GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G1): Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible this weekend, July 12th or 13th, as Earth enters a stream of high-speed solar wind. The gaseous material is flowing from an equatorial hole in the sun's atmosphere. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
CROSSWINDS IN THE MESOSPHERE: On July 10th, photographer Peter Rosén of Stockholm, Sweden, captured an extraordinary time-lapse video of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) rippling across the northern sky. At first glance, the scene is familiar—silvery tendrils flowing like smoke above the horizon. But take a closer look:
There are two distinct layers of clouds moving in different directions, stacked one atop the other.
"This is new to me," says Rosén, who has been watching NLCs over Sweden for the past 20 years. "There are two layers moving in opposite directions, but also interfering and creating interesting patterns."
Noctilucent clouds form when summertime plumes of water vapor rise to the mesosphere (83 km high) and frost the ashes of disintegrated meteors. The layer where these clouds form is extremely thin—typically less than 10 km from bottom to top. Yet somehow, two dynamic layers of clouds have squeezed into this narrow wafer of air.
"This is a very cool time-lapse video!" says Cora Randall, a Distinguished Professor Emerita and leading expert in NLC physics at the University of Colorado. "Using radar, Chinese researchers have recently found strong vertical wind shears in the mesosphere--probably linked to gravity wave activity." Rosén may have captured these exact phenomena in visual form.
Above: Maps of vertical wind shear in the noctilucent zone captured by Chinese radar (ref)
"We know that vertical wind shears can be large at NLC altitudes - so this isn't completely surprising," adds Lynn Harvey of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) in Boulder, CO. "But is this the first time it's been so clearly documented?"
It seems so. Rosén’s camera captured crosswinds in the mesosphere--a rare visual confirmation of complex dynamics near the edge of space.
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
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THE ALIEN ABDUCTION CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT: "Turnabout is fair play," said the cow. You can't buy this on Amazon: The Alien Abduction Christmas Ornamant is only available from the Earth to Sky Store. On July 7, 2025, it flew to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $149.95. Hand-sculpted in the USA, this humorous ornament is intricately detailed, from the tied-up alien at the rear of the saucer to the cow at the helm. Durable polyresin construction makes it lightweight enough to hang on any tree, but sturdy enough to last for many Christmases to come--a guaranteed conversation starter!
The students are selling space ornaments to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the ornament 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 Aurora Photo Gallery
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Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
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