WAITING FOR THE NEXT X-FLARE: Giant sunspot 4366 has produced six X-flares this week. Today could bring the 7th. The sunspot has an unstable 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong explosions. NOAA forecasters estimate an 80% chance of M-class flares and a 35% chance of X-flares on Feb. 6th. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
BRIGHT COMET ALERT: It took a million years to get here, and now “this lovely comet is gracing southern skies,” reports Ian Griffin, who photographed Comet Wierzchoś (C/2024 E1) last night from Middlemarch, New Zealand:
Discovered in March 2024 by Polish astronomer Kacper Wierzchoś, this hyperbolic Oort-Cloud comet is on an extreme, one-way trajectory. Its inbound orbital period spans millions of years, and after this passage it will likely be ejected from the Solar System--making this perhaps your last chance to see it.
"The comet is sweeping through the southern constellation of Grus, which contains many beautiful galaxies," says Griffin.
After passing by the sun in January, the comet has brightened to magnitude +7. That makes it an easy target for backyard telescopes. Point your optics here.
more images: from Gerald Rhemann and Michael Jäger of Farm Tivoli, Namibia
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CRYSTAL FOREVER ROSE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY: This bloom will never wilt. The Forever Rose flew to the edge of space on Oct. 4, 2025, floating 101,875 feet above the Sierra Nevada Mountains of central California.
You can have it for $98.95. The 3-dimensional rose is laser etched inside a 2.3-inch diameter premium K9 crystal ball. The word "forever" is inscribed beneath the rose to denote eternal love. The stand is included, and it comes with a unique gift card showing the crystal ball at the top of Earth’s atmosphere.
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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