FOR REAL THIS TIME, THE STORM IS SUBSIDING: A super-fast CME hit Earth on Jan. 19th, igniting almost 3 full days of strong geomagnetic storms. Forecasters were surprised by the longevity of the event, which included at least 12 hours of severe (G4-class) storming. Now the storm appears to be subsiding as Earth exits the CME's wake. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
AURORAS SPREAD ACROSS THE USA: You don't see this very often: Desert succulents surrounded by Northern Lights. Chris Cook photographed the rare juxtaposition in southern California on Jan. 19th:
"Last night’s severe geomagnetic storm produced an aurora visible from Joshua Tree National Park in the Mojave Desert of California!" says Cook. "The aurora was faintly visible to the eye, but the camera recorded its beautiful reddish pink glow."
Ross Stone saw a similar scene near the Eureka Dunes in Death Valley National Park. "It was a quiet night in the desert and a beautiful show in the sky," says Stone.
At the same time in Alaska, this happened:
"What an incredible night of dancing, exploding and pulsating aurora!" says says photographer Sacha Layos near Fairbanks. "Every time I thought the show was done, it would ramp back up again and explode across the sky."
The list of states where auroras were photographed is at least 34 states long: Oregon, Minnesota, Colorado; Virginia, Michigan, Vermont, West Virginia, New York, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Missouri, New Jersey, Indiana, Arizona, Wyoming; New Mexico, California, Alabama, South Carolina; North Dakota, Nebraska, Georgia, Montana, Maine, Nevada, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Florida, Washington, Ohio, New York, Utah. Add your state here!
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
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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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