THE SOLAR WIND CONTINUES TO BLOW: For the second day in a row, Earth is inside a fast-moving stream of solar wind. The gaseous material is blowing 600+ km/s (1.3+ million mph) from a narrow hole in the sun's atmosphere. Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible on March 15th as a result of the stream's pressure on Earth's magnetic field. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
PI DAY GEOMAGNETIC STORM: 3.14 means auroras! A geomagnetic storm broke out on March 14th (Pi Day) when the solar wind speed near Earth topped 700 km/s (1.6 million mph). Todd Salat celebrated the display with a "pi in the face" selfie on the banks of the Knik River in Alaska:
"For the past two nights, I watched auroras carve patterns of light across the sky," says Salat. "On Pi Eve (3•13), I stayed warm by light writing π. Then today, Pi Day (3•14), the aurora show went hog wild!"
In the United States, auroras were photographed as far south as the West Elk Mountains of Colorado--a surprisingly widespread display considering that the underlying geomagnetic storm was nominally minor (only G1-G2).
Pi itself may be partly responsible. The constant is deeply embedded in the mathematics of a seminal 1973 paper by Russell and McPherron, which describes why the weeks around equinoxes are prime time for auroras. At this time of year, the magnetic field of Earth can link to the magnetic field of the sun, providing a superhighway for solar wind to enter our planet's magnetosphere. Springtime auroras are the result.
Stay tuned for more as the northern vernal equinox approaches on March 20th. Aurora alerts: SMS Text
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SNOOPY'S EASTER CANDY BOWL: This is the perfect gift for someone who loves Snoopy. And candy. And space! Snoopy's Easter Candy Bowl. It flew to the stratosphere on Jan. 30, 2026, onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $138.95. The hand-painted porcelain bowl comes with a greeting card showing the candy container in flight and telling the story of its journey to the edge of space. It makes an out-of-this-world Easter, birthday, or anniversary gift!
Do you love science? Shop the Shop the Earth to Sky Store. Every item in the store has been to the edge of space--floating above 99.7% of Earth's atmosphere, experiencing cosmic rays, extreme cold, and a wild ride parachuting back to Earth. 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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