THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED: As predicted, a high-speed stream of solar wind hit Earth's magnetic field on March 7th. The impact sparked a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm with Arctic auroras. More minor storms are possible today as the solar wind continues to blow at speeds near 600 km/s. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
SOMETHING CHASING THE ISS: "Last night, I saw an amazing sight of not only the International Space Station (ISS), but also something else following it," reports Frankie Lucena, who photographed the pair from Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico:
"Turns out that the ISS was being followed by the Japanese cargo ship HTV-X1, which had earlier undocked after delivering some supplies."
HTV-X1 delivered food, drink, and multiple science experiments to the space station. The most interesting, arguably, is the Sake Experiment.
Japanese researchers sent sake yeast to the ISS to study how microgravity affects fermentation and flavor development. The project is part science and part cultural outreach: scientists want to understand how yeast behaves in space, while brewers are curious whether microgravity changes the taste or aroma of sake. Kanpai!
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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
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