SUNSPOTS ARE BACK: After 3 days of blank suns last week, solar activity has returned to normal with multiple sunspot groups crossing the solar disk. Solar Cycle 25 has some life left, after all. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance of M-class flares and a 5% chance of X-flares on March 2nd and 3rd. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
WHEN TO SEE THE LUNAR ECLIPSE: Wide awake at 3:00 a.m.? Studies show that sleep deprivation is epidemic. On the bright side, it's the perfect time to see tonight's total eclipse of the Moon. In the USA, totality is underway before sunrise on Tuesday, March 3rd, around 3 o'clock Pacific Time:
More Time Zones: EST, CST, MST, PST, UTC.
What you see in that graphic is the full Moon turning red as it passes through the shadow of our planet. Earth's shadow is reddened by every sunset and sunrise in the world while the eclipse is in progress--hence the red color of the Moon. A NASA video explains it. Totality lasts for about an hour.
This eclipse will be visible in the Americas, the Pacific Ocean, Australia and much of Asia: visibility map. While people in the Americas can see the eclipse before sunrise on Tuesday, observers across Pacific will see it on Tuesday evening instead--not so hard to wake up!
If you are in the eclipse zone, enjoy the show and submit your photos here.
Realtime Eclipse Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
THE RAINBOW ROSE FROM SPACE: This is no ordinary rose. It shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow, and it has been to the edge of space:
You can have it for $127.95. The rainbow rose flew through the stratosphere on Jan. 24th carried by an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon. The artificial bloom comes with a greeting card showing the rose in flight, and telling the story of its journey to the top of Earth's atmosphere. It makes a great birthday, anniversary, or (coming soon!) Mother's Day gift.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter