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. But the opposite is also true: Auroras hate solstices. Think of it as the anti-Russell-McPherron Effect. The magnetic connection is weakest around solstices. The northern summer solstice is less than a week away. Perhaps this is why recent CMEs have failed to produce strong geomagnetic storms. Aurora alerts: SMS Text.
SUNSET PLANET SKY SHOW: Last week, Venus and Jupiter had a close encounter in the sunset sky. This week, Mercury joins the show. David Blanchard captured the three planets on June 13th outside Flagstaff, Arizona:
"Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter put on a show during evening twilight--including a reflection of Mercury in the calm waters of Lake Mary," says Blanchard.
Tonight, June 15th, Mercury is at its greatest elongation from the sun (+25 degrees), making it unusually easy to see. But the show really begins tomorrow, June 16th, when the crescent Moon passes between Jupiter and Mercury. A Venus-Moon conjunction on June 17th is the grand finale.
Submit your pictures here! Sky maps: June 15, 16, 17.
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PERPETUAL TWILIGHT OF THE SOLSTICE SKY: You know summer is coming when the sky never gets completely dark. Alan Dyer photographed the glow at 2 o'clock in the morning from rural southern Alberta:
"This is a 180º by 360º all-sky view of our night sky a week before the summer solstice," says Dyer. "The sky is not astronomically dark and is lit a deep blue by all-night perpetual twilight."
Twilight was not the only glow. He also captured distant light pollution from the city of Calgary, bands of natural green airglow, magenta auroras, and the magnificent summer Milky Way. The solstice is not so bad, after all.
THE FLOATING SPACE HAMMER FOR FATHER'S DAY: No toolkit is complete without one: The Floating Space Hammer. This one drifted through the stratosphere for more than three hours during a cosmic ray research balloon flight:
You can have it for $97.95. This compact 8 oz. hammer is light enough to fly on a balloon yet dense enough to deliver a powerful blow. The magnetic head holds a nail for one-handed starting, and the stubby 6 in. length is perfect for tight work areas.
The space hammer comes with a card showing the tool floating at the top of Earth's atmosphere. The interior of the card tells the story of the flight and confirms that this gift has been to the edge of space and back again.
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