TWILIGHT SKY SHOW--TONIGHT! When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. Venus and the crescent Moon are in conjunction--a tight pair beautifully framed by twilight blue. Tomorrow night, the crescent Moon will move closer to Jupiter, forming a different but equally beautiful scene. Sky maps: May 18, 19.
HUGE FARSIDE SUNSPOT (UPDATED): One of the biggest sunspots in years is crossing the farside of the sun. Here is a 3-day animation of the evolving sunspot group captured by Europe's Solar Orbiter:
The sunspot is crackling with strong solar flares. X-ray sensors onboard Solar Orbiter detected two X1-class flares and more than a dozen M-class flares since May 15th. Earth-based coronagraphs have also detected multiple CMEs emerging from the farside, additional confirmation of intense activity.
The giant sunspot is also visible from Mars. During a survey of atmospheric dust on May 16th the Perseverance rover saw *two* large active regions:
One of these is clearly the same V-shaped cluster Solar Orbiter is tracking, with a second significant sunspot trailing behind.
Solar Orbiter's giant sunspot will turn toward Earth in 5 or 6 days, putting our planet in the strike zone for future activity. Stay tuned for updates from Solar Orbiter and Mars. Solar Flare alerts: SMS Text.
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THIS IS *REAL* MONEY FROM SPACE: The US Mint just released a new $1 coin to honor one of America's greatest innovators: Steve Jobs. On May 14, 2026, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched the coins to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have a single coin for $49.95 or an entire unbroken roll for $299.95 (25 coins). No longer available from the US Mint, these rare coins flew 111,113 feet above the Sierra Nevada. One side shows Steve Jobs in a meditative pose; the other side features the Statue of Liberty in profile. The coin is inscribed with the words "MAKE SOMETHING WONDERFUL."
Bonus: If you need to, you can spend these coins. They're legal tender.
The students are selling space coins to support to support their cosmic ray research program. (Helium is expensive!) Each order comes with a greeting card showing the coins in flight and telling the story of their journey to the stratosphere and back again.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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