GRAZING CME IMPACT POSSIBLE TODAY: NASA and NOAA models agree that a CME could graze Earth today, Feb. 19th. It left the sun on Feb. 16th. The impact, if it occurs, could cause a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm. CME impact alerts: SMS Text
A MEETING IN THE TWILIGHT SKY: Last night, the whisker-thin crescent Moon had a rare close encounter with Mercury in the sunset sky. Augusto Gallardo Quesada photographed the conjunction from Gibara, Holguín, Cuba:
"The clear sky at sunset treated us to a great view," says Quesada. "The thin crescent Moon appeared very close to the planet Mercury, shining together in the twilight. It was a night to remember."
Shortly after Quesada took the picture, Mercury vanished. It passed behind the dark limb of the Moon and remained invisible for more than half an hour. This "lunar occultation" was also photographed across 10 southern US states and Mexico.
more images: from Andres Páez Joannis of Chihuahua, Mexico; from Fabrizio Melandri of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; from John Ashley of Rio Rico, Arizona; from Aldo Agustin Paredes Romero of Mexico City, Mexico; from Dr. Gilbert Plumer of Rockledge, Florida; from Bob Beal of St. George, Utah
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THE COSMIC CROWBAR: No toolkit is complete without one: A crowbar from space! On Dec. 24, 2025, the Cosmic Crowbar hitched a ride to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon. At the apex of the flight, it floated 112,222 feet above the winter Sierra of central California:
You can have it for $97.95. This 15-inch steel bar is light enough to fly on a balloon, yet strong enough to pull out nails and pry apart old carpentry. Bright red paint makes it hard to misplace, while the ends are unpainted to avoid marking work surfaces.
The Cosmic Crowbar comes with a card showing the tool 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.
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