Fantasies Attic

Main Floor => Getting Acquainted => Coffee Shoppe and Gardens => Topic started by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 06:13:37 PM

Title: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 06:13:37 PM
I occasionally get notices from Space Weather web site about what is going on for CME and so forth. Well, today got an unusual one that I wanted to share.

So read on...

 
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
   STRANGE BUT TRUE--AN ASTEROID WITH RINGS: Today at a press conference in Brazil, astronomers announced the surprising discovery of an asteroid with rings. The 250-km-wide asteroid, named Chariklo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10199_Chariklo), is located in the outer solar system between Saturn and Uranus. In June 2013,  observers used seven different telescopes in South America to watch the asteroid pass in front of a distant star. The star winked out not just once, as would be expected for a solitary asteroid, but multiple times, revealing a pair of dense narrow rings surrounding the space rock. Here is an artist's concept of the system:
(http://spaceweather.com/images2014/26mar14/concept_strip.jpg) (http://spaceweather.com/images2014/26mar14/concept.jpg?PHPSESSID=hn962kl33ctks1kqojk3r1mnh2)
"We weren't looking for a ring and didn't think small bodies like Chariklo had them at all, so the discovery — and the amazing amount of detail we saw in the system — came as a complete surprise!" says Felipe Braga-Ribas of Observatório Nacional/MCTI in Rio de Janeiro. He planned the observing campaign and is the lead author of a March 26th paper in Nature describing the results.
According to their analysis, the rings are only 3 km and 7 km wide, respectively, with a 9 km gap between them. "I   try to imagine how it would be to stand on the surface of this icy   asteroid and stare up at a  such a  ring   system 1000 times closer than the Moon,"   adds team member Uffe GrÃ¥e Jørgensen of the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark.
Because the rings are so narrow, they are probably confined and shepherded by    small satellites. "So, as well as the rings, it's likely that Chariklo has at least one small moon still waiting to be discovered," adds Felipe Braga Ribas


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 26, 2014, 06:29:56 PM
Isn't that something.....I got the same notice and spend some time in there this morning looking at other items they have listed to...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 07:04:15 PM
Well, we only do the in depth reading when home, as to much to do during working hours.

Like today, pulled in the additional antenna lines, then found out that there was a revision indicating that the lines should be in a different room.

The mechanical room.

NOT

First off you have the air handler in there, a water heater, a VFD (Variable Frequency Drive), and the fire alarm panel. Then there is the concept of conditioned air for the equipment and the dust and dirt factor. Let us not forget the access to the room. Mechanical room are much lower on the food chain then a bona-fide IT room.

So although I pulled the lines in per the previous instructions there seems to be some problems with the actual final destination.

Having been in construction for so long this does not surprise me, however changing the location of radio equipment that had been determined from the start is shall we say ... not cool.

So did what we could, and now leave it in the hands of the "NSFW" to resolve the discrepancy, before I make any terminations.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 07:05:06 PM
Isn't that something.....I got the same notice and spend some time in there this morning looking at other items they have listed to...

I did some poking about and you are so right there was some additional great stuff
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 26, 2014, 07:07:53 PM
LOL.....Yup...those Job things do take up ones time.   But I find I have less time now then I did before to work on my projects.....  All of a sudden I'm "Dan the go to guy"  when something is needed .... and call anytime...."he's Retired"  :tearlaugh:

I get into Space Weather in the morning now and beat the newsletter notice by a 1/2 a day.......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 26, 2014, 07:19:42 PM
That's pretty cool!! Love seeing 'new' things 'out there'.

 :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 26, 2014, 07:24:02 PM
Sounds like someone had a severe case of HeadusUpArsis when they decided to put the radio equipment in the Mechanical Room! Some first-year Mechanical or Electrical Engineer grad with a BS and no experience perhaps?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 07:27:15 PM
Indeed the real clincher would be a VFD for the AHU, with three (3) RF lines next to each other.

Can you say interference ... with capital letters, underlined, and bright shining lights

Knew you could.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 26, 2014, 07:32:28 PM
Can the RF lines be put in pvc conduit?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2014, 07:41:44 PM
They can be put in any sort of conduit from EMT (electrical metallic conduit) to RMC (rigid metallic conduit) and yes PVC.

Typically only due to the concept of protection from physical damage, more often then not in the room where the equipment is located it is racked on cable tray to the point of termination.

That being said the next challenge would be to run said conduit to point of termination, that room is quite congested pipe wise already, then as mentioned we have a dust issue for the equipment in my rack, plus a cooling issue.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 10, 2014, 07:06:37 PM
It's not exactly 'Space Weather' but it has to do with 'out there' and you might find it interesting:

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/stories/black-holes-are-portals-to-other-universes-according-to-new-quantum (http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/stories/black-holes-are-portals-to-other-universes-according-to-new-quantum)

Black holes may not end in a crushing singularity as previously thought, but rather open up passageways into whole other universes.



http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/stories/our-universe-may-have-emerged-from-a-black-hole-in-a-higher-dimensional (http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/stories/our-universe-may-have-emerged-from-a-black-hole-in-a-higher-dimensional)

The cosmos as we know it might be nothing more than a three-dimensional 'mirage' created by a collapsing star in a universe profoundly different than our own.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 10, 2014, 07:08:05 PM
Maybe that's why some of us have always had this nagging feeling of "don't belong here".
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 10, 2014, 07:16:04 PM
Could be indeed.....

Talking about space things....Tonight is the Biggest Super Moon of the year.....

The next time one will be seen this big will be September of Next Year....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 10, 2014, 07:19:54 PM
Also the Perseid Meteor shower, if memory serves.

I swear I saw a meteor hit the Moon once about 3-4 years ago about this time of year. I was watching for them but looking at the Moon and all of a sudden, I saw this large 'poof' of dust fly up over the Moon at about 1-2 o'clock. It was maybe only the size of a pea from here but definitely a big poof!!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 10, 2014, 07:21:38 PM
How lovely we so like topics of this nature.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 10, 2014, 07:23:14 PM
Well, we won't see much of anything here tonight...Storm clouds are rolling in so nothing but grey and black up in the sky. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on August 10, 2014, 07:34:04 PM
 :iminnocent: I'm staying out of this one, the world thinks me strange already.

 :#1kitteh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 10, 2014, 07:56:30 PM
Now who would ever think a thing like that?  I can guarantee it's no one in here   :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 10, 2014, 10:10:23 PM
Now who would ever think a thing like that?  I can guarantee it's no one in here   :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Not moi! And besides...you know...if they can't take a joke...................
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Katt on August 13, 2014, 09:20:40 PM
... then they are one?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 13, 2014, 09:26:46 PM
... then they are one?

Not sure what you're asking, Katt. Sorry. :3flower;
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Katt on August 14, 2014, 09:48:09 AM
Not moi! And besides...you know...if they can't take a joke...................

I was saying that if they can't take a joke ... then maybe they ARE a joke ... sorry ... heading back to my lab ... with coffee ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 14, 2014, 11:04:55 AM
I was saying that if they can't take a joke ... then maybe they ARE a joke ... sorry ... heading back to my lab ... with coffee ...

Ohh...LOL. Glad I asked. I thought you meant something in relation to the two articles.

Uh...yes.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2014, 04:17:02 PM
More :java: or more :sake: one of the two will work

:yippee:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 16, 2014, 04:21:00 PM
I'm sure your choice will be :sake: since :java: is my cup of tea...ummmm....coffee
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2014, 04:30:05 PM
:iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 16, 2014, 05:14:30 PM
:iminnocent:

:iminnocent: of being :iminnocent:  :yes:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2014, 05:44:42 PM
Innocent of being innocent ... really that almost sound like a double negative or possibly kinky .... or is that Kikyo ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 16, 2014, 05:52:58 PM
It is a double negative where one cancels out the other.

Who or what is Kikyo?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2014, 06:04:21 PM
Shrine priestess in the anime series Inuyasha
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 16, 2014, 06:22:27 PM
Shrine priestess in the anime series Inuyasha

I figured it had to be some anime person. :)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2014, 06:37:32 PM
At least I am consistent
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 16, 2014, 08:17:02 PM
My turn....  :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 02:51:15 PM
WOW! MORNING CONJUNCTION:  Jupiter and Venus are converging in the eastern sky for a spectacular pre-dawn conjunction.  Closest approach is Monday morning, August 18th.  The event is highlighted on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com)

MINOR STORM WARNING:   Minor geomagnetic storms are possible during the late hours of August 18th when a faint CME is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field head-on.  Aurora alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (http://spaceweathertext.com) (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (http://spaceweatherphone.com) (voice).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 17, 2014, 02:56:04 PM
Thank you for information. Mister Sun is in action lolll
Alas, not aurora by here  :ahhhh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 03:26:54 PM
Thank you for information. Mister Sun is in action lolll
Alas, not aurora by here  :ahhhh:

It won't be until tomorrow with the sun Aelin. I think it would take more than a faint solar flare even head on to see aurora in France...but one never knows these days. Glad that's a *faint* CME hitting us head on. Don't want a major one hitting us head on!

I saw a Venus, Jupiter, Moon conjunction for a few evenings about - gosh, 7-8 years ago now. It was sooo pretty!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 17, 2014, 03:34:24 PM
It would seem that aurora was visible in 1870 on part of France. But it's a little old for that I can remember  :tearlaugh:
Otherwise, I heard that there had been a visible aurora over half of France a few years ago ... if I had been current, I would have had a look at the sky.

I saw a comet in 1990 years. But i don't remember its name.

(edit: it's Hale-Boop)

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 03:52:56 PM
Seen a great many things over the years, fireballs during the Leonid meteor shower, spectacular sightings during the Perseids and the Geminid showers several years ago, lunar eclipses both total and partials, even a partial solar eclipse and then of course the constellations themselves, can turn a full 360° and name them all from my point on this pale blue dot.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 04:36:29 PM
Seen a great many things over the years, fireballs during the Leonid meteor shower, spectacular sightings during the Perseids and the Geminid showers several years ago, lunar eclipses both total and partials, even a partial solar eclipse and then of course the constellations themselves, can turn a full 360° and name them all from my point on this pale blue dot.

I can barely see anything where I live, thanks the MalWart across the street and all the light pollution that comes with it.

I can name many constellations but not all. More familiar with the summer ones than the winter ones, but know the polar ones.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 04:51:37 PM
That was another period of great solar flares apparently, Aelin and probably caused by a large one. They aren't usually seen so far south unless it is a very large flare. There may have been a few years ago. I know in the last few years with the sun approaching 'solar maximum' in it's cycles there have been some seen here in the mid-US. I have seen photos of them.

Lol...yes, Hale-Bopp. I believe that is the one that crashed into Jupiter and broke up.



This is Boop  :boopkiss:  - Betty Boop
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 17, 2014, 05:09:49 PM
Quote
Lol...yes, Hale-Bopp. I believe that is the one that crashed into Jupiter and broke up.
I think it's Levy-Shoemaker that do 'bang' on Jupiter  :worried?:

But Hale-Bopp gave a great spectacle  :confet:


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 05:14:06 PM
Oops yes Shoemaker Levey did the crash and burn into Jupiter I do remember following it as best I could ... damnable light pollution made that sort of a exercise in futility but I do own a pretty powerful set of binoculars.

Didn't see much more then an approach barely, as to impact more wishful thinking on my part but still ... works for me.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 05:33:51 PM
I think it's Levy-Shoemaker that do 'bang' on Jupiter  :worried?:

But Hale-Bopp gave a great spectacle  :confet:

Ahhh, you are right!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 05:34:46 PM
Dang...I've been working in the Music Room much of the day fixing videos and I keep 'Modifying' posts instead of 'Quoting' them.

 :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 06:13:53 PM
To fix them modify is the correct function to use young lady.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 06:38:21 PM
To fix them modify is the correct function to use young lady.

I know...but when you've been doing it most all day, it becomes a bit of a chore to remember which one you really want to use. I'm modifying when I should be quoting this afternoon. I think I've broken the pattern though after doing it 3 times.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 06:46:21 PM
:thud: Dost thou need a good shoulder massage :ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 17, 2014, 07:03:47 PM
I started the Freebie section Cookie so I can relate.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 07:11:23 PM
I started the Freebie section Cookie so I can relate.... :thud:
And Kianna will massage your shoulders with pleasure
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 17, 2014, 07:18:28 PM
That's OK....Nightmares are not what I need tonight   :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 07:20:48 PM
I believe you meant sweet dreams
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 17, 2014, 07:22:55 PM
Ummmm....No

Nightmares was the correct terminology :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 07:24:22 PM
There you go with semantics again
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 07:30:57 PM
I started the Freebie section Cookie so I can relate.... :thud:

Glad someone here understands my 'pain'.  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 07:47:04 PM
I have  :havesum: does that help?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 07:49:48 PM
Oh yes. Chocolate cures most anything!!!!! :3flower;
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2014, 07:53:50 PM
Whew! we are in the clear now ... so let us bring on the  :havesum: and maybe some :cookies:

Then maybe one can talk a little  :pervy: just because ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2014, 08:04:53 PM
Lol...you've been talking  :pervy: most all afternoon J.

 :sexy3:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 18, 2014, 05:15:34 AM
Me :pervy: most of the afternoon ... perish the thought ... we are ever so behind on the :perverted: time to kick it up a notch :cmereJ: :cheer: :hubbahubba: :shakeyour:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 24, 2014, 03:24:29 PM
Check this clip out what a sight ...Solar Flare (http://sdowww.lmsal.com/sdomedia/h264/2014/08/24/SSW_cutout_20140824T1155-20140824T1240_AIA_304-193-171_S09E76.mov)

Details:

MAGNIFICENT SOLAR FLARE: A visually beautiful solar flare erupted from the east limb of the sun today.  Extreme UV radiation briefly ionized the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere; otherwise, our planet was not in the line of fire.  The responsible sunspot will turn toward Earth in the days ahead, boosting chances for geoeffective solar activity as the week unfolds
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 24, 2014, 03:25:30 PM
Isn't that something....Saw it in the site earlier on.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 24, 2014, 03:28:16 PM
Isn't it though just added the description of it in the previous post
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 24, 2014, 03:59:14 PM
Love the false colors. Let's hope the next ones don't hit us head-on.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 06:28:44 PM
Look out!

This one (https://news.yahoo.com/intense-solar-eruption-captured-nasa-spacecraft-video-110800186.html) erupted from the far side of the Sun but as the Sun rotates, we might see something like it coming.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 04, 2014, 07:07:21 PM
ASTEROID FLYBY:  On Sunday, Sept. 7th, a house-sized asteroid  named "2014 RC" will fly through the Earth-Moon system approximately 40,000 km from our planet. At closest approach,  the space rock will be almost inside the orbit of Earth's geosynchronous satellites.  Amateur astronomers, especially those in the southern hemisphere, may be able to observe the flyby. Check http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com) for more information.

AURORA WATCH: On Sept. 6th, a day before the asteroid flyby, a  CME is expected to deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field, setting the stage for a nice display of high-latitude auroras.  Geomagnetic storm alerts are available from http://spaceweathertext.com (http://spaceweathertext.com) (text) and http://spaceweatherphone.com (http://spaceweatherphone.com) (voice).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 04, 2014, 07:19:48 PM
Check out the new vid showing the blast from the sun....it was awesome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 07:21:05 PM
That's a bit close for comfort. Sounds like it's coming out of the main asteroid belt.

I'm sure we're on about the same CMEs here.

Great, this next week should be very interesting I'm guessing, both up there and down here.

Lord, I can't type worth a darn today!!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 07:23:46 PM
Man, those are some massive dark spots!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 04, 2014, 08:13:36 PM
I love that site....it is just so awesome and they have links to everything "Spacey"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 08:24:41 PM
Are you familiar with the Astronomy Picture of the Day  site (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html) - APOD for short, TL?

The first image at the top indicates there is yet another comet coming out of the main asteroid belt around October 19th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 04, 2014, 08:34:55 PM
Are you familiar with the Astronomy Picture of the Day  site (http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html) - APOD for short, TL?

The first image at the top indicates there is yet another comet coming out of the main asteroid belt around October 19th.

I saw that and yes, they have some great pics also.  There are other links that take you to live views of space also...that are awesome....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 08:35:58 PM


http://youtu.be/TqyTaGhdpjU (http://youtu.be/TqyTaGhdpjU)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 08:42:43 PM
I saw that and yes, they have some great pics also.  There are other links that take you to live views of space also...that are awesome....

Yup. I love that site. I've used a few images from Hubble and other 'publicly owned' (government) as backgrounds. Those are public domain. Not so with the ones by private telescopes and astronomers. Those images are copyrighted to them. Always interesting information and links with the images, definitely!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 04, 2014, 08:45:11 PM
That was absolutely awesome.   And to think we are the "Greatest" thing since Peanut Butter is nuts.  Look at what is out there and tell me someone is not looking at us and scratching their heads at how much we have accomplished and how little we've learned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 08:58:42 PM
That was absolutely awesome.   And to think we are the "Greatest" thing since Peanut Butter is nuts.  Look at what is out there and tell me someone is not looking at us and scratching their heads at how much we have accomplished and how little we've learned.

I love that bit of music - an absolute 'modern classic' if you ask me. And yes, the comet images with it are spectacular. What is 'out there' is so very awesome and transfixing - how could anyone NOT look at it and realize how insignificant we really are in the whole scheme of things? I often envy our ancient ancestors who had no light pollution and could see stories taking place every night in the heavens. I can understand their awe and even fear, because our galactic neighborhood has calmed down a lot since then. They could see much more clearly than we can.

We are pathetic in what we have accomplished and what we haven't learned. There is no such thing as a 'war to end all wars'. But somehow we fail to see it's just one after another for thousands and thousands of years. As someone who shall go un-named once said "Man is so infinitely great....Man is so infinitely small."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 09:02:12 PM
So, Sidherose, is it alright to download pictures from APOD?

You can download all the images you want, Nitab. Just don't use any of the ones that are credited to people and have a copyright with them - or if you do, then give credit to them like using any other image...unless it says "All rights reserved". If it says that, then you cannot use them at all. The Hubble images are public domain. 

But you can also use them as reference to make your own in PSP or PShop with brushes. :)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2014, 10:36:35 PM
Thank you very much, Ms Sidherose. I'm gonna get a few backgrounds.

:smiley: you're welcome hon.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 05, 2014, 04:37:10 AM
Some of those images are really, really huge Nitab - like 5000 plus pixels - so be sure to look at the size they are before you use them. You might need to reduce the size.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 05, 2014, 08:47:05 AM
A new comet  :woohoo:
I see for asteroid of this week-end too. But french article is strong: 2014 RC will pass at a distance of one tenth of the distance between Earth and Sun. For them, the distance between Earth and Sun is 400 000km  :tearlaugh: immediate tanning!
Journalists are strange, and forget that is Moon at this distance rounded
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2014, 08:54:41 AM
:tearlaugh:  Indeed.....Journalist are very strange....  All have the same information in the beginning but once you get done reading the stories from them you wonder who told who what.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 05, 2014, 06:18:57 PM
:tearlaugh:  Indeed.....Journalist are very strange....  All have the same information in the beginning but once you get done reading the stories from them you wonder who told who what.....

Or why since they all be off base.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2014, 06:45:41 PM
Exactly.....They are almost as bad as Weather Folks...... :tearlaugh: 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 05, 2014, 06:58:32 PM
Well, this IS 'Space Weather' - sorta. :tearlaugh:  Just consider the comets and asteroids like flaming balls of giant hail. :yes:

Yes, there's a considerable difference between 40,000 km and 400,000 km!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2014, 07:02:03 PM
:tearlaugh:   Now that would be Weather I'd look for.....  All day yesterday they kept saying today was going to be in the upper 80's and Sunny.   High today....72   RAINED all day...... :thud:

I just got some great links from my Yahell home page about space.  I'll have to look and see what they are about ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 05, 2014, 07:09:19 PM
Hit the Pic of the day link posted early and recall it from my hard core astronomy days loved the pics then love them still ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 08, 2014, 02:47:51 PM
It's seem that asteroid have a child:
Quote
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/sep/08/meteorite-caused-mystery-boom-nicaragua
It's a chance that meteorite didn't fall on the city or a plane.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 08, 2014, 03:10:19 PM
Yes, I saw that yesterday and posted it on my FB page! They are lucky it hit where it did!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 04:09:03 PM
Yup.....heard about it yesterday also....  I tell you what....there are a one bunch of "Not So Bright" humans in this world.  They went interviewing people from a bunch of different countries about the asteroid and asked if they were concerned.  Not a one was....nadda....zip....zero.   I keep an eye on them and not so much worried...but at least I show a little concern.  These folks, those that knew about it, showed no concern at all. :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 08, 2014, 04:15:45 PM
As long as we will not need a Bruce Willis for asteroids, people won't care of the sky.  :tearlaugh: Now, even with boreal aurora.  :worried?:
It's still damage miss this news, even if we couldn't all see the asteroid.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 04:21:35 PM
I agree 100%....  But I think it would be cool if we sent Bruce Willis up in space   :tearlaugh:

By the way...that is one of my favorite movies....if nothing else...for the music....and Liv Tyler  :pervy:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 08, 2014, 04:29:03 PM
A touch a femininity for box-office  :tearlaugh:
It's a good film, with humour. But Mire but fall on Paris here  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 04:36:59 PM
:tearlaugh:  Yes it did, didn't it .....   Good Picture today on the BING daily photo.  A Bridge in France...but one that I haven't seen before over a Valley.  I'll see if I can find the name of it....but it's a WOW photo.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 08, 2014, 05:37:05 PM
Few people realize that asteroids and comets have the potential to be far more deadly than any atomic bomb or any volcano. From WikiP and to wit re the Chicxulub impactor:

"Researchers at the University of Glasgow dated rock and ash samples from the impact to 66,038,000 ± 11,000 years ago.

The impactor had an estimated diameter of 10 km (6.2 mi) and delivered an estimated energy equivalent of 100 teratons of TNT.... By contrast, the most powerful man-made explosive device ever detonated, the Tsar Bomba, had a yield of only 50 megatons of TNT ... making the Chicxulub impact 2 million times more powerful. Even the most energetic known volcanic eruption, which released an estimated energy equivalent of approximately 240 gigatons of TNT ... and created the La Garita Caldera, delivered only 0.24% of the energy of the Chicxulub impact."

Not to mention, they obviously haven't read Revelations or if they have they're still waiting for a 'dragon' to show up in the sky. Rolls eyes.

