STRONG GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED: The sun hurled another CME toward Earth today, and this one looks like it will be a direct hit. The M7.5-class explosion from sunspot 4274 has an unambiguous Earth-directed component. In total, three CMEs will graze or hit Earth in the days ahead: #1, #2, #3. As a result, strong G3-class geomagnetic storms are possible on Nov. 6-8. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.
SOLAR ACTIVITY IS HIGH: Suddenly, the sun is very active. Yesterday, Earth-orbiting satellites detected two powerful X-class solar flares. This interest-compressed movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows both:
The northern flare (X1.8) came from active sunspot 4274. The southern flare (X1.1) came from a sunspot hidden behind the sun's limb. It was probably more powerful than its nominal classification because the flare was partially eclipsed by the edge of the solar disk.
There's no reason to think this activity will subside. These sunspots have been flaring for weeks, producing multiple farside CMEs in late October. Now they are turning toward Earth. Stay tuned! Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.
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A SPACE BALL FOR DODGER-HATERS: Right now, millions of New Yorkers are upset. Why? Because the Los Angeles Dodgers won the World Series. If you know such a person, console them with the perfect gift--a Yankees baseball from the stratosphere:
You can have it for $99.95. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus are selling space baseballs to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the ball in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space.
Not a Yankees fan? No problem. We also offer space baseballs for the Red Sox, Astros, Giants, Cardinals, Cubs, Padres, Angels and, of course, Dodgers. Just let us know your favorite team and we'll fly it if we don't already have it.
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