EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR ACTIVITY: On Sept. 5th, a C9-class solar flare from sunspot 4524 hurled a CME into space. A NASA model suggests it will hit Earth on Sept. 8th. The impact could spark a G1-class geomagnetic storm with high latitude auroras. CME impact alerts: SMS Text.
EARTH IS ROUND, AND IT HAS OZONE: Lunar eclipses happen when the Moon moves through Earth's shadow. This composite of images taken during the Aug. 27th lunar eclipse proves Earth is round:
"The sequence runs from right to left, as the Moon moved west to east through the shadow and against the background stars of Aquarius." explains photographer Alan Dyer of Alberta, Canada. "In doing so the Moon 'draws' the circular shape of the Earth's inner shadow, which at the Moon's distance is about three times the diameter of the Moon itself."
Dyer's photos also recorded evidence of Earth's ozone layer. Look at the inset. The pale blue fringe at the edge of Earth's shadow is caused by O3.
During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the Moon passes through Earth's stratosphere, which is reddened by scattering. However, light passing through the upper stratosphere penetrates the ozone layer, which absorbs red light and actually makes the passing light ray bluer.
A spherical planet with an ozone layer: Turns out, you can learn alot from a lunar eclipse.
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MILLION-YEAR-OLD METEORITE PENDANT: About one million years ago, this meteorite landed in northern Sweden. On Aug. 25, 2026, we sent it back onboard a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for $269.95. This is a spherical fragment of the Muonionalusta Meteorite found near the Muonio River in Sweden. It is contained within a sterling silver cage that hangs from a matching 18-inch chain.
The meteorite comes with a certificate of authenticity, but you can see that it's real using your own eyes. The sphere is crisscrossed by a faint pattern of geometric crystal lines formed by millions of years of slow cooling in space.
The students of Earth to Sky Calculus 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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