FARSIDE SUNSPOT REPORT: Europe's Solar Orbiter is swinging around the farside of the sun and monitoring a sigificant number of farside sunspots. This image from the spacecraft's Polarimetric and Helioseismic Imager (PHI) shows a line of five active regions in the southern hemisphere. All five will turn toward Earth in the week ahead. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
DAYTIME LUNAR OCCULTATION OF VENUS: Across the USA yesterday, people ducked into the shadows of buildings and trees to block the sun and watch a rare daytime lunar occultation of Venus. In some cases, clouds helped, too:
"Thunderstorms were approaching," says photographer James Perez-Rogers of Saugerties, NY. This dimmed the sun and "I was able to grab this successful frame of Venus emerging from behind the Moon."
We are receiving reports from many other observers as well. The event was visible from coast to coast in the USA. Did you see it? Submit your pictures here.
more images: from Richard Sears of Ballico, CA; from Carel Neffenger of Burien, WA; from Susan Colosimo of La Crescenta, CA; from Thomas Schutz of Benicia, CA; from Mark Stalcup of Portland, OR; from John Harms of Eugene, OR; from G. Lawrence Carr of Stony Brook, NY; from Steven Bellavia of Smithfield, VA; from John Johnston of Silver Spring, MD; from Mohamad Sol of Santa Maria de Sal, Cape Verde; from John Ashley of Rio Rico, AZ; from Stephen Ofsthun of Norman, OK; from Aaron Watson of West Elk Mountains, CO
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Space Weather Newsletter
STERLING SILVER STARCAT: Are you looking for a far-out gift? Introducing the Sterling SIlver StarCat Pendant. On June 14th, it hitched a ride to the stratosphere onboard an Earth to Sky Calculus cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $169.95. The silver feline form is wrapped around a genuine moonstone with a matching 18 inch Italian sterling silver chain. It is 100% hypoallergenic.
The students of Earth to Sky are selling space pendants to support their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the pendant 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
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Space Weather Newsletter