THE STORM IS OVER: Earth is exiting a fast-moving (700 km/s) stream of solar wind that sparked G1-class geomagnetic storms on June 27th. The solar wind storm is over, and quiet conditions are expected for the weekend. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
ANOTHER NAKED-EYE NOVA: A star exploded June 25th in the southern constellation Vela, and it is already visible to the unaided eye (magnitude +4.8). Eliot Herman photographed V572 Velorum using a robotic telescope in the Rio Hurtado Valley of Chile:
"After a long drought, this is the second bright nova discovered this month," says Herman.
This appears to be a "classical nova." First documented by Chinese astronomers some 2000 years ago, these explosions occur in binary star systems. White dwarf stars steal gas from a bloated partner until the stolen fuel ignites in a sudden thermonuclear blast.
Novas that you can see with your unaided eye magnitude are uncommon. Typically, they appear no more than about once a year. However, in June 2025 there have been two such novas in quick succession : First V462 Lupi and now V572 Velorum. Southern sky watchers, submit your photos here.
BIG PROM ALERT: There's something to see on the sun today. Astronomers are monitoring a pair of giant prominences on the sun's western limb. Harald Paleske sends this picture from Weißenfels, Sachsen Anhalt, Germany:
"Note the delicate clouds in the foreground of the image, which make the spicules behind them appear to be slightly out of focus," says Paleske. "It's a bit like on Earth, in a cloud everything looks very hazy and slightly out of focus."
Prominences are clouds of hydrogen held above the surface of the sun by magnetic forces. These are more than 100,000 km tall, dimensions that make them an easy target for backyard telescopes with solar filters. The structures are instable, so observers this weekend could catch a lucky eruption. Take a look!
more images: from Francois Rouviere of Cannes, France; from Richard Schrantz of Nicholasville, Kentucky; from Michael Borman of Evansville, Indiana; from James Roger Samworth of Nailstone, Leicestershire UK
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GOLDEN SAPPHIRE PENDANT: Are you looking for an unforgettable gift? Consider the Golden Sapphire Space Pendent. On Feb. 20, 2025, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $199.95. Engraved with the words "I love you always and forever", this 18K gold-plated sterling silver pendant features a heart-shaped sapphire crystal surrounded by a ring of glittering 5A cubic zirconia nuggets. It is a visually striking premium pendant that makes a once-in-a-lifetime anniversary or birthday gift.
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.
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