INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES: Sunspots are growing again, especially in the sun's northern hemisphere. Nine different sunspot groups are currently facing Earth. New sunspot AR4142 has a delta-class magnetic field that harbors energy for X-class solar flares. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
SUNSPOT SHOCKWAVES: Sunspot 4136 has an inky-black core wide enough to swallow Earth. What is going on in there? On July 15th, amateur astronomer David Wilson of Inverness, Scotland, took a closer look, and this is what he saw:
"The core of the sunspot is pulsing regularly and sending out circular waves across the solar surface like a pebble in a pond," says Wilson. "If this is just a processing artefact I am going to be mighty embarrassed."
There's no need for embarrassment. It's real. Professional astronomers have long known about this phenomenon, sometimes called "umbral flashes." They are usually seen only through the largest solar telescopes, but sometimes amateurs catch them, too.
The ripples Wilson observed are not fully understood. One theory holds that gas from the sun's atmosphere falls into the sunspot's core. When it reaches the "floor" of the sunspot, the gas rebounds, forming luminous shockwaves that spread from the center in concentric circles.
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PEARLS WITH ALTITUDE (SPACE CAT EARRINGS): These pearls are out of this world. On July 7, 2025, they hitched a ride to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky cosmic ray research balloon, more than 107,117 feet high:
You can have a pair for $149.95. These stud earrings are the purr-fect gift for cat lovers. Each premium AAAAA-rated pearl is delicately framed by sterling silver cat ears—plated in platinum for a shine that lasts all nine lives. They’re a celestial nod to feline elegance.
The students are selling space jewelry 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.
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