Then again, what're you going to do about it if one does hit us? Not much.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 06:04:43 PM
You are so right.....  But as you said...unless they come up with better tracking and ways to divert....we might as well open up an umbrella for protection because it will do as good as anything else we now have  :ahhhh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 08, 2014, 06:19:30 PM
You are so right.....  But as you said...unless they come up with better tracking and ways to divert....we might as well open up an umbrella for protection because it will do as good as anything else we now have  :ahhhh:

We don't often 'discover' them coming far enough away to have time to do anything about them. We had a whole week on this last one. If one were to be 'blown up' well we'd just end up with (as Aelin put it) 'babies' or worse destructive 'teenagers' of medium size and we would have absolutely no way to predict where they'd go, or worse yet there's always the return trip. With them it's definitely 'What goes around, comes back around."

I think it's interesting this one DID 'have a baby'. What caused that to happen? Is anyone asking? What if a rather large one that was going to miss us decided to spawn a 'child' of considerable size?

We're too busy pouring money into and making more money off of blowing each other up to be bothered with developing a decent Early Detection system. There are some other space cameras going up soon though that may help out.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 06:40:07 PM
Normally it means something bounced into the main mass and a piece splintered off.  Which means something else is close to us also.  But not big enough to spot.  At the speeds they travel it doesn't have to be big to cause a splinter. 

And I agree on your analogy.  Why worry about space rocks killing us when we can do the job better on our own.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 08, 2014, 06:45:58 PM
Normally it means something bounced into the main mass and a piece splintered off.  Which means something else is close to us also.  But not big enough to spot.  At the speeds they travel it doesn't have to be big to cause a splinter. 



Well, that was my thought too - that something else must have hit it and caused the 'baby' one. But what?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 06:58:14 PM
From Spaceweather.com

METEORITE SKEPTICISM: Reports are circulating of a meteorite strike in Nicaragua on Sunday, Sept. 7th. Because the timing coincides with the flyby of asteroid 2014 RC, some reporters have suggested a link. We are skeptical. The crater outside Managua looks more like it was dug by a backhoe than excavated by a high-energy meteoritic explosion. Also, no streak of light corresponding to a meteor was actually observed. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 06:59:01 PM
And something new:

MORE ASTEROID NEWS: Now that 2014 RC has passed, another even weirder asteroid is approaching Earth's neighborhood. 2002 CE26 is a binary asteroid consisiting of a primary space rock 3.5 km in diameter and a secondary approximately one-tenth as wide. What's weird is, radar data suggest that the secondary space rock might have a moon of its own. Alberto Quijano Vodniza of the University of Narino Observatory in Colombia photographed the triple system streaking through the constellation Pegasus on Sept. 2nd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 08, 2014, 07:50:24 PM
Hmmm, according to the report here (http://news.yahoo.com/meteorite-smashes-nicaraguan-capital-230034550.html?soc_src=mediacontentstory) the people nearby heard a blast and it registered on their 'equipment'  - don't know if that was a seismometer or not. I can't really tell if the 'impact crater' they show in the video is an artist's conception or the actual one. It may be an artist's conception - since the rest of the video seems to be. But there is still the blast they supposedly heard.

This new one will be just over a million miles from us, so that's good. That is pretty weird though - a 'binary asteroid' and the smaller one having a 'moon'.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 08:11:56 PM
Well, I'll just wait and see what Space Weather says about it after they do their investigating....

And yes, that is really weird about that second one....though interesting....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2014, 09:29:09 PM
You want odd try the star known as Castor in the constellation of Gemini it is a double - double system in other words six stars make up what we see as Castor,  there's no way for telescopes to see them as individual stars. Instead, special instruments separate the "fingerprints" of the stars as they go around each other, providing details on each star.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2014, 09:42:29 PM
Yup...and that is odd indeed....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 10, 2014, 07:34:36 PM
Just came across this (http://news.yahoo.com/scientists-extreme-solar-storm-heading-earth-215644949.html). Big solar storm - so if 'out go the lights', you'll know why.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 10, 2014, 08:30:09 PM
Yup....Got my NewsFlash this morning in my E mail.... SPACE WEATHER (http://spaceweather.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2014, 09:13:56 PM
More like if you lose cell usage or if like me you work in radio ... expect outages.

Was funny when I mentioned this one coming our way to one of the techs he said oh 2158 yes been watching that and then clicked on his desktop as he was doing a PM on the microwave lines and it took him straight to the site. That be someone serious about their work, to not only know about one coming but to call it by name and then click on a link to read more ... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 11, 2014, 10:02:40 AM
I'm ready with my lamp to activate by hand.  :pervy:
 :ty_luv: for the link
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2014, 10:44:20 AM
Yup...I always have my portable lights on hand, my crank Radio and solar chargers for my Phone and Laptop...not that we'd have the net...but you can still play games LOLOLOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 11, 2014, 03:38:14 PM
Solar flares do not affect electrical they affect communications.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 11, 2014, 04:02:24 PM
It's a possibility. But i think that kind of alert had give these last months, and finally we didn't have problems. A good thing for addicts of the net  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2014, 04:05:17 PM
Quote
Solar flares do not affect electrical they affect communications.


Tsk Tsk Tsk......Not True....... Gonna have to send you back to school :tearlaugh:

Read Here:  Solar Flares Can Affect Communications and Power Grid (http://guardianlv.com/2014/04/solar-flares-can-affect-communications-and-power-grid/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2014, 04:08:03 PM
Yes, back several years ago when we had a major solar flare, it knocked out an entire rather large power grid up in the north. I know Toronto was affected because I have a friend that lives there and she remembers it well. I don't remember for sure but I think she said it took them like two weeks to restore power to everyone on that grid.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2014, 04:09:37 PM
Exactly...and a solar flare was also blamed for the big blackout way back when NYC and Canada was knocked off the Grid....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 11, 2014, 04:12:02 PM
Quote
I know Toronto was affected because I have a friend that lives there and she remembers it well.
Yes, it's true! I have read this on a book 2 years ago (i think that is the same event). People are down in the streets for look sky, without urban lights pollution.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2014, 04:17:45 PM
Ah yes, here it is (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1989_geomagnetic_storm). It was in 1989 - the Carrington Event. That is the reason they watch them so intently now.

The one in 1859 caused major damage to the newly strung network of telegraph wires across the US causing many of them to overcharge, break and fall on the ground catching the vegetation on fire where they fell.

They were also very cold Aelin! It was still winter and they had no heat.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 11, 2014, 06:00:53 PM

Tsk Tsk Tsk......Not True....... Gonna have to send you back to school :tearlaugh:

Read Here:  Solar Flares Can Affect Communications and Power Grid (http://guardianlv.com/2014/04/solar-flares-can-affect-communications-and-power-grid/)


I sit corrected then, although the majority of their effects do wreck havoc on the communications grid, more often then not.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2014, 06:12:03 PM
On that point I wholeheartedly agree with you.  It's very rare to have the power affected.......but there is always that "SOMEDAY"......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 12, 2014, 07:10:24 AM
Quote
Ah yes, here it is. It was in 1989 - the Carrington Event. That is the reason they watch them so intently now.

The one in 1859 caused major damage to the newly strung network of telegraph wires across the US causing many of them to overcharge, break and fall on the ground catching the vegetation on fire where they fell.

They were also very cold Aelin! It was still winter and they had no heat.
So, my neurons are mix; because event that i think had pass in summer, in 2000's years. So, maybe it was just a cut of electricity  :zipit:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 12, 2014, 07:27:47 AM
I believe there was an occurrence in 2000 also Aelin....but not as disruptive as the one Cookie mentioned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 06, 2014, 02:27:51 PM
Wednesday, an event for North America: See sky night (http://news.yahoo.com/total-lunar-eclipse-wednesday-rare-selenelion-132704595.html)
But not for West Coast.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 06, 2014, 08:26:15 PM
Gives me something to look forward to since I am on the East coast :yippee:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 06, 2014, 08:37:40 PM
I'm afraid the mountains are in the way for me :(  Not to mention the buildings next door. Bummer!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 06, 2014, 10:50:07 PM
Scientists have spotted a million mile long filament on the Sun they say could erupt into a Coronal Mass Ejection in the next few days. It's pretty impressive looking!

http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-solar-filament-sun-eruption-flare-prominence-nasa-20141006-story.html (http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-solar-filament-sun-eruption-flare-prominence-nasa-20141006-story.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 07, 2014, 07:47:58 AM
Well I'm on the East Coast until Friday....but wouldn't you know....rain is in the forecast for today and tomorrow....but we shall see.

And yes..that CME looks to be a huge one.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 07, 2014, 10:27:07 AM
Sun likes create the show  :tearlaugh:
For wednesday sky, i hope that you have a nice sky at the good moment!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 07, 2014, 10:33:03 AM
Right now it looks like the "Blood Moon" won't be seen here on the East Coast due to weather....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Katt on October 08, 2014, 02:42:59 PM
Yeah ... crazy windy & damp on the east coast today ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 25, 2014, 05:21:21 PM
 CHANCE OF FLARES: Despite shrinking by ~10% on Oct. 24th, sunspot AR2192 remains the largest and most active sunspot of the current solar cycle. Earth-directed explosions are likely this weekend. NOAA forecasters estimate an 85% chance of M-class flares and a 45% chance of X-flares during the next 24 hours.

RAPID FIRE X-FLARES: Flares have been predicted, sunspot AR2192 has complied. In the past 24 hours, the giant active region has produced two X-class solar flares: X3 (Oct. 24 @ 2140 UT) and X1 (Oct 25 @ 1709 UT). Using a backyard solar telescope, Sergio Castillo of Corona, California, was monitoring the sunspot on Oct. 24th when it exploded, and he snapped this picture:

"This flare was so intense that it almost shorted out my computer! Well ... not really," says Castillo, "but I knew right away that it was an X-class eruption."

Both X-flares produced brief but strong HF radio blackouts over the day side of Earth. Communications were disturbed over a wide area for approximately one hour after the peak of each explosion. Such blackouts may be noticed by amateur radio operators, aviators, and mariners.

Interestingly, none of the X-flares from this active region has so far produced a major CME. The latest eruptions on Oct. 24-25 appear to be no exception. As a result, Earth-effects may be limited to the radio blackouts. However, stay tuned for updates as analysts look more carefully at coronagraph data for signs of an incoming CME

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2014, 05:57:42 PM
Thanks for posting this here J. I was trying to read about it and kept getting all these sites with pop-ups on them. I know...I should have just used the search engine. But anyway -

It should be interesting to see what this one does. Wasn't 2012 supposed to be the 'end' year of the current cycle. Or are we in a new one now that's a continuation of the last one? 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2014, 06:29:47 PM
You are right Cookie...according to last years readings things should have been slowing down...and now they have this massive one....and I mean MASSIVE.....

I go nowhere else but Spaceweather.com lately. Less Clutter.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2014, 06:39:09 PM
Here I go and open my mouth again and what do I find..another cool site showing the Sun.  This is Nasa's  STEREO (http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/main/index.html#.VEwz_Pk7uqc) shot of the sun
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2014, 06:41:24 PM
And another: NOAA (http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/)   :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2014, 06:41:27 PM
You are right Cookie...according to last years readings things should have been slowing down...and now they have this massive one....and I mean MASSIVE.....

I go nowhere else but Spaceweather.com lately. Less Clutter.


I forget about that place. I usually go to SPACE.com but after a week away from the computer, and having to keep reminding myself I COULD NOT go on line and look something up when I thought about it, I trained my brain not to keep thinking that and 'fuggetaboudit'. So now I have to retrain my brain.

 :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2014, 06:48:06 PM
Wow, those NASA SOHO are pretty impressive!

Thanks for the link to NOAA and Spaceweather, TL. I've bookmarked it now.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2014, 07:13:40 PM
Your more then Welcome...they are awesome.  Haven't been to either in a LONG time...but like you...I now have them bookmarked... :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 26, 2014, 07:19:59 AM
We do the spaceweather one a lot and have email notices since working in public safety communications things of that nature does effect it
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 26, 2014, 07:46:25 AM
Yup...I get the notices also....pretty awesome stuff happening...and I love reading the asteroid chart....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 04, 2014, 03:01:06 PM
SOMETHING FLARE-Y THIS WAY COMES: Arriving only a little late for Halloween, a flare-y sunspot is emerging over the sun's northeastern limb. In the past 24 hours AR2205 has unleashed at least four M-class flares including this M6-flare recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Nov. 3rd at 22:40 UT:

The explosions have hurled multiple CMEs into space. Not one of the clouds is heading our way. Earth is outside the line of fire. This could change in the days ahead, however, as the sun's rotation turns the active region toward our planet.

NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance of M-flares during the next 24 hours. Those odds seem low considering the ongoing activity. In fact, another M-flare is almost certain and an X-flare could be in the offing, too
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 04, 2014, 03:09:04 PM
Saw that and they were talking about that Meteor that was flying about last night that could be seen from Wisconsin all the way to Japan....and you should see the vids and shots of it....awesome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 04, 2014, 03:18:28 PM
The sun wants to barbecue with the inner planets?  :tearlaugh:
Yes these last times, he's very active. But in other zone that AR2205; the AR2192 i think.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 04, 2014, 03:36:16 PM
Well, when the sun enter the red giant phase of its life cycle that is certainly what will happen, fortunately for us we will be long gone since that day is some 5 million years in the future.

It will expand in size to engulf all the inner planets out to Mars and they all go bye-bye including Earth.

Was reading an article on the topic to make sure my dates were right and there was some other interesting facts.

Such as liquid water will be present beyond the orbit of Pluto. Perhaps Eris will be the new homeworld
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 04, 2014, 03:43:27 PM
There was a whole series about that on the Discovery Channel  "UNIVERSE" series.  I had to go and buy the whole CD collection because it was so awesome.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 12, 2014, 03:29:22 PM
Houston...we have a sunspot return and it's bigger than ever:

http://phys.org/news/2014-11-giant-sunspot-bigger-badder.html (http://phys.org/news/2014-11-giant-sunspot-bigger-badder.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 12, 2014, 10:27:31 PM
Amazing, isn't it.   And our screwing up the earth has nothing to do with the Suns hiccups.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 12, 2014, 10:44:58 PM
Well...no, it wouldn't. But a great big CME sure could screw us over royally.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 12, 2014, 10:55:40 PM
And the sad part is....there are so many ways to protect our Electrical Grid but to many have that "It will never happen" attitude...just like they "DID" with global warming.  Now that it's been proven that the severity and frequency of the storms we have been getting are directly in line with Global Warming...the critics have shut up....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 12, 2014, 11:14:55 PM
Yeah, humans...what're you gonna ever do with 'em? They never learn...anything. They ignore things that are staring them in the face.

Don't hold your breath though - some of our 'wise' politicians are still saying it's all bunk - climate change.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 13, 2014, 05:56:45 AM
Yeah, humans...
and - some of our 'wise' politicians are still saying it's all bunk - climate change.

Yep there needs to be some chlorine added to their gene pool don't you think ... :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 13, 2014, 06:01:37 AM
 :woohoo:

Here is the print version:
http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/02feb_rosetta/ (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2012/02feb_rosetta/)

Rosetta is a European (ESA) mission with some Usa instruments on board. It carries a lander that will descend onto the comet surface, take pictures at the surface, and study the comet.

Rosetta will continue to orbit the comet for about 16 months, while the comet goes in close to the sun, evaporates some making a tail, and then swings out away from the sun again.

The lander's feet will have to drill into the comet material in order to be anchored firmly, because the gravity is very slight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FoePrO4-fGQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FoePrO4-fGQ)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2014, 08:06:35 AM
Unfortunately Rosettas feet drills did not work so they don't know how long Rosetta will be able to ride the comet....but what a great feat none the less. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2014, 09:59:08 AM
It's Philae (the 'baby' of Rosetta) which has problems. It has boucing once or twice on the comet; but 8 instruments on ten work. The problem is the autonomy of the vehicle. Solar panels work there?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2014, 11:06:12 AM
I'll have to send a note to the Weather Channel to let them know thy put out the wrong information :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

They said it was Rosetta
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2014, 11:27:05 AM
Rosetta turn around the comet; and it receives informations by Philae, that she send us.
In France, it's the mainly topic of the day in the news...  :ahhhh: please a rest for nexs of the evening  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2014, 11:34:11 AM
Yup...I went into my Spaceweather link and read up on it.   But that news is second here in the USA.  The main subject here is the Chinese Hacking the Weather Site. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2014, 11:41:28 AM
Oh, really? Second title here it's on false opinion polls on the popularity of our president; and on his lies on non tax increase (new lie).
No new on the hack.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2014, 11:47:31 AM
LOL....Sounds like our polls here  :tearlaugh:  It depends on what Network you listen to.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2014, 11:57:45 AM
Here, all have the same language  :thud: and same ideas.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2014, 01:34:47 PM
Do you see this article? Voice of the comet (http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/11/12/4126840.htm)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 13, 2014, 01:58:19 PM
Wild and wacky no doubt
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 14, 2014, 08:11:17 AM
Yup...they played that soundtrack on the Weather Channel and it was awesome....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 16, 2014, 05:41:49 PM
OLD SUNSPOT CRACKLES WITH FLARES: Apparently, you can't keep a good sunspot down. AR2192, the aging sunspot famous for producing six X-flares in late October, is growing again and poses a renewed threat for strong eruptions. In the past 24 hours, the active region has produced a series of increasingly intense M-class flares, culminating in this M5-flare recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

The impulsive blast, which peaked on Nov. 16th at 1748 UT, caused an HF radio blackout on the daylit side of Earth that lasted some 10s of minutes. Such blackouts are typically noticed by ham radio operators, mariners at sea, and aviators flying polar routes.

More potent flares could be in the offing. AR2192 has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for X-class explosions 10 times stronger than the M-flares we are seeing now. NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance that the sunspot will unleash an X-flare in the next 24 hours
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 16, 2014, 05:58:09 PM
It sounds so...devious.

Yeah, that comet sounds track is pretty interesting. We don't think of bodies out in space making 'noise' but they do most definitely.

http://youtu.be/-MmWeZHsQzs (http://youtu.be/-MmWeZHsQzs)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 17, 2014, 07:53:00 AM
Yup...that was very cool when I first heard it.....   But the quick vid on the Space Weather with the Sun Spot was awesome also.   After I got my Quicktime Plugin working on Chrome.  I think Chrome is trying to get to techy and they are messing themselves up.  And FF is doing the same thing.  I might have to go back to IE.  Being a Microsoft Product...I know it will stay simple :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 12, 2014, 06:29:25 PM
Treat for all


GEMINID METEOR SHOWER:  The best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids, peaks this weekend when Earth passes through a stream of debris from "rock comet" 3200 Phaethon. Forecasters expect to see as many as 120 meteors per hour when the shower peaks on Dec. 13th and 14th.  Visit http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com) for photos and observing tips.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 12, 2014, 07:32:32 PM
And here I sit with a forecast of fog and rain and snow :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 12, 2014, 11:11:12 PM
I sometimes wonder if you farted in space would it make a sound? And if so....would it be translated in some galaxy far, far away as proof of intelligent life?

 :Felix:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 13, 2014, 07:11:25 AM
Don't think there is sound out in space but we can always send Kianna out there to test your theory :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 13, 2014, 12:39:03 PM
:@u:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 13, 2014, 12:41:46 PM
Don't think there is sound out in space but we can always send Kianna out there to test your theory :java:

Well, we wouldn't want to do that....it could be taken as an act of war! Besides, who would get close enough to dredzilla to tie rockets to her? NOT I!!!!

 :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 13, 2014, 12:42:59 PM
:tearlaugh: My my such affection and tenderness :sigh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 13, 2014, 12:44:38 PM
Well, we wouldn't want to do that....it could be taken as an act of war! Besides, who would get close enough to dredzilla to tie rockets to her? NOT I!!!!

 :thud:

Good Point :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 13, 2014, 12:46:19 PM
Now, now if you keep that up you are going to make her :cry3: and you remember how long it took to get the floor dry after that mistake on your part.

:cry2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 13, 2014, 12:53:37 PM
Now, now if you keep that up you are going to make her :cry3: and you remember how long it took to get the floor dry after that mistake on your part.

 :cry2:

Still not sure if that was actually tears or some other nasty ooze that leaks out of her.
 :thud:

On a different note though....I've noticed that in the last 5 years or so I've been seeing more lights in the sky then I had ever seen growing up....makes me wonder if there is something going on that they aren't telling us.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 13, 2014, 01:05:15 PM
Space Junk.  Soon you won't be able to see the stars if they don't clean that up LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 13, 2014, 01:10:52 PM
Still not sure if that was actually tears or some other nasty ooze that leaks out of her.
 :thud:


They are tears good sir ... really ... really ... really they are
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2015, 11:44:15 AM
DEEP SPACE CLIMATE OBSERVATORY: For years, space weather forecasters have worried about the aging ACE spacecraft, which provides early warnings of CMEs and other solar storms bearing down on Earth. Launched in 1997, ACE could fail at any moment, leaving us blind to incoming storms. On Feb. 11th, NOAA, NASA and the US Air Force launched a replacement--the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR).

DSCOVR blasted off from Cape Canaveral on Wednesday at 6:03 p.m. EST atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Shortly after liftoff, an American Airlines flight en route from JFK to San Juan flew past the area. Passenger Tim Leavitt pointed his iPhone out the window and captured some remarkable shots of the rocket's exhaust:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Tim-Leavitt-IMG_5556_1423754336_lg.jpg)

"What an amazing vantage point--and a lucky shot," says Leavitt.

The spacecraft is now on its way to the L1 point where it will monitor the solar wind one million miles upstream from Earth. NOAA says DSCOVR is in good health. Its solar arrays have deployed and it is communicating with the ground. Approximately 150 days after launch, DSCOVR will replace ACE as our primary warning system for solar magnetic storms.

