UPDATED GEOMAGNETIC FORECAST: Geomagnetic storms are possible for the next three days--a minor (G1) storm on Aug 27th followed by moderate (G2) storms on Aug. 28th and 29th. This sequence is the result of an incoming solar wind stream and at least one CME from sunspot 4513. Storms on Aug. 27-28 could surround Thursday night's lunar eclipse with auroras. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.
THE LAST JELLYFISH? Sunrise on Aug. 25th was a little different for sky watchers along the US East Coast. It was filled with jellyfish. "I have never seen one as bright as this. Spectacular, very bright and huge!" reports Ricky Johnson, who sends this photo from Brunswick, Georgia:
This is a "SpaceX jellyfish." It forms when a rocket climbs out of Earth's shadow into high-altitude sunlight. The sun beams through the exhaust, creating a glowing umbrella visible for hundreds of miles.
The jellyfish Johnson saw was created by a Falcon 9 lifting off from Cape Canaveral at 5:33 in the morning. It was seen and photographed all the way from Florida to New York City.
In recent years, SpaceX jellyfish have become a routine sight along both coasts of the USA. Twilight launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and Cape Canaveral in Florida create jellyfish several times a month with sightings in dozens of states.
However, this may be the last East Coast jellyfish for a while. Hours after the Aug. 25th launch, SpaceX VP Kiko Dontchev announced that Falcon 9 rockets would no longer launch Starlink satellites from Florida. "From here on, Starlink missions out of Florida will fly on Starship," he said. No timeline was given for the transition.
Meanwhile, Vandenberg launches will continue unabated, producing Western jellyfish on a regular basis. When the Starship megarocket takes over in Florida, Eastern jellyfish will be even more spectacular than before. So, no, it was not the last.
Would you like to see a SpaceX jellyfish? Sign up for Backyard Astronomy Alerts. Our proprietary jellyfish-prediction software has been field tested and calibrated, and it will give you the best chance to see one from your own backyard.
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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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