AURORAS HATE SOLSTICES: Regular readers have often heard us say "auroras love equinoxes." It's a real physical phenomenon. Because of the Russell-McPherron Effect, the magnetic connection between sun and Earth is strongest around equinoxes, giving CMEs a boost when they try to spark auroras. But the opposite is also true: Auroras hate solstices. Think of it as the anti-Russell-McFerron Effect. The magnetic connection is weakest around solstices--i.e., now. Perhaps this is why recent CMEs have failed to produce strong geomagnetic storms. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
LOOK FOR AIRGLOW TONIGHT: There's a new Moon on June 14th. That means it's a good night to look for airglow. Aaron Watson photographed the phenomenon on June 13th from the West Elk Mountains of Colorado:
"The sky looked bright to the north, I could tell by the way the clouds were silhouetted that there was a glow of some kind going on," says Watson. "I grabbed the Nikon and saw the neon green in the playback screen."
Airglow looks like an aurora, but it is completely different. The green glow comes from photochemical reactions in Earth's upper atmosphere. It is present almost every night, but it is only visible from extremely dark-sky sites on nights around the New Moon.
Tonight is such a night. Get away from city lights and point your camera at the sky. If the screen turns green, you have found your own airglow. Submit photos here.
more images: from Christopher Calubaquib of Beatty, Nevada; from Dan Bush of Albany, Missouri
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FATHER-SON IRON SCULPTURE: Father’s Day is coming. Are you looking for a far-out gift? Consider the Father-Son Iron Sculpture. Last month, it flew to the stratosphere on board an Earth toSky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $149.95. Handcrafted from iron, the sculpture celebrates the special relationship between dads and their sons. There's a statue for father's and daughters, too!
The students are selling Father's Day Gifts 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.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
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