In addition to monitoring the solar wind, DSCOVR will also look back at Earth. The spacecraft's EPIC camera has ten filters for photographing our planet at wavelengths ranging from UV to visible light. True-color images of the full sun-facing side of Earth will be publicly available approximately 24 hours after they are taken. The first images will be posted approximately six months after launch. EPIC's observations will be used to measure ozone and aerosols, cloud height, vegetation properties and the ultraviolet reflectivity of Earth. Another instrument onboard, called NISTAR, measures solar energy reflected from the sunlit face of Earth. This will help climate scientists track changes in Earth's radiation budget caused by human activities and natural phenomena.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2015, 11:46:09 AM
SUPER SOLAR FILAMENT: It is, arguably, the second biggest thing in the solar system. A filament of magnetism almost 1,000,000 km long is stretching across the face of the sun. Only the sun itself is bigger. Yesterday in the Canary Islands, Frank A. Rodriguez used a Lunt Solar Telescope to photograph the super structure:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Frank-A.-Rodriguez-protuOK1_1423588717_lg.jpg)

This is a solar filament, a tendril of plasma held suspended above the surface of the sun by magnetic forces. Filaments appear on the sun all the time, but this one is unusually large, 5 to 10 times longer than ordinary filaments. If it becomes unstable and erupts, it could hurl parts of itself into space. Pieces of the filament falling back to the solar surface would explode upon impact, sparking a Hyder flare.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 12, 2015, 12:37:00 PM
Had to see what a Hyder flare was:  http://www.ips.gov.au/Educational/2/4/1 (http://www.ips.gov.au/Educational/2/4/1)

Never heard of them before.

Man, that is one looooooooong filament. Hard to even imagine that distance in the mind.

Also glad to see they're replacing ACE...because (maybe it's just me) it doesn't seem that the Sun's last solar cycle has really 'ended' or begun to calm down from the maximum.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2015, 01:21:46 PM
Perspective in miles the length of the filament is 621,371 miles.

The Earth's circumference is 24,901 miles

In short it would encircle the Earth 25 times

:thud: :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 12, 2015, 01:27:38 PM
A rather staggering concept, indeed!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2015, 01:29:52 PM
And sobering ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 12, 2015, 01:36:00 PM
 :thud: This is a very impressive spectacle. But better at a far far away distance  :hypno:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 12, 2015, 01:38:40 PM
Not to worry, however...because that length is not even 1AU so it wouldn't reach here to wrap around us. Could cause some havoc though if it 'reached out' that tentacle into space. Sounds like it would be more inclined to disintegrate though and fall back into the Sun.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 12, 2015, 01:40:08 PM
Hi Aelin :D
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2015, 01:44:22 PM
1 AU = distance of the Earth from the Sun

or 93,000,000 miles

The light that you see from the Sun actually takes 8 minutes to reach us here on Earth, and considering the speed of light is some 186,000 miles per second we be quite a bit out from the Sun
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 12, 2015, 01:52:29 PM
1 AU = distance of the Earth from the Sun

or 93,000,000 miles

The light that you see from the Sun actually takes 8 minutes to reach us here on Earth, and considering the speed of light is some 186,000 miles per second we be quite a bit out from the Sun

Here, we talk in kilometers. Around of 150 000 000 kilometers. A good distance, because fortunately filaments is matter, not light.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 14, 2015, 12:29:38 PM
Plasma...which is a most interesting and strange stuff! But still technically 'formless matter' I suppose.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 20, 2015, 05:17:07 PM
Astronomers are scratching their heads over an unusual comet that is passing by the sun.  The icy visitor to the inner solar system does not belong to any known family of sun grazing comets, and it appeared to be doomed as it made its plunge toward the sun on Feb. 19th.  Instead of disintegrating, however, the comet has emerged apparently intact, and could become a target for telescopes on Earth when it emerges from the sun's glare in the weeks ahead. Images and updates may be found on http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 20, 2015, 05:18:57 PM
I love getting that Newsletter....it has some of the coolest items.....and I go and spend at least an hour or so hitting all the links that are interesting....and checking the charts and graphs out...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 20, 2015, 05:19:25 PM
Me three
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 21, 2015, 11:31:21 AM
Cool pic of the Moon, Venus and Mars there!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 21, 2015, 12:02:35 PM
Indeed there are....I visit some of the other sites they have listed also and every now and then you get a WOW photo...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 22, 2015, 01:22:51 AM
Was going to try to look tonight but it's snowing and overcast, so oh well!

It's always pretty cool when Venus, Mars and Jupiter 'party' with the Moon :)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 08:52:35 AM
I saw that Quantum was dropping a lot of snow in your area.....Keep it there please...or send it to Mary.....and then to TI.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 22, 2015, 12:23:08 PM
Oh, that's what they're calling it. I'm not used to winter storms having names. I think it's kind of silly actually. Lol.

Oh yes, it's dumped but maybe only 5 inches - which isn't  big deal here. I live about 25 miles east of the mountains and south, so we don't really get dumped on so much as they do out on the plains.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 22, 2015, 12:23:46 PM
Next they'll be naming thunderstorms.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 12:46:14 PM
Who knows...but like I told "J", many love the idea of the Winter Storms having names.  I said the same thing as you did when I first heard about it...but once all the facts were presented....I understood the need for it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 22, 2015, 02:28:43 PM
Well just got off the phone with a friend who lives up in the north end of the city and they got 18" of snow and it's still snowing. I'm glad I live where I do :p
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 03:09:23 PM
Indeed.  And so many accidents happening on the main roads....but at least Colorado is getting snow.  Texas is due for some ICE....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 22, 2015, 03:15:29 PM
Oh, what...you jealous? Lol. We do need it in the mountains for the water-sheds... and it could stay there as far as I'm concerned! :p
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 22, 2015, 03:18:40 PM
And if i understand, Oklahoma can have the both  :hypno: ice and snow.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 04:28:03 PM
Well, I wouldn't mind a little more snow.  Wouldn't you know I retire and don't have to go anywhere and it stops giving us the snowy Winters I had to drive through when I was working :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 22, 2015, 04:34:20 PM
:ummm: Are you certain you are the real Luffie
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 05:15:51 PM
I just like hearing all the folks that go to work here bitch about the weather.  I kinda of miss it....the weather part :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 22, 2015, 06:25:27 PM
I am in Florida so snow is not a problem.

Me and rain get along just fine, consider that I started driving a motorcycle first before a car and rain was just something you either learned how to drive during it or you were in accidents all the time.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2015, 06:58:47 PM
Motorcycles and I never got along.  As a passenger I was fine.....as a driver I SUCKED  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 22, 2015, 07:01:30 PM
We cut our driving teeth on a motorcycle and do have an unique relationship with motorized vehicles :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 23, 2015, 10:32:33 PM
I learned to drive when I was 12 on what were once country roads in a '52 Cadillac. Fun times :)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 24, 2015, 09:39:22 AM
I took AAA Driving lessons when I was 15.  Being in a New England town where the roads were made for horse and carriage one needed instructions on how to maneuver them :tearlaugh:    Found that out even more so when I worked for Mayflower moving company and tried driving the semi around town.  Many mirrors were lost due to those narrow streets.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 24, 2015, 03:46:33 PM
Lol...yeah, mirrors do take a lot of damage in narrow places. When you're used to driving a car, you don't think about how far they stick out.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 17, 2015, 11:44:54 AM
Space Weather News for March 17, 2015
http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com)

SEVERE GEOMAGNETIC STORM:  A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of March 17th, triggering a magnetic disturbance that has escalated into the strongest geomagnetic storm of the current solar cycle (Kp=8).  During the hours before sunrise on St. Patrick's Day, bright green skies appeared over multiple US states including Wisconsin, Washington, Minnesota, and the Dakotas.  Please check http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com)  for pictures and updates on the progress of the storm.

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 17, 2015, 12:09:19 PM
 :woohoo: Gorgeous show!!!
Thank you for pictures! Hope see this one day by my eyes  :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 17, 2015, 12:13:17 PM
Isn't that something.  Saw these pictures earlier on and said WOW.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 17, 2015, 12:14:39 PM
Wow...that's pretty stunning! Thanks for the pics, J!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 17, 2015, 03:08:57 PM
Hummm....Our local news is saying we may be able to see some of this tonight...not as brilliant as shown above...but a touch of it.  We shall see.  And we have No Clouds   :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 17, 2015, 03:10:47 PM
Yeah! Hope you have this chance!  :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 17, 2015, 03:20:41 PM
Me too.  They are also saying that it might be able to be seen in Boston and possibly Rhode Island so I'll have to alert my Mother ......  She loves this stuff. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 17, 2015, 03:28:24 PM
Really, i can understand her; it's like a magical thing with all these different colors. And a dance of the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 17, 2015, 03:32:18 PM
Doubt if I'd be able to see them here, but you never know.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 17, 2015, 03:37:31 PM
Exactly.  I've never seen them get to us before but they said this is a pretty big event....so like you said...who knows...but I'll be watching.  Maybe someone will hit another pole and knock out the power again...that way I'll have no interfering lights :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 17, 2015, 04:26:01 PM
Ha! At least you probably don't live across the street from a WalMart...major light-pollution!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 17, 2015, 05:42:19 PM
Ha! At least you probably don't live across the street from a WalMart...major light-pollution!

Definitely one of my biggest complaints trying to find a dark sky site these days is like well ... finding the Holy Grail or some such relic.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 17, 2015, 05:52:16 PM
Nope....Don't live across from anything that bright.  Now they are saying it's may be possible to be seen as far south as New Mexico.  We shall see.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 18, 2015, 07:59:43 AM
 :sad: Here we had clouds, and few part of sky were free. But no auroras.
But in Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Vosges, they can see auroras last night; they were lucky  :sigh:


****
I find an article with captures smithsonianmag: aurora (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/severe-solar-storm-paints-sky-green-st-patricks-day-180954608/?no-ist)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2015, 10:28:28 AM
That is pretty cool Aelin.   Didn't catch any here last night but there is still a possibility for tonight...or so they say....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 22, 2015, 11:48:06 PM
Those were nice pics! Thank you, Aelin!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 25, 2015, 10:01:26 AM
 VOLCANIC LIGHTNING:

For the first time in more than 42 years, the Calbuco volcano in southern Chile has erupted. Two blasts in 24 hours on April 22nd sent plumes of ash and volcanic gases shooting at least 50,000 feet high, well into the altitudes where planes fly. One of the eruptions occured at night and put on a spectacular display of volcanic lightning:

Researchers have long known that volcanic eruptions produce strong lightning. Findings published in a 2012 Eos article reveal that the largest volcanic storms can rival massive supercell thunderstorms in the American midwest. But why? Volcanic lightning is not well understood.

Lightning is nature's way of correcting an imbalance of electric charge. In ordinary thunderstorms, one part of a thundercloud becomes positively charged, and another part becomes negatively charged. This charge comes from collisions between particles: e.g., droplets of water and crystals of ice rub together, creating static electricity in much the same way as woolen socks rubbed against carpet. Lightning arcs between charge-separated regions.

Something similar must be happening inside volcanic plumes. One hypothesis holds that catapulting magma bubbles or volcanic ash are themselves electrically charged, and by their motion create charge-separated areas. Another possibility is that particles of volcanic ash collide with each other and become charged through triboelectric rubbing. In short, no one knows. It is a beautiful and terrifying mystery.

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 25, 2015, 10:09:46 AM
Yes, a wonderful spectacle even with all problems around the volcano now  :peek: Thank you for the capture!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 19, 2015, 04:29:13 AM
SPRITE SEASON BEGINS: High above Earth in the realm of meteors and noctilucent clouds, a strange and beautiful form of lightning dances at the edge of space. Researchers call the bolts "sprites"; they are red, fleeting, and tend to come in bunches. Note to sky watchers: Sprite season is underway. Martin Popek photographed these specimens over Nydek, Czech republic, on May 13th:

One night later, May 14th, near Santa Fe, New Mexico, "I captured my first sprites of the season," reports photographer Jan Curtis. "The thunderstorm that produced them was about 200 miles to my south-southwest."

Because sprites are associated with thunderstorms, they tend to occur in late spring and summer. Thunderstorm season is sprite season.

"Sprites are a true space weather phenomenon," explains lightning scientist Oscar van der Velde of the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain. "They develop in mid-air around 80 km altitude, growing in both directions, first down, then up. This happens when a fierce lightning bolt draws lots of charge from a cloud near Earth's surface. Electric fields [shoot] to the top of Earth's atmosphere--and the result is a sprite. The entire process takes about 20 milliseconds."

Although sprites have been seen for at least a century, most scientists did not believe they existed until after 1989 when sprites were photographed by cameras onboard the space shuttle. Now "sprite chasers" routinely photograph sprites from their own homes. "I used up a Watec 910HX security camera with UFOCapture software to catch my sprites," says Popek. Give it a try!

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 19, 2015, 04:29:49 AM
UNSETTLED SOLAR WIND: Earth is passing through a stream of unsettled solar wind, and this is causing intermittent geomagnetic storms around the poles. May 19th began with a G2-class storm that is subsiding now, but could flare up again in the hours ahead. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 19, 2015, 08:58:32 AM
Gotta love that site.....so many places to visit....so many great things to see and read.....  I give it a  :thumb_up: :thumb_up: rating.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 20, 2015, 11:03:24 AM
I was talking to a friend one time about the red sprites and blue jets and he was telling me he was watching a program about them that was basically saying that the sprites and jets were kind of like the magnetic shield re-charging itself. Not sure how all that is said technically, but that was the essence of it. They're quite interesting.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 20, 2015, 12:23:59 PM
Hard to believe that they just recently (well, in the past 5 year or so) knew they existed....and now they are being studied by many.  I saw the special on the Sprites and other phenomenons and was fascinated by it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 20, 2015, 01:06:59 PM
Actually, they've known about them since a year after I was born - 1948. ;)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 20, 2015, 01:09:42 PM
Ahhh, I think maybe before that - according to WikiP. They weren't photographed until 1989.

"Allusions to transient optical phenomena above thunderclouds can be found in anecdotal reports from as early as 1730 (see Johann Georg Estor). Nobel laureate C. T. R. Wilson had suggested in 1925, on theoretical grounds, that electrical breakdown could occur in the upper atmosphere, and in 1956 witnessed what possibly could have been a sprite. They were first documented photographically on July 6, 1989 when scientists from the University of Minnesota, using a low-light video camera, accidentally captured the first image of what would subsequently become known as a sprite.[1] Several years after their discovery they were named sprites (air spirits) after their elusive nature.[2] Since their 1989 discovery, sprites have been imaged tens of thousands of times, from the ground, from aircraft and from space, and have become the subject of intensive investigations."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 20, 2015, 01:13:23 PM
By gosh your right.....I probably saw the special 5 or 6 years ago  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2015, 06:02:20 PM
DAYLIGHT METEOR SHOWER: On June 4th, the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) detected a surge in meteor activity. "CMOR has begun to see the ramp up of the Daytime Arietid shower," reports Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario. The pink "hot spot" in this CMOR sky map shows how the radar echoes are clustered in the constellation Aries--not far from the glaring sun:

"The Arietids are the fifth strongest shower of the year detected by CMOR," says Brown. "They are likely related to a complex of debris streams produced during the breakup of a large comet several millennia ago."

Ironically, most people never notice this relatively intense shower. The reason: It peaks in broad daylight. Compared to the human eye, radars do a much better job detecting meteors through the glare.

"Visual observers may be able to see a handful of Arietids in the hour or so before sunrise over the next week when the shower is at its peak," notes Brown. "These will all be  'Earthgrazers'--that is, meteors which enter at shallow (<10o) angles and streak across very long arcs in the sky. This peculiar visibility is a result of the radiant never getting much above the horizon at northern latitudes before the rising sun washes out the show."

"The shower is unique among CMOR streams in that it has a very broad peak lasting almost five days," adds Brown. "The best time to watch will be any day during the early morning hours of June 6 – June 12."

Extra: Listen to the Arietids on Space Weather Radio (http://spaceweatherradio.com/)!

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2015, 06:04:36 PM
 MORE SUNSPOTS, LESS QUIET: The sun has been quiet for much of the past month. This could change as two new sunspots emerge over the sun's eastern limb. Click to view a 24-hour movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

These new sunspots aren't very large, but at least one of them is active. The dark cores inside the uppermost circle are growing, and on June 4th they unleashed a C8-class solar flare.

Yes, that's right. The sun is so quiet that a C-class flare is newsworthy.

In fact, the C8-class flare of June 4th was almost 10 times stronger than any flare in the past month. This represents a genuine uptick in solar activity. If the development of the sunspot proceeds apace, genuinely strong flares could be in the offing. Stay tuned for less quiet.

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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 19, 2015, 05:45:50 AM
INCOMING CME: Yesterday, June 18th, sunspot AR2371 (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=113632&PHPSESSID=3tb3blp6td1dri5pn0nbs114h3) unleashed the strongest solar flare in nearly 2 months. The M3-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html?PHPSESSID=k67048a87ipjht4vcofdip0uh3) explosion caused a brief shortwave radio blackout over North America, and it hurled a CME into space. ESA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory recorded a movie of the expanding cloud:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/19jun15/cme_strip.gif) (http://spaceweather.com/images2015/19jun15/cme_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=k67048a87ipjht4vcofdip0uh3)


The CME is not heading directly for Earth. Nevertheless, it could affect our planet. A glancing blow is likely on June 20th or 21st, possibly sparking geomagnetic activity and auroras. NOAA analysts are still calculating storm probabilities. Stay tuned for updates.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 19, 2015, 05:46:21 AM
MENACING SUNSPOT: Sunspot AR2371 has an unstable 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong explosions. NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% chance of M-class solar flares and a 15% chance of X-flares on June 19th. Any such explosions will probably be geoeffective as the sunspot is turning to face Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 19, 2015, 05:48:31 AM
SUNSET SKY SHOW: Readers, if you have not been paying attention to the early evening sky, please start. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, are converging in the west for a spectacular side-by-side conjunction. Photographer Cat Connor sends this picture from Mammoth Lakes, California:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Cat-Connor-87060708_1434528337_lg.jpg)

"The sight of Venus and Jupiter reflecting in a pond and setting over the Sierra Nevada mountain town of Mammoth Lakes was simply breathtaking," says Conner. "To take the picture I used a Nikon D700 digital camera. A 20s exposure at ISO 6400 revealed not only the bright planets, but also the starry background."

Photographers, take note of those settings, because the sunset sky show is going to continue for the rest of the month. On June 19th, the crescent Moon joins Venus and Jupiter, forming a bright isosceles triangle in the sunset sky. One night later, on June 20th, the triangle appears again with shifted vertices. Never has a geometry lesson been so beautiful.

The nights of June 19th and 20th are good nights to look through a telescope. Even a small telescope will show you the fat crescent phase of Venus, the cloudtops and largest moons of Jupiter, and the rugged terrain of Earth's own Moon. Swing your optics around the triangle for a heavenly tour.

The main event occurs on June 30th. On that night, Venus and Jupiter will be a jaw-dropping 1/3rd of a degree apart--less than the diameter of a full Moon.  You'll be able to hide the pair behind your little pinky finger outstretched at arm's length. Mark your calendar and enjoy the show!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 19, 2015, 07:22:07 AM
Thought those were great shot.....others in there also....Way cool
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 19, 2015, 07:57:20 AM
Many shows in the sky  :binoc:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 19, 2015, 01:03:43 PM
I've seen this conjunction one other time with Venus, Jupiter and the crescent moon and it was quite spectacular looking. Hopefully, the western sky will not be full of clouds (AGAIN!!!!) as it has been most nights here tonight.

Where I live, we may have the added filter of the haze coming over the mountains from the California fires to give the moon a reddish cast. Not certain how much it will affect us here but I can see the haze in the west over the mountains even now.

Sad thing with the wildfires...they've begun to jump up everywhere now and the drought only makes it worse :(
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 19, 2015, 07:03:49 PM
Sometimes we can catch a few of the shows in space but our problem is early evening fog and Early morning fog.  We are in a valley here and fog is common though you got 2 miles out of town and no fog.

And yes on the wild fires.  I think California is in for another rough year.  They said today that Oklahoma got enough rain to give each resident of Californian (All 39.8 Million of them)  9,470 Gallons of water which would last them 94 days. (Based on 100 Gallons used each day which is the national average) 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 19, 2015, 07:47:03 PM
Yeah, I was reading that yesterday evening regarding Oklahoma. They had a picture of a river there that was just a torrent coming down over everything. I think it was the 50th anniversary (lord that makes me feel old) of our big huge flood of the South Platte here in Denver back in 1965 that wiped out several bridges and generally made a mess of everything.
After that, they built Chatfield Dam and now we should be okay, barring anything excessive. We've had several here ourselves the last five years or so but they've all been up north out of the mountains.

Yes, fog can be a problem with seeing anything as well as clouds. Well, it's nearly 7 pm and hasn't rained yet today. Maybe...!!!
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 19, 2015, 08:51:23 PM
You've gotten your share of rain and snow this year...and then some.  We've been lucky thus far.  Just enough to get rid of the moderate drought.....but not enough to do much flooding.  Knock on wood.....  OUCH
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 19, 2015, 09:04:13 PM
TSK! That's your head, silly :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 20, 2015, 07:03:24 AM
For Oklahoma, they have to much water, it's sure.
And tourists prefer cancel holidays to avoid rain. Problem for many people this.
It's pity that fire planes can't take water in Oklahoma to help in California.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2015, 07:53:38 AM
Indeed....but I still say those in California need to understand what conserve means.  Even with all the warnings there are folks that insist on watering sidewalks and driveways because of the way their sprinklers are set up, and fill up their pools, and just think it's all going to go away soon and they have plenty of water.

Even with heavy fines on the books, only 2% of the fines are ever collected.  Nothing is enforced.  And then there are reports that California is sinking.  Just heard that this morning but didn't catch much of it.  Will have to look it up I guess.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 20, 2015, 08:00:48 AM
You know, in France our towns are not always good to conserve water; all depends of places.  :thud:
But our farmers are a pain for mostly. Because we have drought regularly, but mainly on some regions. And they decided to make money with corn. Many water for this, but each year we have more and more fields with corn.
And they baste with jets of water in bright sunlight.  :thud:
By other side, few wineries start to understand that drip irrigation is better. But they can't compensate losses by farmers.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2015, 08:08:59 AM
You can bet that Texas has learned it's lesson after 5 years of drought.   They have set up many different conservation systems and crop rotation plans and feed options.   And even with all the water they now have...they said they will continue with these programs.....which is a smart thing.....Just in case.

