GIANT SUNSPOT GOES TEMPORARILY QUIET: Europe's Solar Orbiter continues to monitor a giant sunspot crossing the farside of the sun. After emitting a series of strong M-class and X-class solar flares on May 15-16, the sunspot has quieted. Is this a genuine decrease in activity or the calm before the storm? We will find out soon. The sunspot turns toward Earth later this week. Solar Flare alerts: SMS Text.
TWILIGHT SKY SHOW: When the sun goes down tonight (May 19th), step outside and look west. Venus, Jupiter and the crescent Moon are lined up in the twilight sky. The show began on May 18th when the Moon passed by Venus. Richard Sears photographed the close encounter from Ballico, California:
"The crescent Moon and Venus at sunset made a gorgeous pair," says Sears. "An aircraft passing between the two planets added to their splendor."
Tonight, the crescent Moon will be located about midway between Venus and Jupiter, forming a different but equally beautiful scene. Enjoy the show! Sky maps: May 18, 19.
more images: from James Perez-Rogers of New Paltz, NY; from Eliot Herman of Tucson, AZ; from Miroslaw Fröhlich of Bottrop, Germany; from Judah Santiago of Baton Rouge, LA ; from R.T. Smith of Stoneville, NC;
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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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