EARTH-DIRECTED FLARE AND CME: A CME is heading for Earth. It was launched by this morning's M7-class solar flare (sunspot 4513). A preliminary NASA model suggests the CME will arrive during the night of Aug. 27-28 at about the same time as the lunar eclipse. If so, this could create a high-latitude photo-op for auroras and the crimson Moon. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.
LUNAR ECLIPSE THIS WEEK! Almost every American will be able to see it. On Thursday night, Aug. 27th, Earth's shadow will engulf the Moon for an almost-total eclipse. At maximum, 96% of the lunar disk will be covered, producing a coppery-red Moon with a bright sliver clinging to its northern edge.
More time zones: UT, Eastern, Central, Mountain, Pacific, Alaska, Hawaii
Observers in the eastern and central USA can see the whole thing, start to finish. Along the West Coast, the Moon rises around the time the partial phase begins, so the early stages play out low in the evening twilight. But maximum eclipse will be visible from Coast to Coast. (In Hawaii, the Moon rises already deeply eclipsed.)
Solar eclipses and lunar eclipses come in pairs. This week's lunar eclipse bookends the total solar eclipse Europeans enjoyed on Aug. 12th. Europeans are not well-positioned to see the lunar climax (it happens low in the sky at sunrise), but North and South Americans have a front row seat.
Resources: Visibility Maps from TimeAndDate.com; Technical Description from Fred Espenak; Eclipse Graphics from ShadowAndSubstance.com
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CAMPO DEL CIELO METEORITE PENDANT: his meteorite came from space. We sent it back again. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere onboard a cosmic ray research balloon, more than 109,620 feet above the Sierra Nevada near Bishop, CA:
You can have it for $299.95. Encased in a sterling silver cage, this is a genuine iron-nickel Campo del Cielo meteorite from Argentina. It landed on Earth 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, and made the return trip on Aug. 1, 2026. This pendant comes with a Certificate of Authenticity and a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight.
The students are selling space pendants 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.
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