For some reason Californians never do adapt quickly.  Must be the heat.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2015, 08:09:52 AM
Tis the state of fruits and nuts there do you really think they will ever be able to retain a clue :ummm:

Some might be able to but ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2015, 08:13:31 AM
I was only there a couple of times in my travels and when I saw the houses built on stilts on the side of mountains so they can get a better ocean view then their neighbors....I knew they were NUTS.  And then they get pissed off because their house slid off the side of the mountain due to rains or shifting of the grounds.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2015, 08:16:26 AM
Saw several instances of that type of construction in the Philippines twas truly an eye opener. Fortunately these homes and shops were nowhere near the ocean but still on the side of a mountain you are going to build a home or shop

:thud:

Seriously
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 20, 2015, 01:49:52 PM
Saw several instances of that type of construction in the Philippines twas truly an eye opener. Fortunately these homes and shops were nowhere near the ocean but still on the side of a mountain you are going to build a home or shop

:thud:

Seriously


If you look at the geography there and consider what is surrounding the islands and the dangers of tsunamis...there really isn't any other place to build. Those islands are basically part of a submerged mountain range.

As for Californians - yeah, they act like everything's good to go forever. They waited in SoCal until what they call 'monsoon season' last year to put watering restrictions in effect. DOH! Now they're trying to appropriate and have been the waters that belong to the northern tribes for their own use. And yes, big surprise when your house built on stilts on some mountainside goes sliding downhill in a mudslide, or your house built on the beaches gets washed away.

But then many humans have never, ever been particularly smart about where they build their cities. Look at what happened to the great Cretan civilization built on a volcanic island. The problem with volcanos though is the lands around them are often extremely fertile from the ash that is often expelled. And there's all those precious metals and gems manufactured in their heat in the surrounding areas.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 20, 2015, 01:52:03 PM
And oh yes...there were NO CLOUDS last night!! :woohoo:

It was awesome - a big (almost isosceles) triangle.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2015, 02:07:27 PM

If you look at the geography there and consider what is surrounding the islands and the dangers of tsunamis...there really isn't any other place to build. Those islands are basically part of a submerged mountain range.

As for Californians - yeah, they act like everything's good to go forever. They waited in SoCal until what they call 'monsoon season' last year to put watering restrictions in effect. DOH! Now they're trying to appropriate and have been the waters that belong to the northern tribes for their own use. And yes, big surprise when your house built on stilts on some mountainside goes sliding downhill in a mudslide, or your house built on the beaches gets washed away.

But then many humans have never, ever been particularly smart about where they build their cities. Look at what happened to the great Cretan civilization built on a volcanic island. The problem with volcanos though is the lands around them are often extremely fertile from the ash that is often expelled. And there's all those precious metals and gems manufactured in their heat in the surrounding areas.

Exactly...some places need to be creative....but that is for survivals sake.  Those in California just want to make something bigger, better and stranger then the Jones. 

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2015, 04:26:18 PM
Those that will sell a computer to any
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 20, 2015, 06:14:26 PM
Why does anyone want to know anything? It interests them.

Could just as well ask why you've spent too much time hanging out on such forums...? Then again, it may be for the entertainment factor.

THE ALIENS ARE COMING!!! THE ALIENS ARE COMING!!!   :rainy:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2015, 06:32:00 PM
Here Here   :Hi5:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2015, 06:53:15 PM
What aliens                 :sassy:

                         

 :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2015, 01:21:12 AM
 :cry2: :Fae01:

And I thought this thread was safe from invasion. :sigh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 21, 2015, 02:26:08 AM
You talk of space; and invasions. Then one day or other, the crazy nurse shows the tip of her snakes. :java:   :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Paul on June 21, 2015, 05:04:00 AM
And I thought this thread was safe from Fugly...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2015, 11:47:41 AM
Nothing is safe......Bwaaaaahaaaaahaaaaaa.....   Ummmm   Coffee anyone :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 21, 2015, 11:51:56 AM
What art thou nattering on about .. and you claim I have hallucinations :@u:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2015, 11:54:30 AM
I thought you were out tanning your  :waveass:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 21, 2015, 11:55:44 AM
I was I went quite early and am now back home yet again.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2015, 11:57:24 AM
I was filling in the gaps in our posts......someone has to do it and who better then me.

I think.....

Maybe......

Actually, I have no clue why I posted in here.

Want some :java: Ahhhhhhhh
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 21, 2015, 12:00:26 PM
Better to have some :sake: instead
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 21, 2015, 12:00:43 PM
J, it's the first day of summer. But now, we need of  :rain-rain:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Paul on June 21, 2015, 05:34:07 PM
Actually this is the perfect place for Kianna to be...  She'll be on hand when we  finish building the rocket to blast her into space to monitor the weather...  permanently.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2015, 09:54:25 PM
The problem there Paul is we'd have to put J on the rocket with her, because she lives in his head.

Of course, maybe if we made it like the Tardis he wouldn't mind too much.

:tearlaugh:

Nah, we don't really want to do that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Paul on June 22, 2015, 12:20:13 AM
Well we have been trying to exorcise that demon for some time.  There may not be any hope for poor J.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 22, 2015, 05:22:12 AM
Space Weather News for June 22, 2015
http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com)

GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: A CME is heading directly for Earth, and it is expected to sweep up one or more lesser CMEs before it reaches our planet on June 22nd.  The combined impact is likely to spark polar geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras. 

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 22, 2015, 06:54:17 AM
Chence for some people to have a wonderful show in the sky  :binoc:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2015, 07:43:01 AM
Was reading that this morning and also found another cool link they had.  Eye in the Sky.  It pinpoints where communication satellites are located in your area at the present time.  Neat stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 25, 2015, 10:23:06 AM
Here, you can find a video with few photos of auroras.

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0623/Solar-storm-brings-spectacular-aurora-to-parts-of-United-States (http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2015/0623/Solar-storm-brings-spectacular-aurora-to-parts-of-United-States)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 26, 2015, 09:37:57 PM
The Sun has Coronal Cavities!!  :tearlaugh:

The SDO dentist has pictures and his 'assistant' from NASA explains what they are.


https://youtu.be/82l46fpd-ic (https://youtu.be/82l46fpd-ic)




Hmmm, it's still not posting videos right.   :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 29, 2015, 05:20:10 PM
SUNSET SKY SHOW: You have got to see this. Venus and Jupiter are having a spectacular close encounter in the sunset sky. A photographer on the banks of Yamdrok Lake in Tibet points out where to look:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Jeff-Dai-jupiter-and-venus_1435462896.jpg)

Photo credit: Jeff Dia of Tibet. June 27th.

To find them, step outside just after sunset and look west. Don't wait until the sky fades to black. A tight conjunction of Venus and Jupiter framed by twilight blue has a special beauty that you won't want to miss.

For the next few nights, the distance between the planets will continue to shrink. On June 30th they will be only 1/3rd of a degree apart--less than the diameter of the full Moon. If you have binoculars or a small telescope, point them at the planets. Both will fit in the same field of view, allowing you to see the fat crescent phase of Venus and the moons of Jupiter simultaneously. It's a great way to end the day.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 12, 2015, 02:33:53 PM
SPACE WEATHER ON PLUTO: As NASA's New Horizons spacecraft prepares to buzz Pluto on July 14th, space weather forecasters have released long distance predictions for the distant dwarf planet.  A region of merged CMEs could be on the verge of hitting Pluto and compressing its atmosphere, but this is expected to happen well after the flyby. Meanwhile, New Horizons has just taken its best picture of Pluto's far side, which is dotted with mysterious dark spots.  Check http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com) for more information.

THE FARSIDE OF PLUTO: Pluto has two sides: the nearside that New Horizons will see when it buzzes the dwarf planet on July 14th, and the farside that it won't. New Horizons just took the best picture it will ever take of Pluto's farside from a distance of 2.5 million miles:

Alan Stern, New Horizons principal investigator at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado, describes this image as "the last, best look that anyone will have of Pluto's farside for decades to come."

Of particular interest on the farside are four dark spots connected to a dark belt that circles Pluto's equatorial region. What continues to pique the interest of scientists is their similar size and even spacing. "It's weird that they're spaced so regularly," says New Horizons program scientist Curt Niebur at NASA Headquarters.  Jeff Moore of NASA's Ames Research Center is equally intrigued: "We can't tell whether they're plateaus or plains, or whether they're brightness variations on a completely smooth surface." The spots appear on the side of Pluto that always faces its largest moon, Charon.

No one knows what these spots are, but there is hope for a solution to the mystery: "When we combine images like this of the farside with composition and color data the spacecraft has already acquired but not yet sent to Earth, we expect to be able to read the history of this face of Pluto," says Moore.

When New Horizons makes its closest approach to Pluto in just two days, it will focus on the nearside of the dwarf planet. On the morning of July 14, New Horizons will pass about 7,800 miles (12,500 kilometers) from the face with a large heart-shaped feature that's captured the imagination of people around the world.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 27, 2015, 05:04:07 PM
WILL THE MOON REALLY TURN BLUE? When someone says "Once in a Blue Moon," you know what they mean: rare, seldom, even absurd. This year it means "the end of July." For the second time this month, the Moon is about to become full.  There was one full Moon on July 2nd, and now another is coming on July 31st.  According to modern folklore, the second full Moon in a calendar month is "blue." Strange but true: Sometimes the Moon really turns blue. Scroll past the waxing full Moon, photographed on July 25th by Giuseppe Petricca of Pisa, Italy, for more information:


The blue areas in the color-enhanced image (right) are caused by Titanium in lunar soil.

A truly-blue Moon usually requires a volcanic eruption. Back in 1883, for example, people saw blue moons almost every night after the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa exploded with the force of a 100-megaton nuclear bomb. Plumes of ash rose to the very top of Earth's atmosphere, and the Moon became an azure-colored disk.

Krakatoa's ash was the reason. Some of the plumes were filled with particles 1 micron wide, about the same as the wavelength of red light.  Particles of this special size strongly scatter red light, while allowing blue light to pass through. Krakatoa's clouds thus acted like a blue filter. People also saw blue-colored Moons in 1983 after the eruption of the El Chichon volcano in Mexico. And there are reports of blue Moons caused by Mt. St. Helens in 1980 and Mount Pinatubo in 1991.

Forest fires can do the same trick.  A famous example is the giant muskeg fire of Sept. 1953 in Alberta, Canada.  Clouds of smoke containing micron-sized oil droplets produced lavender suns and blue Moons all the way from North America to England.  At this time of year, summer wildfires often produce smoke with an abundance of micron-sized particles–just the right size to turn the Moon truly blue. Sky watchers in western parts of the USA and Canada, where wildfires are in progress, could experience this phenomenon.




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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 27, 2015, 05:05:28 PM
CHANCE OF FLARES: Solar activity is low, but the quiet could soon be interrupted by an M-class solar flare. Fast-growing sunspot AR2390 has an unstable 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for moderately strong explosions. Any such flare on July 27th will likely be geoeffective because the sunspot is directly facing Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 27, 2015, 05:06:16 PM
ALPHA CAPRICORNID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Comet 169P/NEAT, source of the annual alpha Capricornid meteor shower. Over the weekend, NASA's network of all-sky meteor cameras recorded more than a dozen alpha Capricornid fireballs over the USA, including this one above Mount Hopkins, Arizona:

This is an annual shower, which peaks every year between the 25th and 30th of July. Peak rates are typically no higher than 5 to 10 meteors per hour.

Every year, however, the alpha Capricornids are improving. According to the research of meteor experts Peter Jenniskens and Jeremie Vaubaillon, the debris stream is slowly drifting across Earth's orbit, so that each year our planet passes a little closer to its heart. The bulk of the dust will not be in Earth's path until the 24th century. If their predictions are correct, the Alpha Capricornids will become a major annual storm in 2200 - 2400 A.D., one that will be "stronger than any current annual shower."

Until then, sky watchers should remain alert for a relatively small number of alpha Capricornid fireballs in the nights ahead. Observers in both hemispheres can see this minor but beautiful shower. The best time to look is during the hours around local midnight when the constellation Capricorn reaches its highest point in the southern sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 27, 2015, 05:14:53 PM
Was on the site today....Did you visit some of the other galleries in there "J"....some awesome shots of Pluto...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 27, 2015, 05:16:27 PM
I prefer avoid to see a real blue moon :psycho: even if it's probably wonderful.

Quote
the Alpha Capricornids will become a major annual storm in 2200 - 2400 A.D.
Who will always there to see the rain?  :thud:
But for this year, don't forget to make a wish for each meteor that you see.  :binoc:  :angelstaff:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 06, 2015, 05:31:49 AM
PERSEID FIREBALLS:   Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Peak rates of 100+ meteors per hour are expected next week when Earth approaches the heart of the debris stream. The display, however, is already underway. "Our network of meteor cameras has picked up more than 78 Perseid fireballs since July 27th," reports Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office.

"Comet debris particles a few cm wide are hitting the atmosphere with an average speed of 59.6 km/s (133,350 mph)," continues Cooke. "The average magnitude of the resulting fireballs is -3.7, about as bright as Venus."

Cooke and colleagues have been monitoring fireball activity for years, and they have found that the Perseids produce more fireballs than any other annual shower. Check out their data. (http://science.nasa.gov/media/medialibrary/2013/07/26/histogram.gif)

"Comet Swift-Tuttle has a huge nucleus--about 26 km in diameter," notes Cooke. "Most other comets are much smaller, with nuclei only a few kilometers across. As a result, Comet Swift-Tuttle produces a large number of meteoroids, many of which are hefty enough to produce fireballs."

More fireballs are in the offing as Earth moves deeper into the debris stream of Comet Swift-Tuttle.  NASA all-sky cameras are detecting an increasing number of Perseid fireballs as the shower's peak approaches on Aug. 12-13.

Check http://spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com) for updates and more information.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 06, 2015, 09:01:48 AM
You beat me to it.  Was so busy setting up Outlook I didn't get a chance to read my mail yet...but that is some awesome stuff.  LOVE that place....I really do.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 15, 2015, 06:57:51 AM
GIGANTIC JETS ABOVE HURRICANE HILDA: Yesterday, we reported a rare apparition of sprites above Hurricane Hilda. Steve Cullen, who lives in Hawaii where the storm is heading, spotted them in video from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Cloud Cam atop Maunakea. A closer look at the video, however, reveals that the dancing forms were not sprites. Instead, Hurricane Hilda has gigantic jets:

 Hurrican Hilda  (https://vimeo.com/136192846)

Think of them as sprites on steroids: Gigantic jets are lightning-like discharges that spring from the tops of thunderstorms, reaching all the way from the thunderhead to the ionosphere more than 50 miles overhead. They're enormous and powerful.

"Gigantic jets are much more rare than sprites," says Oscar van der Velde, a member of the Lightning Research Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. "While sprites were discovered in 1989 and have since been photographed by the thousands, it was not until 2001-2002 that gigantic jets were first recorded from Puerto Rico and Taiwan." Only a few dozen gigantic jets have ever been seen, mostly over open ocean.

Because gigantic jets are so rare, researchers are paying special attention to Hurricane Hilda. "Observations in recent years suggest that large thunderstorm clusters embedded in tropical cyclones harbor favorable conditions for gigantic jets. Hilda seems to confirm this. Extreme turbulent mixing in the storm top may assist in triggering these events," he says.

Gigantic jets, and their cousins the sprites, reach all the way up to the edge of space alongside meteors, noctilucent clouds, and some auroras. This means they are a true space weather phenomenon. Indeed, some researchers believe cosmic rays help trigger these exotic forms of lightning, but the link is controversial.

Stay tuned for more observations of Hilda's cloud tops as it approaches Hawaii.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 15, 2015, 07:00:28 AM
WEEKEND STORM WARNING:

NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on Aug. 16th when a CME is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for weekend auroras

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/14aug15/cme_anim.gif?PHPSESSID=d46jo5al3ictjbo7c14liqld90)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 15, 2015, 07:05:37 AM
INFERIOR CONJUNCTION OF VENUS: Today and tomorrow, Venus will pass almost-directly between Earth and the sun—an event astronomers call "an inferior conjunction of Venus." The night side of Venus is now facing Earth, with only a sliver of its illuminated dayside visible from our side of the conjunction.

"Only 0.92% of Venus was illuminated," says Pantelidis. "The planet was just less than 8 degrees from the sun."

This is arguably the most beautiful time to observe Venus--but also the most perilous. Even when a telescope is pointed perfectly at Venus, the indirect glare of the nearby sun can damage the eyes of anyone looking through the eyepiece.

Anthony J. Cook of the Griffith Observatory has some advice for observers: "I have observed Venus at conjunction, but only from within the shadow of a building, or by adding a mask to the front end of the telescope to fully shadow the optics from direct sunlight. This is tricky with a refractor or a catadioptric, because the optics start at the front end of the tube. Here at Griffith Observatory, I rotate the telescope dome to make sure the lens of the telescope is shaded from direct sunlight, even through it means that the lens will be partially blocked when aimed at Venus. With our Newtonian telescope, I add a curved cardboard mask at the front end of the tube to shadow the primary mirror."

Potential observers should take precautions as outlined above. That said, if you have a GOTO telescope, command it to slew to Venus this evening. The crescent is marvelous.

Antonios Pantelidis sends this picture, taken August 14th, from Agios Germanos, Greece:


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Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 15, 2015, 08:33:45 AM
Was looking at this one yesterday.....And some folks got some great shots of the meteor showers.  Awesome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 15, 2015, 09:24:51 AM
For nights here these last times, it's rain shower :psycho:  Cool spectacle for those who can. By the same way, do you know you can vote to give namesfor certains exoplanets?

http://www.space.com/30232-exoplanet-naming-contest-iau.html

For me, i'm not sure that my vote was taken, because i'm not sure of the way to follow  :tearlaugh: But it's cool to have finally real names for other planets.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 15, 2015, 09:38:37 AM
I saw that and submitted some also.  A few years ago I got my Niece a very unique Birthday Present.  I named a star after her.  I picked out the star she wanted and filed the name with the Star Research site and got certificates verifying the name was not used on other stars in that system and so she now has a "Victoria The First" star.  She was thrilled.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 15, 2015, 09:49:18 AM
Unusual gift indeed  :balloons2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 15, 2015, 04:55:53 PM
Seem to recall doing the same for some reason, don't recall the details .... will have to research the details.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 16, 2015, 08:30:51 AM
I think we were talking about it around the same time.  My niece Vicky was visiting me from Florida at the time....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 21, 2015, 05:38:54 AM
GROWING SUNSPOT: Since the day before yesterday, sunspot AR2403 has more than quadrupled in size. It is now more than 90,000 km wide and poses a threat for M-class solar flares. John Ashley photographed it through the smokey atmosphere of Kila, Montana, on Aug. 20th:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/John-Ashley-Sunspot-AR-2403_1440126919.jpg)

"One good thing about our forest fires is that the smoke makes it easier to see sunspots," says Ashley. "The current grouping of sunspot AR 2403 is heading towards a central location [on the solar disk] and should offer excellent views in the days ahead."

It might offer some excellent flares, too. Just this morning, Aug. 21st at 0220 UT, AR2304 unleashed the first M-flare in 45 days:  movie  (http://sdowww.lmsal.com/sdomedia/h264/2015/08/21/SSW_cutout_20150821T0135-20150821T0252_AIA_131-193-171_S12E38.mov). A flash of extreme UV radiation ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a minor HF radio blackout over the western Pacific Ocean. This event could be the herald of more eruptions to come, so stay tuned

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 21, 2015, 05:48:59 AM
SPRITES AND TROLLS AT THE EDGE OF SPACE:

We all know what comes out of the bottom of thunderclouds: lightning. But rarely do we see what comes out of the top. On August 10th, astronauts on board the International Space Station were perfectly positioned to observe red sprites dancing atop a cluster of storms in Mexico. They snapped this incredible photo:

(http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/DatabaseImages/ESC/large/ISS044/ISS044-E-45553.JPG)

This shows just how high sprites can go. The photo shows their red forms reaching all the way from the thunderstorm below to a layer of green air glow some 100 km above Earth's surface. This means sprites touch the edge of space, alongside auroras, meteors and noctilucent clouds. They are a true space weather phenomenon.

A few minutes after the astronauts saw the sprites, they spotted a related creature--a "Troll." It jumped up to the left of the sprites:

(http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov/DatabaseImages/ESC/large/ISS044/ISS044-E-45576.JPG)

"Trolls are also known as 'secondary transient luminous events," explains Oscar van der Velde, a member of the Lightning Research Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. "They are occasionally observed alongside big clusters of sprites, and they can reach 40-60 km high."

Van der Velde says that sprites can actually pull Earth's ionosphere down toward the thunderstorm. When the gap shrinks, and the local electric field intensifies, Trolls appear.

You don't have to be on board a spaceship to see these exotic forms of lightning. "Sprite chasers" regularly photograph the upward bolts from their own homes. Van der Velde has photographed Trolls from ground-level, too. "I recorded these  trolls  (https://www.flickr.com/photos/lightningwizard/16311729842/) last October over a storm over the Mediterranean Sea west of Sardinia and Corsica," he says. Browse the sprite gallery for more examples.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 21, 2015, 07:37:23 AM
We look really well sunspots, it's true  :shock:

More and more easy to look Sprites now  :balloons2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 11, 2015, 05:58:05 PM
SEPT 11TH GEOMAGNETIC STORM: During the early hours of Sept. 11th, a high-speed solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field. The impact sparked a strong (Kp=7) geomagnetic storm and Northern Lights in the USA as far south as Wisconsin and Washington State. In Alaska, "the entire sky was moving like sea waves in colors of green and purple," reports aurora tour guide Marketa Murray, who took this picture outside Fairbanks:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/marketa-S-Murray-MSM_1535_1441983785.jpg)

"This was the most beautiful night in a long time," she says. "Our guests were crying and couldn't catch their breath."

