LATE-SEASON NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: Usually the summer season for noctilucent clouds (NLCs) is over by now. Instead, Arctic sky watchers are seeing some very bright NLCs. Yesterday in Kiruna, Sweden, the clouds were so bright "it seemed like sunrise," reports Elmar Nestlen. Polar air travelers have seen dramatic displays, too. We're examining satellite data now in search of an explanation. Stay tuned.
BRIGHT FARSIDE CME: On Aug. 21st, a fast-moving CME blew away from the farside of the sun, forming a complete halo around the solar disk. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded the explosion:
Radio emissions from shock waves inside the CME suggest it was moving at 1,200 km/s (2.7 million mph)--very fast, but not record-setting. If it hit Earth, it would almost certainly spark a strong geomagnetic storm.
However, it will not hit Earth. Instead, a NASA model predicts it will strike Mars on Aug. 25th, potentially sparking global UV auroras around the Red Planet.
The source of the CME is not completely hidden. Hemioseismic maps of the sun's farside reveal the echo of a large sunspot at the probable location of the blast site:
This farside sunspot is not far behind the sun's eastern limb and, indeed, only few days away from turning to face Earth. The next CME might hit us instead of Mars. Stay tuned!
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
SPACE BALLS FOR GOLFERS: It was an out-of-this-world drive. On May 25th, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a basket of space-helmeted golf balls to the edge of space on board a cosmic ray research balloon. Here they are floating 119,000 feet above the Sierra Nevada mountains of central California:
For $49.95 you can have a set of 3 space balls along with a unique gift card showing the balls floating at the top of Earth’s atmosphere. The interior of the card tells the story of the flight and confirms that this gift has been to the edge of space and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Noctilucent Cloud Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter