COMET PANSTARRS IN SOHO CORONAGRAPHS: Comet PanSTARRS (C/2025 R3) is passing between Earth and the sun. The bright comet is invisible from Earth because of the sun's glare, but space-based coronagraphs have a great view. Here is the latest movie from SOHO. CMEs launched by today's high solar activity could interact with the comet this weekend, so stay tuned.
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARES SHATTER THE QUIET (UPDATED): The sun has been quiet for weeks. That ended today with two powerful X-class solar flares. In quick succession, sunspot 4419 unleashed X2.4 (0107 UT) and X2.5 (0813 UT) explosions. Alerted by the first flare, Austrian astrophotographer Michael Jaeger caught the second:
Both solar flares caused shortwave radio blackouts on Earth--the first over the Pacific Ocean near Australia, and the second over the Persian Gulf. Anyone using shortwave radios in those areas may have noticed loss of signal at frequencies below 20 MHz just after the respective flares.
Both flares also hurled CMEs into space. First-look NASA models suggest that the two storm clouds will barely miss Earth, although we can't yet rule out at least one glancing blow on April 26th. Stay tuned for updates!. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
more images: from Tapio Lahtinen of Tampere, Finland; from Tosi Philippe of Nîmes, France
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SILVER SAPPHIRE SPACE PENDANT: It has just returned from the edge of space: The Silver Sapphire Space Pendant. The pendant flew to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon, floating for more than 3 hours above 100,000 feet:
You can have it for $219.95. Engraved with the words "I love you always and forever", this sterling silver pendant has a heart-shaped sapphire in the middle surrouunded by a ring of glittering 5A cubic zirconia nuggets. It is a visually striking necklace perfect for anniversaries and romantic birthdays.
The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again.
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