More breathtaking auroras could appear tonight. NOAA forecasters estimate a 55% chance of geomagnetic storms on Sept. 11-12 as the solar wind continues to blow.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2015, 06:55:57 PM
That is just downright supercalifragilistically awesome and gorgeous!


https://youtu.be/8BC6flTOGSk
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2015, 06:57:51 PM
They always remind me of Spanish dancers' skirts or gypsies skirts twirling in the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 11, 2015, 07:18:15 PM
Awesome and such a grand comparison
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 12, 2015, 07:08:46 AM
This is awesome  :binoc: :binoc: :binoc:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 12, 2015, 07:11:50 AM
I agree and so much more to see at the other places SW links to.....I spend a lot of time viewing when I get the Newsletter LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 12, 2015, 05:43:10 PM
https://youtu.be/BGKvLid-uo0
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2015, 12:13:43 PM
DOUBLE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: On Sept. 13th, the sun was eclipsed--twice! No one on Earth has ever seen anything like it. Indeed, it was only visible from Earth orbit. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the event:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/13sep15/sdo1.jpg?PHPSESSID=4vcvr6alli7hssla9tfcuqm3r2)




(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/13sep15/sdo2.jpg?PHPSESSID=4vcvr6alli7hssla9tfcuqm3r2)


The double eclipse began around 06:30 UT when Earth passed directly between the sun and SDO. The observatory watched as the body of our planet moved slowly across the face of the sun, producing a near black-out. When the Earth finally moved aside about an hour later, another eclipse was in progress. This time, the Moon was in the way. A movie (http://sdoisgo.blogspot.com/2015/09/an-alignment-of-four-most-important.html) from the SDO science team explains the crazy-perfect alignment required for such a view. Update: This picture (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=117504&PHPSESSID=vip64hsn47nmdmld4cfv8mjee2) shows the Moon and the Earth in front of the sun at the same time.
(In the snaphots above, note how the edge of the Earth looks so much fuzzier than the edge of the Moon. That's because our planet has a thick atmosphere and the Moon does not.)
Meanwhile on Earth, an ordinary partial eclipse was visible. People in South Africa and parts of Antarctica saw the Moon pass in front of the sun, off-center, producing crescent-shaped shadows and strange sunrises.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 12:20:02 PM
The wonder we couldn't see.... Nice we have satellites and 'voyagers' for things like that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 14, 2015, 12:22:51 PM
I agree.....as I always say...I love that place.  Been re-watching my UNIVERSE series and it is still mind boggling how much we DON'T know nor probably will ever know about our tiny spot in space.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 12:27:12 PM
I used to watch Cosmos all the time when it was on and Mr. Sagan was still alive. I loved that show. He was an amazing man.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 12:30:59 PM
Gah....every time I come in this thread I get a pop-up asking if I want to install Windows Media Player. There's no option to make it go away. When I click the X to close it, then it comes up with an 'Install' button and then I have to click the X on that.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2015, 01:16:49 PM
Strange, i haven't this Ravyn. Perhaps because i have Adblock with all options checked?

Nature here or in the space made always a wonderful show!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 02:14:13 PM
I'd rather have money spent on space exploration than war. As long as we don't go nuking Mars or the Moon or anything else out there. (Ignorant basically uniformed suggestion from a smart guy - ???) Mars had water and atmosphere, etc. for a time because of the natural processes of the volcanos there and it all went away over time. Nuking it would produce the same thing and it would again go away....with radon, strontium90, and U238 leftovers. YUM!

Yes, you could make an 'artists conception' of how something is but that isn't really what it looks like...unless you've seen an actual image of it...and even then it's in false colors. You cannot see the event horizon of a black hole...yet in artist's conceptions there it is. Artistic conceptions are misleading. You can't make a proper picture of an elephant unless you've seen one...can you?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2015, 02:22:10 PM
Valid point .... money spent on killing and war could be better spent on exploration of space, our world and working with it instead of changing it to suit our 'misguided' purposes.

Sort of like adapting to it instead of the other way round
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 02:47:52 PM
Amen to that! And the idea brought up regarding Mars shows someone hasn't looked around us and seen not-adapting and forcing it hasn't worked well. Build bubbles, fill them with oxygen and farm and live in the bubbles until you actually know what's up with things there. That's what we do down here for people 'practicing' to live on Mars! They live in a dome.

Never saw a war that solved anything...have you? Maybe over-population, but that's about it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2015, 02:58:40 PM
As I recall in an old Dr. Who episode:

"Man is the most vicious creature in the universe, they have been systematically killing each other for half a million years."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2015, 03:05:42 PM
 :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 03:14:44 PM
Oh and I forgot to add "Just hope and pray and asteroid doesn't come along and wipe you all out - or damage your bubble.

Look at poor Pluto - first it's a planet and then it's not and now it is again. Pluto's got four moons! We never knew that before!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2015, 03:22:50 PM
For me, Pluto is and was always a planet. The object who served to disclass her (Sedna or another) is more little than Pluto in fact.
And if we take all criterias to define a planet, then even the Earth isn't a planet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2015, 03:24:39 PM
:ummm:

Five technically

Charon 1978

Styx 2012

Nix  2005

Kerberos  2011

Hydra  2005



What is really special is that the orbital period of Pluto (247.9 years) around the sun is so long that it has not completed one revolution around our Sun since discovered in 1930



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2015, 03:32:14 PM
But Pluto is far away, and need to do more distance than us.
Neptune does an orbit in almost 165 years.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 05:12:32 PM
For me, Pluto is and was always a planet. The object who served to disclass her (Sedna or another) is more little than Pluto in fact.
And if we take all criterias to define a planet, then even the Earth isn't a planet.

How is Earth not a planet, Aelin?  It orbits around a star, has a roughly round shape, is not a satellite of another body and has no 'space clutter' around it other than what we've put up there o.O By the IAU's definition, it be a planet.

I like Venus, myself - the Venusian day is longer than the year. :tearlaugh:

Time? What is time but an illusion?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2015, 05:22:45 PM
But the Earth has not really push out of her orbit or region all stranger corpses (we have asteroids regularly like neighbours).
And that is a rule to have a planet; one of reasons for why Pluto isn't officially a planet now. If other corpses are too much near of Pluto, then Mars is too much near of us too.

And unfortunately it's the moment where the time wins in my day :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 06:39:20 PM
But the Earth has not really push out of her orbit or region all stranger corpses (we have asteroids regularly like neighbours).
And that is a rule to have a planet; one of reasons for why Pluto isn't officially a planet now. If other corpses are too much near of Pluto, then Mars is too much near of us too.

And unfortunately it's the moment where the time wins in my day :psycho:


Technically, I think Pluto and Charon form a binary dwarf planet system and it's out by the Kuiper Belt which is full of space clutter of all sorts and they and Sedna, Quaoar (?) and Eris are all technically KBOs...technically. There are a dozen or so other KBOs that could be classified as planets as well but they're not going there. But the IAU doesn't have a classification for binary dwarf planets.

I don't know that asteroids count as 'space clutter' because they 'are' in their own belt. It's just chaotic in those parts and when they decide to play astral billiards it's anyone's guess where they'll go.

In Mesopotamian astronomy asteroids and comets were considered 'wild sheep' - bibbu, and the planets were 'tame sheep' because they stayed in their 'sheepfolds' - their orbits.  I don't think they realized comets have orbits as well because apparently the short-term ones always looked different depending on the angle they came by us. (So I have read about the 'Silk Books' of China that shows 'different' asteroids or comets - 'pheasant stars' or 'peacock stars'. They think one in particular was Comet Enke - on it's various three year or so rounds.) Some do have obits like the near-earth ones, but they're usually rather protracted. 

Speaking of Mesopotamian astronomy (and myths) there are some rather odd perplexing comments regarding Erra (aka Irra, later Nergal) and what is said about him in "Erra and Ereshkigal". He even says some odd things in 'Irra and Ishum' about himself:

"In heaven I am a wild bull, on earth I am a lion..."
and
"Among the cattle I am the hunter/smiter, in the mountains I am a wild ram.
In the reed-thicket I am Gerra (the fire god), in the grove I am the magsharu axe.
In the course of a campaign I am the standard. I blow like the wind, I rumble like Adad (storm god).
I can see the rim of everything like Shamash. I go out on the battlefield, and I am a wild sheep.
I go into the sheepfolds, and I made my dwelling there. All the other gods (planetary ones they are) are afraid of battle."

And this is written after a time when apparently the Sun and mostly the Moon disappeared for some time because of something that happened 'out there'. See Akkadian  "Seven Evil Spirits" text...which funnily enough turns up more or less in HPL's Necronomicon - not word for word, but close. So close, it's recognizable as that's where it came from. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2015, 08:44:41 PM
Pepper? You like the Klingon variety or Romulan? Don't matter - they're both 20K gold-latinum a gram.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2015, 09:05:20 PM
I would tend to side with the Pluto/Charon as being a binary dwarf system, just found out that the KBO system actually starts at 30 AU to 50 AU and Pluto falls right in that range.

Which as I say was news to me, I mistakenly always thought the KBO belt started at 50 AU
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 15, 2015, 07:19:04 AM
Charon is really little compare to Pluto, difficult to look a binary dwarf system.
Pluto is in Kuiper belt? Ok, then Neptun too for a part of her orbit (around 30UA). In this case, what is Neptun? Another 'dwarf'?
Definitions of celestial corpses are strange, really.
Ceres is in the same time asteroid and dwarf planet? She is one or other, not both.

For Mesopotamian, they haven't space telescopes, then difficult to follow same comets and asteroids, mainly with big orbits.
It's because of them that we count sheeps to sleep? :psycho:

Erra isn't Mars?  :ummm:
Yes, Sun and Moon had problems it seems. A papyrus (Ipuwer if i remember) talks of storm, night, and plagues on Egypt. Just before invaders come. Perhaps same event.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 15, 2015, 10:43:35 AM
Yes, Charon's only about half as big as Pluto, but they apparently orbit around each other, which is what makes them a binary dwarf.

I think what defines a dwarf planet is it's size and Neptune's too big for that. If you want to go by the 'cleared away of space clutter' then Saturn and Jupiter have fairly well cluttered skies too, but still they are planets...or possibly failed stars that became planets.

Ceres is considered a dwarf planet, not an asteroid - because 'she' is quite round and rotates on her own orbit. A dwarf planet who just happens to live in the asteroid belt.

Lol...I don't know if that's why we 'count sheep' but shepherds always seem to fall asleep, so I guess it works. Hahahaha.

'Traditionally' yes, Erra/Nergal is Mars but before he was Mars he is a god of pestilence and plagues in Sumer and was given the Sebitti (the Seven Evil Demons) when he 'crashed Erkalla' and Ereshkigal made him her Lord of the Underworld. He also had his 'Uttuki demons' who have names. They seem to be personifications of symptoms of plague.

The story of Erra and Ereshkigal seems to mark the transition point when the 'gods' started assuming the roles of the 'goddesses' and I believe that came in Akkadian times. This story is also found in Egypt I think in the artifacts of Amarna. Then when the Indus Valley Civilization failed and those people moved into Mesopotamia, they seem to have bought some Mars-like god with them but he got a new name - Meslamta'ea, who became Nergal-Mars by Babylonian times. After that he was the god of Justice, Lawyers and Magistrates. Now we know why Lawyers are equated with the Devil.

:tearlaugh: 

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 15, 2015, 10:49:43 AM
Oh...forgot about Ipuwer and that. You know...that's a good point. What is surmised by many is that all of the 'plagues of Egypt' arose from the eruption of Santorini (or Thera), which was fairly massive in proportion blowing out megatons and tons of hot ash and scoria into the atmosphere, and it certainly could have rendered all the problems described as the plagues. That happened about 1600-1500 BCE - I think.
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 15, 2015, 11:10:43 AM
Yes, for Jupiter i read always by the past for a possibily failed star.
But the problem in the definition of planets or not planets is in part the 'neighbours or not neighnours'. If only i remember of the astronom and his article to say 'no planets of systems respect this criter'... Several ago, now.

For Erra, yes, it's a little like Ares who has his children with him:Phobos and Deimos. But also children of Eris come with him, and mainly they are bad things: quarrel, hunger, lying, forget... I don't think for illness.

:psycho: lawyers are like tradespeople, bad reputation.
Always a moment where god take the place to the goddess. And not a good thing after :hypno:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 15, 2015, 11:14:29 AM
Dates change a little following groups of archeologists or historians :psycho:
The problem of paryrus of Ipuwer seems it was wrote at the end of the Middle Empire in Egypt. And eruption was after the XVIIIth dynasty it seems (end of New Empire, or just after).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 15, 2015, 11:29:11 AM
Dates change a little following groups of archeologists or historians :psycho:
The problem of paryrus of Ipuwer seems it was wrote at the end of the Middle Empire in Egypt. And eruption was after the XVIIIth dynasty it seems (end of New Empire, or just after).

Hmmmm, that is a problem then as far as the Thera eruption explanation goes...but the good part is it really fits more in with the time-line of the Mesopotamian (Akkadian) stories. It's possible then that it was perhaps Earth and some part of the inner solar system happened to travel through one of the greater meteor-showers like the Taurids and we all got bombarded pretty good.

Personally, I think Erra probably started off life as an asteroid or comet. Because in the story of Erra and Ereshkigal, he 'looks down upon her' and leaves but then returns after some days or weeks and supposedly their 'love-making' when he did crash the Underworld 'shook the Earth for six days and seven nights...or some such. They had a good time for a week, it seems in any case. Lol. I don't believe all so-called 'solar deities' are actually the Sun at all. I think they're comets because some of them have tall feather head-dresses or lotus head-dresses, especially in Egypt - like Amen, Min and Nefertem. Erra is supposedly the personification of the summer sun.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 15, 2015, 11:55:09 AM
Taurides: is the taurus where we pass twice in the year? (july and november).

For Ipuwer papyrus, i find a site: http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/texts/ipuwer.htm   Normally the translate of text in english.
Other officially name seems "Papyrus Leiden I 344".

It seems it's another similar text which talk with a name of pharaoh. Argh i don't remember what papyrus
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 15, 2015, 04:06:01 PM
Yes, we pass through the Taurids twice a year and they are nothing today like they were in earlier times - many more asteroids or part of a comet that broke up into smaller parts. The short-period Comets Encke and Biele (sp?) are supposedly larger chunks of it. The radians for the Taurids and the comets are the same place - from in the vicinity of Taurus. 

Thanks for the link! I think you know considerably more about the Egyptian dynasties than I do - rather vague on the dates, etc.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 15, 2015, 04:09:33 PM
I try to follow the rythm. All change between flood of one or other idea. Even order sometimes  :thud: But mainly in periods of problems (between kingdoms).
Interesting to look with rulers around. They are diplomatics one with others, but in the same time more direct than now.

And sky has many things to learn us on the past.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 19, 2015, 12:30:30 PM
I don't know how direct they were with each other :tearlaugh:

Afterall, the Egyptian Pharaohs pretty much invented 'political spin' and trashing your predecessor's record and accomplishments by having their names chiseled off the stellae and their deeds erased - monuments destroyed. Well, that IS pretty direct and in your face...with your own kind! Never mind the Mitanni!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 19, 2015, 12:33:34 PM
# 5555 :woohoo:

Afterall, Rameses II claimed victory at Carchemesh over the Hittites, but it was really more of a draw. The Hitties had better chariots and bows and better archers.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 19, 2015, 01:20:38 PM
Karkemish was an hard struggle. Ramseses II didn't win, Hittites won but... At the final, 49/51%. But without Amurru, Ramses should died.
In Egypt, each pharaoh won all battles. But when you see in write something like "pharaoh was back with 1 bow, 3 prisonners, 1 sheep", you could be sure he lose in reality.
Yes political spin, but sometimes destructions were because of problems of relationship between the first and the second. For example, Hatchepsout was an excellent pharaoh, but a part of royal court didn't like a woman on the throne; betwen them, Thutmosis III (her nephew, and perhaps her son-in-law (not sure for this)) her successor.
She was a great politician (she avoided war as possible as), he was a great warrior (almost one war by year!). Definitively, even dead, she did shadow on him.

******
Edit: unfortunately, it's a link in french, but i read many things on the orthodox chronology of Egypt and region. I stop at the end of 18th dynasty for the moment, and read recently on the Mitanni, Amurru and Ugarit.
http://antikforever.com/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 19, 2015, 01:33:56 PM
I think they DIDN'T like her because she was an exceptional ruler and very good at it. And she played her own games, not theirs. Yes, Thutmosis III was all about making a big name for himself and controlling everything, for certain! He was an excellent strategist. Got to say that for him.

Oh...and she didn't act like a woman was supposed to act, either!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 19, 2015, 01:57:55 PM
The 17th dynasty is the same than 18th dynasty. And in the war with Hyksos, women had a big role (they had often power when their sons were children). At the start of 18th, several became like goddesses after their death.
At the epoch of Hatshepsout, seems the father of her tried to restart the power of women. He learnt her the politic, because she was his daughter by his queen; Thutmosis II (husband of Hatshepsout, and father of Thutmosis III) was only son of a secondary wife.

Hatshepsout taken only her heritage, and acted like she wanted it's sure.
For example: she accepted between her counsellors people of the population, not only nobles. She prefered people with skills, and not only 'the son of'...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 19, 2015, 02:54:19 PM
We so love all the history and alternative views that does encourage us to dig deeper and learn more ... we love history
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 19, 2015, 03:07:07 PM
History is complex; almost as many as versions than populations  :thud: And it's more difficult to find clues these last time in the Middle East.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 19, 2015, 03:22:33 PM
 :Fae01: Tell me about it.... Watching all this stuff be destroyed is just catastrophically sad. And somewhere out there, I can hear some voice in the distance saying, "That's what happens with these fundamentalist Muslims!" Well, they aren't the only ones who have destroyed entire libraries of knowledge, priceless statuary, texts and civilizations.

Hatshepsut was wise to use men of skill rather than 'son of...'. I forget...was Imhotep even a noble? Or was he just the best architect ever, for which he was granted a royal title?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 19, 2015, 03:29:11 PM
For Imhotep i don't remember, wait a minute (i will look on the site above)

Yes, destruction is a thing of humans, towards centuries  :shock: But this time it's really total in surface.

***********
Seems Imhotep was a prince of the Djoser's family.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 20, 2015, 03:55:34 PM
For Imhotep i don't remember, wait a minute (i will look on the site above)

Yes, destruction is a thing of humans, towards centuries  :shock: But this time it's really total in surface.

***********
Seems Imhotep was a prince of the Djoser's family.

Ah, so he was royalty to begin with.

Yup, re: the destruction...all of what you said. And I don't really want to get started on saying any more about this - any of it, because it makes me 'breathe fire' and smoke comes out of my ears.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 20, 2015, 04:02:54 PM
Ah, so he was royalty to begin with.

Yup, re: the destruction...all of what you said. And I don't really want to get started on saying any more about this - any of it, because it makes me 'breathe fire' and smoke comes out of my ears.
You're not alone...  :ARNOLD:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 20, 2015, 04:28:06 PM
Yup.... :caveman:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 26, 2015, 11:43:03 AM
Don't know if you know about this site, but it may be of interest!

http://www.galex.caltech.edu/

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 26, 2015, 12:17:14 PM
Sweet and many thanks I did not know about this place and I see many productive hours of learning in my future.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 26, 2015, 05:34:03 PM
This weekend's full Moon is a "supermoon," the biggest and brightest of the year, and it is about to be eclipsed.  On Sunday evening, Sept 27th, sky watchers in North America will see the swollen lunar orb glide through the shadow of Earth, turning it a beautiful shade of sunset red. The same eclipse will be visible from South America, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia during the early hours of Sept. 28th.  The Coca-Cola Space Science Center is broadcasting the event live at:

  http://www.ccssc.org/webcast.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 26, 2015, 05:44:41 PM
It's a sign of the coming Apocalypse!!!  :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 26, 2015, 06:20:43 PM
More then likely
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 26, 2015, 06:40:31 PM
Isn't everything?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 30, 2015, 09:22:20 AM
WHAT MADE THE LUNAR ECLIPSE SO DARK? On Sunday night, Sept. 27th, the supermoon passed through the shadow of Earth, producing a total lunar eclipse visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa and parts of Asia. "It was one of the darkest lunar eclipses I have ever seen," reports Kevin R. Witman, who sends this picture from Cochranville, Pennsylvania:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Kevin-R.-Witman-IMG_0020b_1443409438.png)


Other observers (see the gallery (http://spaceweathergallery.com/eclipse_gallery.html)) also remarked on the darker hue of this lunar eclipse, compared to others in recent years. What caused the change? Atmospheric scientist Richard Keen of the University of Colorado offers one reason: "Supermoon eclipses should be a bit darker. Because of its closeness to Earth, a supermoon passes deeper into the shadow of our planet."

Working independently, Steve Albers of NOAA and Helio Vital of REA/Brazil have suggested another reason: aerosols in the atmosphere.

"Earth's stratosphere is no longer completely clean of volcanic ashes," says Vital. "In fact, lingering aerosols from the explosion of Calbuco, five months ago, may be to blame for that excessive darkening."

Calbuco is a volcano in Chile. After it erupted in April 2015, colorful sunsets were observed around the southern hemisphere for months. Recently, Albers has noted an increase in purple and yellow sunsets around his home town, Boulder CO, and elsewhere. These are telltale colors of volcanic exhaust.

"A thin veneer of aerosols from Calbuco may have now spread to the northern hemisphere," Albers says. "In addition, we could be seeing the effects of residual smoke from forest fires at high altitudes, or the general increase in sulfate pollution that has been documented on a global basis."

Richard Keen, who is a leading expert on volcanic aerosols and lunar eclipses, says "the Sept. 27th eclipse was about 0.5 magnitudes darker than expected for a clear stratosphere. A slight layer of aerosols in the upper troposphere/lower stratosphere might explain this. Also, the Moon passed through the southern part of Earth's shadow, so southern hemisphere aerosols (such as those produced by Calbuco) would have greater effect."

Keen says that he is still "crunching the numbers," and we may have more information soon...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 30, 2015, 09:24:48 AM
UNSTABLE PROMINENCE: If sunspot AR2422 does not explode today, something else might. A spectacular prominence is dancing along the western limb of the sun:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Randy-Shivak-Sep_29_2015_170905_g4_b3_ap196c_1443586530.jpg)



Randy Shivak took the picture from his backyard observatory in Prescott Valley, Arizona. "The prominence is huge, and seems to be lifting off the solar surface," he says.

Prominences are clouds of hot plasma held above the sun's surface by solar magnetic fields. The magnetic infrastructure of this prominence appears to be connected to an active sunspot (AR2423) just behind the sun's western limb. If that sunspot flares, it could destabilize or even destroy the prominence. Amateur astronomers with solar telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 30, 2015, 09:41:49 AM
Very interesting about the eclipse. Indeed, there are all sorts of things going on the last few years that contribute to all of this and there HAVE been a lot of volcanic eruptions since Colbuco as well - like Bartharbunga, which spewed millions of tons of sulphur into the air. It all gets mixed together in the currents, eventually.

