THE CENTENNIAL GLEISSBERG CYCLE: You've heard of the 11-year sunspot cycle. But what about the Centennial Gleissberg Cycle? The Gleissberg Cycle is a slow modulation of the solar cycle, which suppresses sunspot numbers every 80 to 100 years. It may have been responsible for the remarkable weakness of Solar Cycle 24 in 2012-2013. New research published in the journal Space Weather suggests that the minimum of the Gleissberg Cycle has just passed. If so, solar cycles for the next 50 years could become increasingly intense. Read the paper here.
GEOMAGNETIC STORMS THIS WEEKEND: A fast-moving (680 km/s) stream of solar wind is buffeting Earth's magnetic field and causing minor (G1) to moderate (G2) geomagnetic storms this weekend. Nesib Ali saw the geomagnetic glow from an airplane at 35,000 feet:
"Auroras were continously visible during our flight from the United States over eastern Canada and Greenland, sometimes to the unaided eye and throughout with my camera," says Ali.
If you're flying over the Arctic this weekend, grab the window seat. The solar wind is expected to blow for another 24 hours. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
more images: from Brett Frostad of Ft. McLeod, Alberta, Canada; from Geir T Birkeland Øye of Ørsta, Norway; from Joel Weatherly of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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18K GOLD "ALWAYS AND FOREVER" PENDANT: Are you looking for an unforgettable gift? Consider the Always and Forever Space Pendent. On Aug. 29, 2023, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $229.95. Engraved with the words "I love you always and forever", this 18K gold-plated sterling silver pendant has a heart-shaped ruby crystal in the middle surrounded by a ring of glittering 5A cubic zirconia nuggets. It is a visually striking premium pendant.
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
Realtime Venus Photo Gallery
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Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter