GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS: A minor G1-class geomagnetic storms is underway on April 3rd, probably due to the early arrival of a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) originally expected on April 4th. CIRs are transition zones between fast- and slow-moving streams of solar wind. They contain shock waves akin to those of CMEs and often do a good job sparking high-latitude auroras. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
TEMPEST IN A SUNSPOT: Big sunspot 4048 is turning toward Earth and crackling with M-class solar flares. David Wilson of Inverness, Scotland, caught an eruption big enough to swallow our entire planet on April 2nd:
"There's lots of action in sunspot 4048 including this nice flare," says Wilson. "I recorded this video using my modified Coronado PST (Personal Solar Telescope) and a DMK21 camera."
NOAA forecasters say there is a 70% chance of M-class flares and a 15% chance of X-flares on April 3rd. If you have a solar telescope, take a look!
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FRAM2 SIGHTINGS: The first humans to orbit Earth's poles are visible in the night sky. Geir T Birkeland Øye photographed their space capsule on April 1st:
"The Crew Dragon spacecraft carrying the four astronauts of the historic Fram2 mission passed almost directly over my home in Ørsta, Norway," says Øye.
Fram2 can shine as brightly as a first magnitude star, and it will be in orbit until Friday, April 4th. That means you have one more night to see it. Check Heavens Above for local flyby times.
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NORTHERN LIGHTS SPACE PENDANT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the Northern Lights Space Pendant. Here it is, hitching a ride to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray balloon:
You can have it for $129.95. The students are selling these pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the pendant in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. It makes an out-of-this-world birthday or anniversary gift!
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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