My, but that prominence is HUGE!!!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 30, 2015, 09:41:58 AM
Sun likes be in activity  :binoc:
The red moon here is wonderful!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 08:47:17 AM
DARK PLASMA ERUPTION: On Sept. 30th, a massive plume of dark plasma rose up from the sun's western limb and erupted. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/01oct15/eruption_strip.jpg)

False colors in the movie correspond to different wavelengths of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation. Greens and yellows denote hot gas. The erupting plasma looks dark red because it was cooler and denser than its surroundings.

Fragments of the plume flew away from the sun, forming the core of a bright coronal mass ejection (CME): movie. (http://spaceweather.com/images2015/01oct15/cme_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=m3qks91vq2mmispredpr357pj4) There is a 65% chance the CME will deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 4th. If so, the impact will probably cause a G1-class geomagnetic storm.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 08:59:06 AM
Well not understanding why Quicktime doesn't like our site or why it wont allow the link to be displayed.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 04, 2015, 09:05:23 AM
Perhaps because it's a file in .mov
In this case it's more a file to share in the end of message.
Just an idea.

After storms of the Earth, storms of space :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 09:10:46 AM
Not allowed to attach .mov files

:sigh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 09:12:04 AM
Well no link to the movie is possible but at least I could get the picture to display this time.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 09:14:27 AM
'WATER-BASED LAVA' ON PLUTO'S MOON? Pluto's moon Charon is so large that some astronomers have called Pluto and Charon a "double-planet." Could Charon be just as interesting as Pluto? Images just received from NASA's New Horizons spacecraft suggest that it is. When New Horizons hurtled past the Pluto-Charon system last July, it saw a canyon system stretching more than 1,000 miles across Charon's icy face. Four times as long as the Grand Canyon, and twice as deep in places, the structure marks a titanic geological upheaval in Charon's past:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/03oct15/nh-charon-neutral-bright-release_strip.jpg)

"It looks like the entire crust of Charon has been split open," says John Spencer, a member of the New Horizons Science Team from the Southwest Research Institute. "With respect to its size relative to Charon, this feature is much like the vast Valles Marineris canyon system on Mars."

The pictures also show plains south of the Charon's canyon with fewer large craters than regions to the north. This means the southern plains are younger. The smoothness of the plains, as well as their grooves and faint ridges, are clear signs of wide-scale resurfacing:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/03oct15/plains2_strip.jpg)


One possibility for the smooth surface is a kind of cold volcanic activity, called cryovolcanism. "The team is discussing the possibility that an internal water ocean could have frozen long ago, and the resulting volume change could have led to Charon cracking open, allowing water-based lavas to reach the surface," says Paul Schenk, a New Horizons team member from the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston. 

More images and data are in the offing as New Horizons continues to transmit data, stored on its digital recorders, over the next year. As that happens, "I predict Charon's story will become even more amazing!" says mission Project Scientist Hal Weaver, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 04, 2015, 09:25:25 AM
Not allowed to attach .mov files

:sigh:
No chance, indeed

Charon has like a long rift/scare on the surface, at this distance not really like canyons.
A shock with a big object could do this?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2015, 12:49:47 PM
I was thinking when I saw the image of Charon that that resembled Valles Marineris on Mars.

Water-based lavas...interesting. Just looking at it and the difference in the elevation between the northern and southern parts, I'd say it was indeed volcanic. Look at the way the contours of the surface are - like they're frozen floes.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2015, 12:52:05 PM
If it was a collision thing, it would have been a long side-swipe I would think. Otherwise you'd get a crater like all the little ones that pock-mark it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2015, 02:08:09 PM
My thoughts as well,
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 07, 2015, 09:28:11 PM
"URBAN AURORAS" DAZZLE ARCTIC CITIES: Last night, Oct. 6th, sky watchers around the Arctic Circle witnessed an outburst of auroras so bright that they were visible alongside glaring city lights. "We enjoyed a wonderful evening of 'urban auroras'," reports Anne Birgitte Fyhn, who took this picture of Northern Lights surrounding the Arctic Cathedral (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_Cathedral) in Tromsø, Norway:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Anne-Birgitte-Fyhn-DSC_5102_1444172220.jpg)

"We could see the auroras everywhere," she says. "They waved above street lights, car lights, and all around our city. It seems that we will have no time for sleeping this week."

She might be right, because the Oct. 6th display heralds an even stronger display in the offing. During the late hours of Oct. 7th a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. CIRs are transition zones between slow- and fast-moving solar wind streams. Solar wind plasma piles up in these regions, producing density gradients and shock waves that do a good job of sparking auroras. NOAA forecasters estimate a 70% to 75% chance of G2-class geomagnetic storms when the CIR arrives
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 07, 2015, 09:33:05 PM
LUNAR ECLIPSE DETECTS GLOBAL COOLING (BUT ONLY A LITTLE): On Sept. 27th, peopleon five continents watched the Moon pass through the shadow of our planet. Most agreed that the lunar eclipse was darker than usual. Little did they know, they were witnessing a sign of global cooling. But only a little. (continued below)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Giuseppe-Petricca-Moon-Eclipse-Total_1443870017.jpg)

Above: "The eclipse was truly dark," says photographer Giuseppe Petricca of Pisa, Italy

Atmospheric scientist Richard Keen of the University of Colorado explains: "Lunar eclipses tell us a lot about the transparency of Earth's atmosphere. When the stratosphere is clogged with volcanic ash and other aerosols, lunar eclipses tend to be dark red. On the other hand, when the stratosphere is relatively clear, lunar eclipses are bright orange."

This is important because the stratosphere affects climate; a clear stratosphere 'lets the sunshine in' to warm the Earth below. At a 2008 SORCE conference Keen reported that "The lunar eclipse record indicates a clear stratosphere over the past decade, and that this has contributed about 0.2 degrees to recent warming."

The eclipse of Sept. 27, 2015, however, was not as bright as recent eclipses. Trained observers in 7 countries estimated that the eclipse was about 0.4 magnitude dimmer than expected, a brightness reduction of about 33 percent.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/05oct15/data.jpg?PHPSESSID=3vpos9f9thihcje2sf37hgo5p4)

What happened? "There is a layer of volcanic aerosols in the lower stratosphere," says Steve Albers of NOAA. "It comes from Chile's Calbuco volcano, which erupted in April 2015. Six months later, we are still seeing the effects of this material on sunsets in both hemispheres--and it appears to have affected the eclipse as well."

Volcanic dust in the stratosphere tends to reflect sunlight, thus cooling the Earth below. "In terms of climate, Calbuco's optical thickness of 0.01 corresponds to a 'climate forcing' of 0.2 Watts/m2, or a global cooling of 0.04 degrees C," says Keen, who emphasizes that this is a very small amount of cooling. For comparison, the eruption of Pinatubo in 1991 produced 0.6 C of cooling and rare July snows at Keen's mountain home in Colorado.

"I do not anticipate a 'year without a summer' from this one!" he says. "It will probably be completely overwhelmed by the warming effects of El Nino now underway in the Pacific."

This lunar eclipse has allowed Keen measure the smallest amount of volcanic exhaust, and the smallest amount of resultant "global cooling" of all his measurements to date. And that is saying something considering that he has been monitoring lunar eclipses (http://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/publications/annual_meetings/2015/posters/P-48.pdf) for decades.

"This is indeed the smallest volcanic eruption I've ever detected," says Keen. "It gives me a better idea of the detection capabilities of the system (eclipses plus human observers), so when I go back into the 1800s I can hope to find similarly smallish eruptions in the historical record."

It turns out you can learn a lot by watching the Moon turn red.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 09, 2015, 03:07:02 PM
BLUE SKIES ON PLUTO: Earth isn't the only planet with blue skies. Pluto has them, too. The first color images of Pluto's atmosphere were beamed back to Earth by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft just last week, and the sky looks a lot like home:

(http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/blue_skies_on_pluto-final-2.png)

New Horizons took the picture just after it sped by Pluto on July 14, 2015. The spacecraft's cameras were looking back at Pluto's nightside as sunlight illuminated the fringe of blue around Pluto's circumference.

"Who would have expected a blue sky in the Kuiper (http://www2.ess.ucla.edu/~jewitt/kb.html) Belt?" says Alan Stern, principal investigator of the New Horizons mission. "It's gorgeous."

Carly Howett of the New Horizons science team explains the phenomenon: "A blue sky often results from scattering of sunlight by very small particles. On Earth, those particles are nitrogen molecules. On Pluto they appear to be soot-like particles we call tholins."

The term "tholin" was coined by Carl Sagan and Bishun Khare to describe organic substances they obtained in Miller-Urey experiments (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller%E2%80%93Urey_experiment) on gas mixtures akin to atmosphere of Saturn's moon Titan. On Pluto, tholins form high in the atmosphere where UV sunlight breaks apart nitrogen and methane molecules. The fragments re-combine to form complex macromolecules. These macromolecules continue to combine and grow until they become "tholins."

Ironically, tholins themselves are not blue. They merely scatter blue light. When tholins fall to the ground they show their true colors: gray or red. At least some of Pluto's patchy red coloring is thought to result from a gentle rain of these particles from the planet's atmosphere.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 09, 2015, 03:10:31 PM
GREEN SKIES ON EARTH: Sky watchers around the Arctic Circle have experienced three straight nights of auroras that some veteran observers say is "the strongest" they've ever seen. "Mother Earth gave us a massive display of lights," reports Johnny Henriksen, who photographed this outburst over Harstad, Norway:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/johnny-henriksen-LOCO-SKY1_1444334889.jpg)

The lights were not restricted to the Arctic Circle, however. Auroras spilled into the United States as far south as Virginia. Sightings were also made in the Dakotas, Maine, Michigan, Wisconsin, Wyoming and Minnesota. Subscribers to our Space Weather Alert service received wake-up calls during the storm.

Most displays of this magnitude are caused by CMEs, billion-ton clouds of gas from the sun. This event, however, was caused by a CIR (co-rotating interaction region). CIRs are boundary zones between slow- and fast-moving solar wind streams. Solar wind plasma piles up in these regions, producing density gradients and shock waves that do a good job of sparking auroras. A CIR hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of Oct. 7th, amplifying a storm already in progress. A solar wind stream arriving in the wake of the CIR has kept the storm going through Oct. 8th.

More auroras are in the offing tonight, albeit not as strong. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on Oct. 9th as Earth slowly exits the stream of solar wind.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 09, 2015, 03:14:41 PM
I saw an artile on Pluto today. Blue sky yes, and red water ice.

Another beautiful capture of aurora!  :binoc: :mwah:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 09, 2015, 03:32:18 PM
WOW!!! What a stunning aural display! That's intense!

Interesting to learn about tholins. They know Titan has methane seas...yeah, liquid methane. Pretty trippy stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 09, 2015, 06:40:59 PM
Very and we so love learning things of this nature
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 14, 2015, 08:36:51 PM
ENORMOUS CORONAL HOLE: A gigantic hole in the sun's atmosphere has opened up and a broad stream of solar wind is flowing out of it. This is called a "coronal hole." It is the deep blue-colored region in this extreme UV image from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/13oct15/ch.jpg?PHPSESSID=vupfqsr19r3tcr2917oqomkl56)

Coronal holes are places in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field unfurls and allows solar wind to escape. In the image above, the sun's magnetic field is traced by white curving lines. Outside the coronal hole, those magnetic fields curve back on themselves, trapping solar wind inside their loops. Inside the coronal hole, no such trapping occurs. Solar wind plasma is free to fly away as indicated by the white arrows.

For much of the next week, Earth's environment in space will be dominated by winds flowing from this broad hole. This should activate some beautiful Arctic auroras. NOAA forecasters estimate a 65% of polar geomagnetic storms today as Earth moves deeper into the solar wind stream.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 14, 2015, 10:38:10 PM
Hmmmm, the Sun is passing gas.

Reminds me of a line from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"!

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 14, 2015, 10:41:51 PM
The one at the end....

https://youtu.be/QSo0duY7-9s
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 14, 2015, 10:44:39 PM
"Fetché la vache!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 15, 2015, 03:54:29 AM
:thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 15, 2015, 08:15:34 AM
:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 16, 2015, 01:16:30 PM
DID RADIATION KILL THE MARTIAN? (Spoiler alert: Stop reading now if you haven't yet seen The Martian.)

The #1 movie in theatres right now is The Martian, a film adaptation of Andy Weir's eponymous book. It tells the heart-pounding story of fictional astronaut Mark Watney, who is stranded on Mars and ultimately rescued by the crewmates who had inadvertently left him behind. To survive long enough to be rescued, Watney has to "science the hell out of" a very tricky situation: he grows food in alien soil, extracts water from rocket fuel, dodges Martian dust storms, and sends signals to NASA using an old Mars rover that had been buried in red sand for some 30 years.

It's a thrilling adventure told with considerable accuracy—except, perhaps, for one thing. "While Andy Weir does a good job of representing the risks faced by Mark Watney stranded on Mars, he is silent on the threat of radiation, not just to Mark but particularly to the crew of the Hermes as they execute a daring rescue mission that more than doubles their time in deep space," says Dr. Ron Turner, Distinguished Analyst at ANSER, a public-service research institute in Virginia.

Space radiation comes from two main sources: solar storms and galactic cosmic rays. Solar storms are intense, short-lived, and infrequent. Fortunately for Mark, there weren't any during his mission. He dodged that bullet. However, he and his crewmates could not have avoided cosmic rays. These are high-energy particles that arise from supernovas, colliding neutron stars, and other violent events happening all the time in the Milky Way. They are ever-present, 24/7, and there is no way to avoid them. So far, NASA has developed no effective shield against these sub-atomic cannon balls from deep space. "Doubling a nominal spacecraft shielding thickness only reduces the GCR [galactic cosmic rays] exposure by a few percent," notes Turner.

In the movie, Watney is actually safer than the crew of the Hermes. Turner explains: "The radiation exposure is significantly less on the surface of Mars. For one thing, the planet beneath your feet reduces your exposure by half. The atmosphere, while thin, further reduces the dose. The dose rate on Mars, while high, is only about 1/3rd of that on the Hermes."

The biggest threat from cosmic radiation exposure is the possibility of dying from radiation-induced cancer sometime after a safe return to Earth. NASA's radiation limits today are set to limit this life-shortening risk to less than three percent. Taking into account many factors, such as the phase of the solar cycle and the number of days the crew spent in deep space and on the surface of Mars, Turner has calculated the total dose of cosmic rays absorbed by Watney (41 cSv) and the crew (72 cSv). "cSV" is a centi-Seivert, a unit of radiation commonly used in discussion of human dose rates.

There is considerable uncertainty in how these doses translate into an increased risk of cancer. Turner estimates the added risk to Watney as somewhere between 0.25% and 3.25%. For members of the crew, the added risk ranges from 0.48% to 7.6%. The high end of these ranges are well outside NASA safety limits. The crew especially could be facing medical problems after their homecoming.

Post-flight cancer is not the only problem, however. "There is some additional concern that sustained radiation exposure could lead to other problems that manifest during the mission, instead of years afterward. Possible examples include heart disease, reduced immune system effectiveness, and neurological effects mimicking the symptoms of Alzheimer disease."

As far as we can tell, none of these things happened to the crew of the Hermes. It's just as well. They had enough trouble without cosmic rays. For the complete details of Turner's analysis CLICK HERE (http://www.anser.org/docs/The_Radiation_Threat_to_the_Martian.pdf) (pdf).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 16, 2015, 01:19:07 PM
AROUND THE BEND: Get ready for something new. An active sunspot may have announced itself just hours ago by hurling a massive plume of plasma over the sun's southeastern limb. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this picture on Oct. 16th at 1300 UT:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/16oct15/plume.jpg?PHPSESSID=0hl2kb4tcj0dhbmeue3p3p61h3)

It is too soon to say whether a CME is emerging from the blast site. Coronagraph data from SOHO are not yet available. However, even if the explosion did produce a CME, it is not heading for Earth. The instigating sunspot is still on the farside of the sun, more than 90° off the sun-Earth line.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 16, 2015, 03:34:25 PM
As far as "The Martian" goes and all that aside (true as it is), it's a really good movie. It has a great cast and a lot of humor, suspense, etc.

As for the solar flare, let's hope it blows itself out over there and not facing us.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2015, 08:15:42 PM
METEORS FROM HALLEY'S COMET--TONIGHT! Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, source of the annual Orionid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Oct. 20-21 with as many as 20 meteors per hour. The best time to look is during the dark hours before sunrise on Wednesday the 21st: sky map.

As the shower intensifies on Oct. 20th, the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) near Tavistock, Ontario, is picking up echoes from the constellation Orion. The bright pink "hot spot" in this radar sky map shows where bits of Halley's Comet are distintegrating approximately 100 km above Earth's surface:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/20oct15/skymap-activity.png?PHPSESSID=bq98fofgelep8kd2b9bcg79bj6)

This radar activity raises the possibility that you can experience the Orionids without even going outside. Just listen to their echoes on Space Weather Radio. (http://spaceweatherradio.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2015, 08:18:10 PM
MARS ECLIPSES A STAR: Astrophotographer "Shiraishi" of Japan woke up before sunrise on Monday morning to watch the ongoing convergence of Mars, Jupiter and Venus. As he watched, Mars did something unusual. "The Red Planet eclipsed a star," says Shiraishi, who documented the event with this sequence of images:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Shiraishi-chi-Leo-occultation_1445250222.jpg)

"This is a rare occultation in which a planet passed in front of a bright star visible to the naked eye," says Shiraishi. "It could be seen from the coasts of the Pacific Ocean, including Japan." He also made a movie of the event.

The eclipse is over, but the morning planet show continues. Mars, Jupiter and Venus are gathering for a six-day close encounter stretching from Oct. 24th to Oct. 29th. On those dates the three planets will fit within a circle only 5o wide (sky maps: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6). Typical binoculars can see a patch of sky about 6o or 7o wide.  So when the triangle of planets shrinks to 5o, they will fit together inside a binocular field of view. Imagine looking through the eyepiece and seeing three planets--all at once.

By the time October comes to an end, the planetary triangle will start breaking apart.  But there are still two dates of special interest:  Nov. 6th and 7th (sky maps: #1, #2).  On those increasingly wintry mornings, the crescent Moon will swoop in among the dispersing planets for a loose but beautiful conjunction.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 20, 2015, 09:53:36 PM
Lots of 'pings' in there if you listen carefully. Again, I am reminded of Mr. O's importance in myth, along with Mr. P (Perseus) and The Bull. These three figures play important rolls in so many mythologies. But back to Astronomy and the Orionids.... It's thought that there was once a very large comet that broke apart and it's radian (point of entry into our solar system) was from Orion when it did break apart. Therefore, the Orionids have a radian from Orion constellation and are thus the Orionids. So, imagine a very large comet coming apart like this and Earth passing through it. It would explain some lot of the stories. They all break down and break up, eventually. This is just a leftover chunk.

Then there's all that funny stuff about the star Al-gol that is Medusa's head in Mr. Perseus' hand. 'Al-gol' means it's the Demon Star. I want to know why it's considered a 'demon star'. What did it do???

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 20, 2015, 10:00:55 PM
It's interesting too to look at the images of how Mars looks while it's approaching Leo (sic - likely Regulus in Leo). It reminds me of a part in "Nergal and Ereshkigal" about Nergal (Mars) being obscured by smoke in the back of the god's dining hall and then Father Enki pouring water over his head to make him visible again. Look at 4:03 and 4:47.

 :binoc:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 21, 2015, 04:06:45 AM
Then there's all that funny stuff about the star Al-gol that is Medusa's head in Mr. Perseus' hand. 'Al-gol' means it's the Demon Star. I want to know why it's considered a 'demon star'. What did it do???
Perhaps because something of destructive was coming of this direction of sky in a far away time?

The universe is so large, and Mars chooses to pass before a star :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2015, 04:36:25 AM
Yes, on Medusa's head - maybe. Either that or something very bright and odd looking or frightening looking...like perhaps a quasar that 'aimed one' at us. When you think about what Medusa could do to a man - turn him to stone with her 'baleful glance', it kind of fits.

:tearlaugh:

I don't think that happens real often that Mars or any of the other planets will occlude a star. Certainly everything has to be just right - from our vantage. Leo was called Ur-Gula in Babylonian star-lore, and Regulus was called 'The King Star' or Mul Lugal. So, it's a good thing Mars isn't in retrograde right now or that would have been seen as a bad omen for 'the king'...whoever.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 23, 2015, 04:13:48 AM
THE SOLAR FLARE THAT WOULDN'T END: Typical solar flares are finished in a matter of minutes. On Oct. 22nd, a solar flare in the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2434 lasted for more than 3 hours. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the eruption:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/22oct15/flare_strip2.jpg)

Movie found  here  (http://spaceweather.com/)

The peak X-ray intensity of the flare was relatively low. On the Richter Scale of Solar Flares (http://glossary.spaceweather.com/the-richter-scale-of-solar-flares/) it registered only C4.5. What the flare lacked in amplitude, however, it made up for in longevity. The hours-long blast was powerful and produced a bright CME, shown here billowing away from the sun's southwestern limb:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/22oct15/cme_anim4.gif?PHPSESSID=4q4mschi36nrkkoval29snosk3)

The CME is not heading directly for Earth. Nevertheless, it does have an Earth-directed component. NOAA forecast models suggest that the cloud will deliver a glancing blow to our planet's magnetic field on Oct. 25th. There is a 50% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms when it arrives. Weekend auroras, anyone?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 23, 2015, 06:22:44 AM
Just a C perhaps, but with many time.  :thud:
What is the big point of light on the way of eruption? One of our planets really on the way, or in bg? Or a star far away?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 23, 2015, 08:57:18 AM
Well, our Space Weather . com is becoming well known very fast.  So far the Weather Channel, NBC News, Fox News, and CNN have all put the link on their news screens in recent days.....which is awesome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 24, 2015, 03:19:34 PM
CME IMPACT: Arriving earlier than expected, a coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 24th at approximately 1900 UT. NASA's ACE spacecraft, located at the L1 point 1.5 million km upstream from Earth, detected the CME's leading edge about a half hour before it reached Earth:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/24oct15/shock.gif?PHPSESSID=bibr5gu8i86od0r971orogua31)

As the plot shows, solar wind speeds abruptly jumped to more than 500 km/s as the CME passed by. G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible in the hours ahead as Earth moves into the CME's magnetized wake. Stay tuned for updates.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 24, 2015, 03:21:31 PM
MORNING PLANET SHOW: Set your alarm for dawn. Venus, Jupiter and Mars are gathering for a three-way close encounter in the early morning sky. Yesterday, Jeff Dai woke up early and photographed the convergence from Yading, China:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Jeff-Dai-image_1445588086.jpg)

At 6 am, Venus, Jupiter and Mars were rising just above the Xianuodukji peak at Yading national natural reserve in the province of Sichuan," says Dai. "The view was spectacular."

