."
The outburst was probably caused by the arrival of a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) during the late hours of March 25th. CIRs are transition zones between fast- and slow-moving streams of solar wind; they contain shock waves akin to CMEs. This particular CIR was created and pushed toward Earth by solar wind flowing from a giant hole in the sun's atmosphere.
Rainbow colors even reached the USA. Gregory Ash sends this picture from Duluth, Minnesota:
"It was a beautiful rainbow bouquet," says Ash. "I was serenaded by geese and swans in this small pond north of Duluth while the auroras danced overhead."
Another sighting of note comes from an airplane flying to London. "The crew refused to turn off the lights, but that didn't ruin the fun for the excited passengers," says photographer Serge Rosenblum, who wisely grabbed a window seat. Check it out.
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"ALWAYS AND FOREVER" RUBY HEART PENDANT: Are you looking for a far out gift? Consider the Always and Forever Space Pendent. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $219.95. Engraved with the words "I love you always and forever", this sterling silver pendant has a heart-shaped ruby crystal in the middle surrouunded by a ring of glittering 5A cubic zirconia nuggets. It is a visually striking necklace perfect for anniversaries and romantic birthdays.
The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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