CME SPARKS SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM: Arriving earlier than expected, a CME struck Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 19th (1930 UT). The impact sparked a severe G4-class geomagnetic storm. The timing of the impact favored Europe, where widespread auroras are now being reported. It remains to be seen whether the storm will persist long enough for a similar display in North America. Stay tuned! Aurora alerts: SMS Text
THIS WAS A VERY FAST CME: The CME that struck Earth today crossed the sun-Earth divide in only ~25 hours. That's fast. For comparison, most CMEs take 3 or 4 days to get here. The high speed of this CME (~1660 km/s) places it in the top few percent of all CMEs observed in the past 30 years.
Since the launch of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) in 1995, SOHO coronagraphs have cataloged thousands of CMEs. The vast majority were slower than 1,000 km/s. The fastest CME, observed on July 23, 2012, was clocked at 2,900 to 3,500 km/s.
Today's CME, while extremely fast, is only half as fast as a true "monster CME." Nevertheless, it is capable of producing severe to extreme geomagnetic storms with auroras in the USA as far south as Arizona, Texas, and southern California. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
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VALENTINE'S LOVE LOCKET: Valentine’s Day is coming. Do you have a truly far-out gift? Consider the Valentine's Love Locket. On Jan. 2nd, it flew to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $107.95. The locket is openable, lockable, and can hold small items inside. You'll also receive a unique keepsake card showing the jewelry at the top of Earth's atmosphere. Inside, the card tells the story of the flight and certifies that this swing has been to the edge of space.
Earth to Sky Valentine's gifts have flown above 99.7% of Earth's atmosphere, experiencing space-like blasts of cosmic rays, extreme cold, and a wild ride parachuting back to Earth after the balloon explodes. Even Amazon doesn't carry items this far out. And, best of all, all sales support student science projects and STEM education.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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