It's about to become even more spectacular. From Oct. 24th to Oct. 29th the converging planets will fit together inside a circle only 5° wide (sky maps: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6). This means you can see all three planets at once using typical binoculars. Of course, you can also see the three planets with the naked eye. It is extra-cool, however, to frame the planets in a single binocular field of view. Wake up early and check it out.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 24, 2015, 03:22:55 PM
Been seeing Venus and Jupiter so far with the naked eye as of last week spaced rather far apart so this close up works for me.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 24, 2015, 03:26:55 PM
This is a superb photo!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 24, 2015, 04:26:18 PM
"When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter aligns with Mars........"

If only it really did mean that. Gorgeous image and thanks for sharing it, J.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2015, 06:36:21 PM
HALLOWEEN ASTEROID: An asteroid the size of a battleship will fly past the Earth-Moon system on Oct. 31st. There's no danger of a collision. Asteroid 2015 TB145 will be 300,000 miles away from Earth at closest approach on Halloween. That's too far for goosebumps, but close enough for a good view. NASA radar astronomers plan to make high-resolution maps of the passing space rock.

At the moment, 2015 TB145 is still a dim speck in the southern constellation Eridanus. Amateur astronomer Marian Urbanik photographed it on Oct. 26th using a remotely controlled 0.43 meter telescope in Siding Springs, Australia:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Marian-Urbanik-K15TE5B-h_1445893745.jpg)


When Urbanik took the picture, the asteroid was shining like a 16th magnitude star. By the time it reaches the Earth-Moon system on Halloween, it will have brightened 250-fold to 10th magnitude. That's too dim for the naked eye, but an easy target for experienced astronomers with mid-sized backyard telecopes. An article from Sky & Telescope discusses the asteroid's visibility (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/close-in-asteroid-halloween-treat-102220155/).
2015 TB145 is about 400 meters wide. According to the Minor Planet Center, this is the closest known approach by an object this large until asteroid 1999 AN10 (800 meters wide) approaches Earth at a distance of 238,000 miles  in August 2027.
Lance Benner, a radar astronomer at JPL, has raised the intriguing possibility that 2015 TB145 is not  an asteroid. "The asteroid's orbit is very oblong with a high inclination to below   the plane of the solar system," said Benner. "Such a unique orbit, along   with its high encounter velocity -- about 35 kilometers or 22 miles per   second -- raises the question of whether it may be some type of comet.   If so, then this would be the first time that the Goldstone radar has   imaged a comet from such a close distance."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2015, 06:39:14 PM
HALLOWEEN FIREBALLS THIS WEEKEND? Ten years ago, in late Oct. 2005, Earth ran into an unusually dense stream of debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower. The result was a display of bright fireballs widely observed from Oct. 28th through Nov. 10th. Astronomers called them the "Halloween Fireballs," and they looked like this:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/29oct15/iida1.jpg?PHPSESSID=ivoqohif0r40s2v3f5b2ouhe21)

Hiroyuki  Iida took the picture on Oct. 28, 2005, from Toyama, Japan. To get a sense of the fireball's luminosity, look just above it. That is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. The fireball was at least as bright.
Astronomer David Asher, who correctly predicted the 2005 "Taurid swarm (http://star.arm.ac.uk/%7Edja/taurid/swarmyears.html)," thinks  Earth might run into  another filament of   debris from Comet Encke this weekend. If so, the encounter would spark a renewed display of Halloween fireballs. The best time to look is during the hours around midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky. If the shower materializes, observers could see a meteor explode every few hours.
Taurid fireballs come from a swarm of particles bigger  than  normal comet dust. They're about the size of  pebbles or small stones. The rocky swarm moves within the greater Encke dust stream, sometimes hitting Earth, sometimes not. Will this Halloween be a hit? Stay tuned.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 29, 2015, 09:21:55 PM
Hopefully it won't be cloudy...... Nice image there of the fireball.

Interesting about the asteroid/comet. I bet it is one them big dirty snowballs from out there.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2015, 09:53:37 PM
We be hopeful
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 01, 2015, 04:46:34 PM
(ALMOST CERTAIN) CHANCE OF STORMS: NOAA forecasters estimate a 90% chance of geomagnetic storms on Nov. 2nd-3rd when a fast-moving stream of solar wind is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind speeds could exceed 800 km/s and spark a strong G3-class geomagnetic storm. Sky watchers in the USA should be alert for Northern Lights as far south as, e.g., Oregon and Illinois. Aurora alerts: text or voice

MONSTER SUNSPOT: So you thought Halloween was over? Think again. On the sun today there is a monster sunspot. AR2443 has more than quadrupled in size since it first appeared on Oct. 29th, and it now stretches more than 175,000 km from end to end. Philippe Tosi took this picture of the active region on Nov. 1st from his backyard observatory in Nîmes, France:

The sunspot has more than a dozen dark cores, many of which are as large as terrestrial continents--and a couple as large as Earth itself. These dimensions make it an easy target for backyard solar telescopes.

Of greater interest is the sunspot's potential for explosive activity. The spotty complex has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong M- and X-class flares. Any such explosions will be geoeffective as the sunspot turns squarely toward Earth in the days ahead.



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 01, 2015, 04:47:03 PM
TAURID FIREBALLS: Earth is passing through a cloud of gravelly debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower. On Oct. 31st, a spectacular Taurid fireball ripped across the skies of Poland. "I was lucky to see it with my own eyes," reports Blazej Olszyca of Lodz, Poland. "The fireball lit up the sky and made me look out the window. I have observed all the major showers throughout the year for most of my life. This was the biggest and brightest fireball I've ever witnessed." A Polish news video shows the fireball in action:

Marek Nikodem of Szubin, Poland, also saw the fireball. He estimates its magnitude as -13, about the same as a full Moon. "After the fireball passed by, we saw smokey debris lingering in the sky for more than 20 minutes," says Nikodem. "With my camera I was able to record the fading smoke for 50 minutes more." This is the first of six frames he captured:

"Wind in the upper atmosphere distorted the smoke," he says. "It appears that the wind velocities changed considerably with altitude, since the motion of the
wind-blown trail changes length and direction as the meteor got closer to the Earth."

More fireballs are likely in the nights ahead. Comet Encke's debris stream is wide and it takes Earth more than a week to cross it. If forecasters are correct, bright Taurids could appear every few hours from now until Nov. 10th. The best time to look, no matter where you live, is during the hours around local midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2015, 06:19:24 AM
TAURID FIREBALLS: There is no longer any doubt. Earth is passing through a stream of gravelly debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower. Meteoroids the size of pebbles, and larger, are disintegrating as they hit our planet's atmosphere at 30 km/s. To see what effect this is having on the night sky, Martin Popek of Nýdek (Czech republic) activated a low-light camera in his backyard and let it run all night on Nov. 4th. This is what it recorded:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Martin-Popek-12065888_10203657379034192_5511859869519672002_n_1446648555.jpg)

There were almost a dozen exploding meteors--all brighter than Venus and one as bright as a crescent Moon. "It was a very active night," says Popek.
Earth runs unto the debris zone of Comet Encke every year around this time. Usually, the encounter produces a minor meteor shower, but 2015 is different.
"This is higher than usual activity," says meteor expert Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario. "The Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR (http://meteor.uwo.ca/research/radar/cmor_intro.html)) is seeing stronger Taurid activity than any of the last few years. Our Southern Ontario Meteor Network cameras caught 54 Taurid fireballs from Oct 31 - Nov 4 alone, compared to 22, 18,  and 32 Taurids for the entire month of November in 2014, 2013 and 2012 respectively."
These extra fireballs are coming from a "swarm" of gravelly meteoroids that weaves in and out of Comet Encke's dusty debris zone. In some years, Earth hits the swarm; in other years it misses. 2015 appears to be a hit.
"I would say with some confidence the 2015 Taurid 'swarm' is active as predicted by astronomer David Asher,"  adds Brown.  If those predictions continue to be correct, the fireball display could carry on until Nov. 10th. The best time to look, no matter where you live, is during the hours around local midnight when the constellation Taurus is high in the sky
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2015, 06:21:16 AM
MILITARY SATELLITE RE-ENTRY: The Taurid meteor shower is active, but not every fireball is a Taurid. Paul Nelson was watching the auroras over Marquette, Michigan, on Nov. 4th when he saw strange lights overhead. "There were between 10 and 20 objects of some type flying slowly across the sky from West to East and burning up upon entering the atmosphere," says Nelson. "Fortunately one of my cameras captured it."

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Paul-Nelson-Satellite-and-Aurora-1682F_1446649752.jpg)


"It was one of the   strangest things I've ever witnessed," he adds.
Observers in Minnesota, Wisconsin (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=119737&PHPSESSID=4o3hrv52aqfd9mqa9b635eq1d0) and other parts (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=119705&PHPSESSID=4o3hrv52aqfd9mqa9b635eq1d0) of Michigan witnessed a similar display. Satellite expert  Ted Molczan explains what they saw: "The passage of the trail through the bowl of the Big Dipper in Nelson's photo closely matches my estimate of the re-entry trajectory of NFIRE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Field_Infrared_Experiment), a military satellite that decayed on Nov. 4th."
NFIRE, short for the Near-Field Infrared Experiment, was launched in  2007 aboard a Minotaur rocket from Wallops Island, Virginia. Its mission for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency was to monitor missile launches and collect data on exhaust plumes from rockets. Originally,  NFIRE was  supposed to carry a demonstration kill vehicle for anti-missile defense. Before launch, however, that aspect of the mission was abandoned and NFIRE went to space without a projectile experiment. NFIRE was retired in August 2015 after more than 8 years in space.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2015, 06:21:39 AM
INCOMING CME, CHANCE OF STORMS ON NOV 7th: Another round of geomagnetic storms may be in the offing. Sunspot AR2443 erupted on Nov. 4th, hurling a CME into space: movie. The magnetized cloud of plasma is expected to deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 7th. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms when the CME arrives.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 06, 2015, 08:56:22 AM
Satellite is back after no job :thud: Not really useful to send this.
Otherwise, it seems that Taurids are really in activities  :binoc:  Thank you for sharing
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 23, 2015, 10:03:15 PM
Was just reading this. Thought I'd share!

http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-monster-galaxies-scientists-perplexed-122353576.html

"We are talking about massive galaxies, twice as massive as the Milky Way today," said Karina Caputi, an astronomer at University of Groningen in the Netherlands and lead author on the new work. "Currently, even the most up-to-date galaxy-formation models cannot predict such massive galaxies [before] almost 2 billion years after the Big Bang," she told Space.com.

.....

The researchers released their data publicly so others can follow up with their own work. That could include further investigation of measurements from VISTA and Spitzer, as well as views from other telescopes, if possible, like the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, which could image the gas clouds around the early galaxies, and Hubble's successor, the under-construction James Webb Space Telescope. All could help shed light on the earliest conditions of the universe and help reveal the monster galaxies lurking there.

"The data's there," McCracken said. "Other people can see if they agree with us or not."

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 24, 2015, 02:08:47 AM
THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW

Time as we measure it here is not the same everywhere in the solar system or even in other solar systems.

Our year, seasons, and day are unique to us - to this planet and our position in this solar system. In fact time on other planets is fairly weird. But I guess if you could live there it would get to be pretty normal and ours would seem odd.

All this info is from Universe Today website, but found in searches because this is one of those websites with all sorts of other stuff on the home page. So no link but that's where its from. All lengths are in Earth-days for comparison.


MERCURY

Mercury has very very long days. How long is one day on Mercury? Each day on Mercury lasts as long as 58 days, 15 hours on Earth. This is quite a feat, considering a whole year on Mercury is only 88 days

It gets even stranger, though. Because the orbit of Mercury is very eccentric, it reaches a point in its orbit when the speed of its orbital velocity matches its angular rotational velocity. When this happens, the Sun will appear to go backwards in the sky before it resumes its regular direction.


VENUS

A year on Venus is longer than a day there!

Venus day = 243 earth days

Venus year = 224.65 earth days


MARS

A sidereal day on Mars lasts 24 hours 37 minutes and 22 seconds.

So, you were sitting there wondering how long is a year on Mars? It lasts 686.98 Earth days or 1.88 Earth years. Now, given that a day(sol) on Mars is longer than on Earth, you would get a different answer. If you were standing on Mars, a year would take 668.5921 sols. In other words, Mars rotates 668.5921 during one orbit about the Sun.

Another question that commonly comes to mind about the Martian year is whether or not the planet experiences seasons. Mars has an axial tilt of 25.192 degrees. Since seasons are fairly dependent on axial tilt, you can see that the planet does have seasons. Here on Earth, where we have a less elliptical orbit than Mars, the seasons are of about the same length. Mars; however, has a more eccentric (0.0934) path around the Sun.

Kepler’s laws of orbital motion, tell us that Mars travels more slowly in its orbit when it is further from the Sun, and more quickly when nearer. Mars reaches aphelion(its furthest point from the sun) during spring in its northern hemisphere. This makes spring the longest season. The seasons would last about this long: Spring…7 months, Summer…6 months, Fall…5.3 months, and Winter…just over 4 months.

Given the differences in seasons and day length, could a standard Martian calender be developed? Yes, but it would face many problems. Calendars must take into account the astronomical cycles of a planet: its day and its year. Calendars must also serve to mark human cycles that are unrelated to astronomical cycles, like the seven-day week. Another consideration in designing a calendar is accounting for the fractional number of days in a year. Earth’s year is 365.24219 days long, and so calendar years contain either 365 or 366 days accordingly. Such a formula would need to be developed to account for the 668.5921-sol Martian year. All of that may make you wonder why a Martian calender would ever be necessary. There is an earnest push to put man on Mars. The trip is too long to just stop by for a few days like we did on the Moon. Additionally, if man were to ever put a space station on, or in orbit above, the planet a standard Mars calender would need to be developed.


JUPITER

Jupiter has shorter days than Earth but the year is far longer.

Jupiter day about 10 hours

Jupiter year about 12 earth years.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 24, 2015, 07:10:35 AM
When they believe knowing all on space and universe, scientists find another thing against them  :(ROFLMAO:

And for time, indeed not the same everywhere. I don't know how it is in Star Treck for example, but in Stargate SG1 and Atlantis, even if often planets have the same time in hours, they have exceptions. If i remember, a day of 25h for Atlantis.

For series, they take probably mainly the idea that each planet with humans is around the same distance to its sun that Earth.

But Venus is really strange planet. Never like others, like for its atmosphere which goes contrary to its rotation. :hypno:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 24, 2015, 08:17:24 AM
I don't know if you saw this: http://earthsky.org/space/comet-catalina-c2013-us10-november-december-january-2015-2016

But need to an equipment or to have very good eyes :hypno:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 24, 2015, 10:14:54 AM
They have an old series that is still popular called "The Universe" which I watch very often and when they did their "Tour" of the planets they brought up the point Aelin made about Venus.  I also love "Cosmos" ...both versions.  The old one was great but the new one brought more facts into play.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 24, 2015, 10:29:31 AM
Venus is a 'trippy' weird planet in many ways. Did you know that every so often it 'resurfaces' itself? I forget what the span is between times when it does this. And then it leaves 'pancakes' formations everywhere that I don't know if they know why those formations are like that. They're raised, round areas. The atmosphere is so dense nothing we know of will last very long on it which is why they've never had a successful lander mission. They even made one out of titanium mind you and it lasted the longest - something like a minute or two and then the atmo crushed it as well. And to think it used to be thought of as a paradise. It's more like HELL!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 24, 2015, 10:35:57 AM
Exactly....and on the COSMOS series...the newer one,  They actually got some "photos" of the surface before the probe got destroyed....and what an eerie looking place.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 24, 2015, 10:40:35 AM
The martian day is about the only one near the length of ours but it has its own weird issues as you see.

The experience of time really is relative to your observational position as well as comprehending just what you're looking at. I saw a good example of that one time driving down a dirt road. There was a power pole ahead that had an attached push-brace - a wooden structure that helps support the pole that is rectangular configuration of 4 stub-poles, each side of which has it's own single diagonal flat plank X-brace pieces that looked like an X from head on. I slowed down as I drove up even with it and those X-braces from the 'front view' looked completely like something else. It was a 'metanoia' moment. "Ahhhh, now I totally get that!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 24, 2015, 10:42:24 AM
Exactly....and on the COSMOS series...the newer one,  They actually got some "photos" of the surface before the probe got destroyed....and what an eerie looking place.

It is. I think I have seen them. It absolutely looks like you might imagine hell. Flames erupting, steam and thick noxious atmo!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 14, 2015, 05:58:13 AM
GEMINID METEOR SHOWER--TONIGHT! The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks tonight, Dec. 13-14, as Earth passes through a stream of gravelly debris from "rock comet" 3200 Phaethon. Dark-sky observers in both hemispheres could see as many as 120 meteors per hour during the dark hours between midnight and sunrise on Dec. 14th. Last night, Dec. 12-13, NASA's all-sky meteor network detected 15 Geminid fireballs over the USA. That number will surely grow on peak night--tonight! Got clouds? Listen for Geminid echoes in the audio feed from our live meteor radar.

Update: The Geminid peak is underway. In California, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus are preparing to launch a low-light camera to the stratosphere onboard a helium balloon to photograph Geminids high above the clouds. In Ålbo, Sweden, P-M Hedén phototgraphed these meteors without ever leaving the ground:
(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/P-M-HedAcn-image_1450046386.jpg)

"The Geminids have arrived!" says Hedén. "I witnessed a really great display with several bright and nice Geminids."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 14, 2015, 06:00:42 AM
MAGNETIC STORM ON COMET CATALINA: Earth isn't the only place with geomagnetic storms. Comets can have them, too. Such a storm appears to be underway in the sinuous blue ion tail of Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10). Note the blobs of plasma circled in this Dec. 11th photo taken by Michael Jäger of Jauerling, Austria:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Michael-JAcger-2013US1020151211lrgbwebmosa_1449923250.jpg)


These blobs are a sign of stormy space weather. Observers of comets frequently witness plasma blobs and 'disconnection events' in response to CMEs and gusts of solar wind. In extreme cases, a comet's tail can be completely torn off (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2007/01oct_encke/).
The underlying physics is akin to terrestrial geomagnetic storms. When magnetic fields around a comet bump into oppositely-directed magnetic fields in a CME, those fields can  link together or "reconnect." The resulting burst of magnetic energy can make waves, blobs, or even ruptures in the comet's tail. When CMEs hit Earth, a similar process takes place in the planet's magnetosphere powering, among other things, the aurora borealis.
Comet Catalina is brightening in the eastern pre-dawn sky, not yet visible to the naked eye, but an easy target for backyard telescopes. Detailed finder charts may be found in this article (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/observing-news/get-a-predawn-peek-of-comet-catalina-120320155/) from Sky & Telescope. Monitoring is encouraged.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 07:11:25 AM
That it's beautiful!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 08:08:49 AM
Always some awesome stuff in that SpaceWeather Newsletter....and yes....always try and follow their links....some great places to visit.....for sure.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 08:13:27 AM
I was taking pictures of my Christmas Decorations and forgot I had the TV on and as you can see, I do love anything about space.  I was watching "The Universe" series....which is Awesome....

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 08:20:19 AM
You see universe, but the universe watches you :psycho:
Cool decorations! ANd i see "red" of M&Ms with everybody :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 08:28:47 AM
Thank you.....I take my time in decorating.....And everyone should have the "RED" M&M guy LOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 08:34:26 AM
I prefer Yellow :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 08:41:00 AM
You sound like one of the kids that comes in to raid my M&M Candy Dispenser...She puts the penny in and about 6 pieces of candy comes out....and she'll only take the yellow ones....all others I have to put back in the dispenser :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 08:45:27 AM
You have a M&Ms dispenser? A Yellow golfer?
Perhaps one day she will prefer red, or blue candies only :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 08:52:41 AM
Yup, I have a M&M's Dispenser I set on the table for the kids and adults....I always put change on the table so they can put it in the machine and then I take the change and put it into Piggybanks for the Grands and Great Grand.....  This way the kids have fun using the dispenser and the Grands and Great Grand gets some loot in their banks :tearlaugh: 

And since Red is my favorite Color....I have Big Red sitting on top of the Dispenser ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 09:07:25 AM
Here the dispenser is Yellow himself. No need money, but need to have the hand under because it's not just few candies which fall in once :thud:  :psycho: And after you must pray for no candy blocks the 'door' :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 09:18:24 AM
I have the Candy Jar also....it's an old fashioned Candy Jar with the metal top and it's normally full of M&M's also....but the kids prefer the thrill of putting money in and seeing how many they get LOLOL....The adults just scoop them out of the candy jar  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 09:27:58 AM
Children prefer lottery, it's more fun :pervy:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 14, 2015, 10:31:41 AM
Great shot of the Geminids! At least we get to see photos of them. Aint no dark skies 'round here! That's for sure.

Wow on the comet tail. I've heard the tails could get ripped off but never really knew how that happened. I can very well see it in this image!

Wow TL you really do go all out, don't you!

I miss the old penny candy counters in stores. We had an entire store of candy across the street from my grade school - Hammonds. They specialized in ribbon candy and other Christmas hard-candies and they were so good!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2015, 12:00:13 PM
We have a store in town that has all the old candy from my days....but you can bet it's not a Penny anymore LOLOLOL......

But they do have the Button Strips, String Licorice, Bit-O-Honeys, Squirrel Nuts, Etc....

But they also make their own Fudge and it is WONDERFUL.  I buy each neighbor in my building a package for Christmas....they love it...   I've never been a candy fan...except for Fudge...and I do nibble on it every now and then.......... LOL.....

And yes, I do love to decorate for the season.  I never care if anyone sees it....as long as I can....

Here is a shot of the tree....


[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 14, 2015, 01:17:43 PM
Yup, nothing like good fudge!

Love your angel on the top - very pretty tree ;)

Button strips - lol. I'd forgotten about those. I never liked string licorice. It never tastes as good as the rope licorice to me. That only came in black licorice and strawberry at our drug-store penny candy counter. Root-beer barrels, taffee they made in the drug store, horehound drops, lemon drops, orange slices, candy-corn, wax lips and teeth, Soda Pop bottles (wax) and candy cigarettes.

:woohoo: :sad:

I don't know why I'm sad though, can't eat it anyway. Lol. Just the nostalgia of it all I guess. Simpler times and all.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 14, 2015, 01:30:24 PM
Oh it's the first time i see an angel at the top of Christmas; this is a great effect!

Candies are chocolate, fudges, bresilian balls, fruit jellies  :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 15, 2015, 07:50:26 AM
I know what you mean about "can't eat it anyway" Ray.....

 To this day I still put a wax lip and moustache into everyone's stocking.

And yes to both of you....I love that Angel....At night it's so beautiful....it changes colors on the wings also.....   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 15, 2015, 09:52:41 AM
One must have a very special something on the top of the tree, because that's the best part imo ;)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 15, 2015, 09:55:57 AM
Exactly.....Last year I had a Santa that lit up because the Great Grand wanted one on the treetop....  I gave in and got one, but since Christmas is at their place this year....the tree is decorated to my liking once again.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 15, 2015, 10:04:13 AM
Stars = angels and that's why either one is the best topper :smiley:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 16, 2015, 12:43:51 AM
A Scottish Fairy

I am a wee little fairy;
On tap o' the Christmas Tree
It's no' a job Ah fancy!
Well how would ye like tae be me;

A' tarted up wi' tinsel
It's enough to mak ye boak
An' a couple ' jaggy branches
Rammed up the back o' your frock

An' these wee lights a'roon me
I canna get mah sleep!
And' there's the yearly visit
Fae Santa - big fat creep;

Ain Christmas Day Ah'm stuck oup 'ere
While you're a'wirin' in
An' naebody says "Ay you oup there
Could ye go a slug o'gin?"

The Christmas tree's a bonny sight
As the firelight softly flickers
But think o' me -Ah'm stuck up 'ere
Wi' needles oup me knickers!

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 16, 2015, 09:02:07 AM
Now that is awesome......  :dancesanta:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2015, 04:10:06 PM
COLORFUL LIGHTS OVER CHILE: Geomagnetic storms are brewing, but not every colorful light in the night sky is an aurora. Yuri Beletsky sends this picture from the Atacama desert in Chile:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Yuri-Beletsky-airglow_beletsky_1450528276.jpg)

"We just witnessed an amazing display of airglow on Dec. 17th," says Beletsky. "It was so intense that you could not see   many stars close to the horizon - the sky was literally shining."
Airglow is aurora-like phenomenon in the upper atmosphere caused by a variety of chemical reactions (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airglow#Description). It begins during the day when solar ultraviolet radiation ionizes atoms and molecules. At night, those same atoms and molecules glow as they re-capture lost electrons. The green in Beletsky's photo comes from oxygen atoms in a layer 90-100 km high; the red is probably associated with OH ions at an altitude of about 85 km. The wavy structure of the glow is due to high-altitude gravity   waves, which alter  the temperature and density structure of the upper   atmosphere.
"Airglow is    much less intense than aurora," continues Beletsky. "The display I saw looked, to the naked eye, like a series of black-and-white waving bands. The full color of the display was easily captured, however, by my digital camera."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 19, 2015, 04:13:39 PM
Wow that is wonderful! And even if i know the Atacama desert is used to look space, i never think you can look aurora borealis (or of south) there!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2015, 04:22:55 PM
METEOR BALLOON IN THE STRATOSPHERE: When the Geminid meteor shower peaked on Dec. 14th, a snowstorm was in progress over the mountains of central California. No stars? No problem. Using a helium balloon, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched a low-light camera to photograph the shower high above the obscuring clouds. Their experimental payload ascended to 91,000 feet where the night sky looked like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fiEFFLT51A
The big white object at the top of the frame is the balloon, surrounded by some of the bright stars and planets of the pre-dawn sky. From the lower stratosphere, the freezing camera was able to see stars as dim as 2nd magnitude. This wasn't as sensitive as the students had hoped, but it was good enough to record several Geminid fireballs. Here are a couple of movies showing Geminids emerging from behind the balloon: fireball #1 (http://spaceweather.com/images2015/16dec15/brightgem_0247_long.mov?PHPSESSID=q2htq9n23i9248iuhpfrvsdpc0), fireball #2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fiEFFLT51A). In the movies, stars and planets move in a lazy circle around the balloon--a result of the payload's gentle spin--while Geminids streak in straight lines. The camera also recorded the balloon exploding (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOs7AtCZ4BQ) at the apex of the flight, and the payload parachuting (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=libGvJSgw7c) back to Earth.
The students plan to observe more meteor showers in the future with even better results. They believe they can boost  the sensitivity of the camera by, e.g., warming the payload bay during the flight and improving the camera's focus, pre-launch. If their improvements succeed, they could establish ballooning as a practical and fun way to monitor meteor showers in all kinds of weather.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 19, 2015, 04:52:24 PM
Wow that is wonderful! And even if i know the Atacama desert is used to look space, i never think you can look aurora borealis (or of south) there!


It is 'airglow' Aelin which is less than Auroral light. It is an upper atmosphere phenomenon only (as I understand it).

The Aurora is when charged particles from the Solar Wind bombard the magnetosphere and that in turn bombards the upper atmosphere. The green is oxygen.

It's a gorgeous image and interesting bit. Thanks for sharing it, J!
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2015, 04:53:27 PM
You are welcome
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 19, 2015, 04:56:51 PM
So many kids with great ideas...and then there's the other ones :thud:

That was really up high!! Fun to watch.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 20, 2015, 07:13:03 AM
Yup...that was pretty darn awesome and then some.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 23, 2015, 06:42:11 PM
SOLAR FLARE AND RADIO BLACKOUT: In the past 24 hours, sunspot AR2473 has more than quadrupled in size. On Dec. 23rd (00:40 UT) it erupted, producing an M4-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/23dec15/m4_strip.jpg)

UV radiation from the flare bathed the top of Earth's atmosphere, ionizing atoms and molecules, and altering the normal propagation of radio transmissions. Around the South Pacific Ocean, where the sun was high in the sky, a full-fledged shortwave radio blackout occurred.

The type of people who would notice such a blackout are ham radio operators, mariners, and some aviators who use shortwave radio in their work. The event lasted approximately half an hour.

More flares and blackouts are possible in the days ahead as AR2374 turns toward Earth. NOAA forecasters estimate a 45% chance of M-class explosions on Dec. 23-24

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 23, 2015, 06:45:51 PM
SOLSTICE AURORAS: Winter nights are supposed to be long and dark. This week they have only been long. Auroras around the Arctic Circle have wiped out the darkness with displays like this:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Joseph-Bradley-_MG_8407_1450760666.jpg)


"It was a beautiful evening in the Yukon," says Joseph Bradley, who took the picture on Dec. 20th. "The lights came out early and--WOW--what an amazing show. It had me running all over the place. Fellow   photographer Jono and I had a great 4 hour run!!"
The lights Bradley saw were ignited by a CME strike on Saturday, Dec. 19th. The impact caused intermittent G1 (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/g1.jpg?PHPSESSID=jofhlr1iipi9ntdbeebbuqofo1) and G2-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/g2.jpg?PHPSESSID=jofhlr1iipi9ntdbeebbuqofo1) geomagnetic storms for nearly two days. Those storms are subsiding now, possibly opening a window into winter darkness. NOAA says the chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Dec. 23rd is no more than 20%

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 23, 2015, 07:50:25 PM
People have been taking images of auroral displays that look like creatures of mythic proportions. There are two that friends left for me. One looks like a wolf and the other like a dragon. If you want to see them I'll go back and save them to my pc and post them.

That's quite the radio disruption. Hope no one was having an emergency at the time!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 23, 2015, 07:57:41 PM
Got 'em.



[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 24, 2015, 05:02:18 AM
Way cool those are
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 24, 2015, 07:32:32 AM
 :binoc: :woohoo: They are wonderful!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 28, 2015, 05:42:55 PM
ARMY OF GREEN MEN -- IN SPACE: On Dec. 20th, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched their weekly helium balloon to measure cosmic radiation in Earth's atmosphere. This time, there were 56 hitchhikers--a platoon of green army men:

 Army of green men  (https://youtu.be/AcIdf7fhq1Y)

Their mission: to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries. ‪‬#QuaidsArmy sponsored the flight.  On September 20th, 2013, twenty-four year old Quaid Mobus of Warren NJ was in a near fatal ATV accident the night before his sister's wedding. Quaid was left paralyzed, requiring extensive lifelong medical attention. Since then, the Army of Green Men have been traveling far and wide to support Quaid and others like him. Dec. 20th marked their first trip to the stratosphere. Learn more at http://www.armyofgreenmen.com/ (http://www.armyofgreenmen.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 28, 2015, 05:46:41 PM
BIG SUNSPOT ERUPTS: After several days of pent-up quiet, big sunspot AR2473 erupted on Dec. 28th (12:49 UT), producing a slow but powerful M1.9-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast's extreme ultraviolet glow:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/28dec15/m1_b.jpg?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3)

For more than an hour, UV radiation from the flare bathed the top of Earth's atmosphere, ionizing atoms and molecules. This, in turn, disrupted the normal propagation of shortwave radio signals on the dayside of our planet. A NOAA blackout map (http://spaceweather.com/images2015/28dec15/blackout.jpg?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3) shows the affected area. Ham radio operators, mariners and aviators in South America, Africa and the south Atlantic Ocean may have noticed fades and blackouts of transmissions below 20 MHz.


The slow explosion also produced a coronal mass ejection (CME). Images from the Solar and Heliospheric Obseratory (SOHO) show a ragged, full-halo (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/halocmes.html?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3) CME heading almost directly toward Earth:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2015/28dec15/cme_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3)

The storm cloud will likely reach our planet on Dec. 31st, possibly triggering the first geomagnetic storm of the New Year. NOAA analysts are modeling this CME now; stay tuned for refined forecasts later today when they release their storm track.
Sunspot AR2374 has an unstable 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that could explode again in the hours ahead. NOAA forecasters estimate a 55% chance of additional M-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3) flares and a 10% chance of X-flares (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html?PHPSESSID=kd3e60jc404h46s0035t6tr4o3) on Dec. 28th



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 28, 2015, 06:01:42 PM
Hope it's 'just' an M class and not an X!!

I got another one for my collection - looks like an eagle swooping down...except to my best friend. Looks like a dove to her. Ah well. It looks like a bird at any rate.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on December 29, 2015, 07:27:44 AM
Quote
The storm cloud will likely reach our planet on Dec. 31st
Just for the end of year  :ny4:


And the army of green men: that remember me Toy Story :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 01, 2016, 06:54:31 AM
NEW YEAR'S GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A G2-class geomagnetic storm is in progress on Jan. 1st, sparking the first auroras of the New Year. In Glenfarg, Scotland, fireworks exploded against a backdrop of green:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Stuart-Walker-SWP_160101_1583_1451609155.jpg)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Stuart-Walker-SWP_160101_1581_1451609155.jpg)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Stuart-Walker-SWP_160101_1580_1451609155.jpg)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Stuart-Walker-SWP_160101_1578_1451609155.jpg)


"Our neighbours let off some fireworks for the New Year," says photographer Stuart Walker. "They were modest compared to the organised display in Edinburgh, but looked great alongside the ongoing aurora."

This storm is the result of a CME strike on New Year's Eve (Dec. 31 @ 00:30 UT). At first the CME's impact had little effect. Indeed, we initially ruled it a "dud." But as Earth moved deeper into the CME's wake, solar wind conditions shifted to favor a storm.

Sky watchers in both hemispheres are now reporting colorful lights. Taichi Nakamura sends this picture from Dunedin, New Zealand:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Taichi-Nakamura-sw_traceoflight_2487_1451584871.jpg)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Taichi-Nakamura-sw_traceoflight_0649_1451584871.jpg)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Taichi-Nakamura-sw_traceoflight_0959_1451584871.jpg)

"It was a beautiful treat to see the auroras kick off the New Year," says Nakamura. "The display began after midnight and kept glowing with waves and beams until the twilight painted light over the aurora. It is summer now in New Zealand and my four year old son was delighted to come with me as it is warm even at night."

Those were the first auroras of 2016. Now for seconds: NOAA forecasters estimate a 75% chance of more polar geomagnetic storms on Jan. 1st, subsiding to 45% on Jan. 2nd as Earth moves through the wake of the CME
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 01, 2016, 06:56:52 AM
POLAR STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS: Earth's stratosphere is *not* a cloudy place. On rare occasions, however, during the coldest weeks of northern winter, tiny crystals of ice in the stratosphere gather themselves into swarms called "PSCs"--polar stratospheric clouds. On Dec. 29th, Frank Olsen photographed a rare PSC floating over Sortland, Norway:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Frank-Olsen-PK1A4213-2_1451382359.jpg)

"The pastel-colored clouds appeared alongside some faint green auroras," says Olsen. "I have never seen PSCs and auroras together before."

Also known as "nacreous" or "mother of pearl" clouds, PSCs form in the lower stratosphere when temperatures drop to around minus 85ºC. That's how cold it has to be for ice to crystalize in the dry stratosphere.

"I took the picture around 6 p.m., long after sunset," continues Olsen. "This makes me wonder if the rising moon, just below the horizon, is what illuminated the PSCs."

High-altitude sunlight--or, in this case, moonlight--shining through tiny ice particles ~10µm across produce the characteristic bright iridescent colors of PSCs. "Polar stratospheric clouds far outshine and have much more vivid colours than ordinary iridescent clouds, which are very much poor relations and seen frequently all over the world," writes atmospheric optics expert Les Cowley. "Once seen they are never forgotten."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Star4mation on January 01, 2016, 06:57:24 AM
Fantastic images!! :)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on January 01, 2016, 06:59:25 AM
Gorgeous spectacle to start the year!  :binoc:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 01, 2016, 09:23:00 AM
Great pics and 'tales'. Just gorgeous!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 03, 2016, 10:46:15 AM
QUADRANTID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is about to pass through a narrow stream of debris from shattered comet 2003 EH1, source of the annual Quadrantid meteor shower (http://spaceweather.com/meteors/quadrantids/quadrantids2.htm?PHPSESSID=46utek35pkj1j83f45u6t9h7v7). According to the International Meteor Organization, the shower will peak on Monday morning, Jan. 4th, during the hours around 0800 UT (3 a.m. ET). The timing favors observers in North America who could see dozens of meteors per hour (http://spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_04jan11.htm) flowing from a radiant near the North Star. Too cold to go outside? Cozy up by the fire and listen to Quadrantid radar echoes on Space Weather Radio (http://spaceweatherradio.com/).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 03, 2016, 10:56:58 AM
Saw that this morning in the Newsletter...pretty cool indeed...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 03, 2016, 02:07:20 PM
UN-DEAD SUNSPOT EXPLODES AGAIN: Sunspot AR2473, the source of the New Year's geomagnetic storm, appears to be in a state of advanced decay. It's not dead yet, though. During the early hours of Jan. 2nd it unleashed a strong M2-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the explosion:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/02jan16/m2_strip.jpg)
Note the tornado of plasma that briefly rises up and falls back to the sun's surface. The twister was wider than our entire planet.
This explosion hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space: movie (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/02jan16/cme_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=mhsv2tk6edr9g6c52i5phfka33). Almost all of the storm cloud is  heading away from Earth--almost all. NOAA analysts say the CME could deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 3rd with a chance of G2-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/g2.jpg?PHPSESSID=mhsv2tk6edr9g6c52i5phfka33) geomagnetic storms, post-impact. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on January 03, 2016, 02:19:39 PM
Well, another possibility on poles to have auroras.
And for Quadrantid meteor shower, we can't even try in France; wind, clouds and rain are present.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 03, 2016, 02:34:23 PM
Turns out we had some rain here in my part of the globe as well, must have been a light drizzle as I heard naught
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 03, 2016, 02:45:35 PM
I can't help but wonder if this isn't some sort of 'phase' at the culmination of 'so many' Minimums & Maximums' cycles that we haven't seen since we've been charting them.

It comes to mind that the Aztecs speak of a 'new sun' beginning in 2012. I think that was supposed to be the end of the last solar maximum. So is this like a 'gestation period' of much belching and barfing' like a baby?

:tearlaugh: I really hope the little guy straightens out his act before he totally blows our grids o.O
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on January 03, 2016, 03:00:34 PM
Seems he prefers action for the moment :pervy: But after all not so many centuries are passed since the sun is looked so closed. So, really only 11 years cycles? Or has he 11 years cycles and 1 big cycle time to time?

Any case, Aztecs, Mayas... thinks by cycles. 2012 or another don't annoy me.
We are now between Fish and Aquarius in Precessions.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 03, 2016, 07:28:08 PM
Seems he prefers action for the moment :pervy: But after all not so many centuries are passed since the sun is looked so closed. So, really only 11 years cycles? Or has he 11 years cycles and 1 big cycle time to time?

Any case, Aztecs, Mayas... thinks by cycles. 2012 or another don't annoy me.
We are now between Fish and Aquarius in Precessions.

The full solar cycle with the Minimum and Maximum is 22 years but yes, 11 years each is what's it's been since we started charting them. This Maximum has gone on over-long however.

You're right, the Sun has not been watched so closely for a very long time. The ancients definitely kept their eyes on it, which means to me that 'things are not always what is 'normal' with the great fire god in the sky'. The "Hitching Post of the Sun" at Machu Pichu has ALWAYS intrigued me since first hearing of it.

Why was it necessary to have a 'hitching post' for the Sun? Was it simply a superstitious belief, or something else?

Then there is the story of Samson pulling down the pillars that held up the Temple - where Samson is a solar figure, and the pillars in such cases are considered the solstices, and the 'temple' is the sky. This is a very Egyptian idea, mythically speaking. Of course if you take the pillars of Jachin and Boaz from THEE Temple, he did indeed knock those down in the sense of character by his actions. Makes you wonder if there isn't some truth to some of the alternative interpretations of just whose temple, etc. it was aren't edging more toward the truth.

There is a reason my dear that they all think in cycles. It is the nature of the universe - cyclical. Everything revolves around something and that all revolves around something else, ad nauseum or infinitum, whichever suits. Maybe the Universe is only one of many and they're all revolving around something else entirely? All the while within our 'bubble' everything is continually being destroyed and 'reborn' as something else, which in turn has a cycle of life......

Yeah....I know.........

These are the Three Principles of the Universe in Vedanta and Tantra - rotation (spinning), disintegration/taking-back (vortex), and integration/dispersion (centrifugal force). This is the Yin/Yang.
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on January 04, 2016, 03:55:23 AM
UN-DEAD SUNSPOT EXPLODES AGAIN: Sunspot AR2473, the source of the New Year's geomagnetic storm, appears to be in a state of advanced decay. It's not dead yet, though. During the early hours of Jan. 2nd it unleashed a strong M2-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the explosion:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/02jan16/m2_strip.jpg)
Note the tornado of plasma that briefly rises up and falls back to the sun's surface. The twister was wider than our entire planet.
This explosion hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space: movie (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/02jan16/cme_anim2.gif?PHPSESSID=mhsv2tk6edr9g6c52i5phfka33). Almost all of the storm cloud is  heading away from Earth--almost all. NOAA analysts say the CME could deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 3rd with a chance of G2-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/g2.jpg?PHPSESSID=mhsv2tk6edr9g6c52i5phfka33) geomagnetic storms, post-impact. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras


Thank Goodness we have the Van Allen Belt encompassing the earth, because sun bloc would not work when frying our skin for a healthly looking complexion.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 17, 2016, 01:17:09 PM
COMET CATALINA CLOSEST APPROACH TO EARTH: Discovered in 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey, Comet Catalina (C/2013 US10) is making a one-time trip through the inner solar system. It swung around the sun last November and is now making its closest approach to Earth: 67 million miles away on Jan. 17th. Dr. Fritz Helmut Hemmerich sends this picture from Tenerife, Canary Islands:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Dr.-Fritz-Helmut-Hemmerich-C2013-US10-2016-01-16_1x45sec-A7s_200mm_1452946228.jpg)


"This is Comet Catalina (C2013US10) during a cloudy morning session on Jan. 16th," says Hemmerich. "I thought the photo could be useful  as a finder chart. As the inset shows, the comet is located near the handle of the Big Dipper."
The 6th magnitude (http://www.aerith.net/comet/catalog/2013US10/2013US10.html) comet is too dim for the naked eye, but it is an easy target for backyard telescopes and digital cameras. In fact, Hemmerich's photo was taken using no telescope, just a Sony A7s camera set at ISO3200 for a 45 second exposure.
This is Comet Catalina's first visit to the inner solar system--and its   last. The comet's close encounter with the sun in mid-November has   placed it on a slingshot trajectory toward interstellar space. Enjoy it now. Once it recedes from Earth, we may never see it again. Browse the realtime comet gallery (http://spaceweathergallery.com/comet_gallery.html) for more sightings.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2016, 08:44:22 PM
A NEW 9TH PLANET BEYOND PLUTO?

Today, planetary scientists, Konstantin Batygin and Mike Brown of Caltech announced intriguing evidence for a Neptune-sized planet orbiting the sun beyond Pluto. Sedna and five other objects in the outer solar system are grouped together as if they are being shepherded by a larger body. That body, say Batygin and Brown, is a planet at least 10 times as massive as Earth traveling along an elliptical orbit more than 200 AU from the sun. This is the most persuasive argument so far for the existence of a "Planet X." Until someone actually sees the planet in a telescope, however, it's just a hypothesis. So let the hunt begin! The full story was published in the Jan. 20th edition of Science Magazine.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 21, 2016, 11:32:27 AM
That was a pretty cool read when I got the Newsletter....We'll see if they can all agree on the outcome.  Skeptics are always ready to say nay....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 21, 2016, 11:30:46 PM
Thanks guys for leading me to this discussion. It is a subject of monumental interest for me.


Now concerning the possible existence of such a planet that is perhaps 10 times as massive as Earth, they did say it is only an hypothesis at this time. More work needs to be done to either confirm it or disprove it. I am of the wait and see mindset. One thing I know is that there are a few ways the observed phenomena could be caused, and this is backed up by earlier discoveries of a similar nature. At one time the perturbations of Neptune seemed to indicate that there was a very massive object just beyond that planet, but what was discovered proved to be too low in mass to cause the observed perturbations. To this day there has been nothing discovered that could explain it. No, that new world if it exists would not be close enough. So either they have something wrong with their current understanding of gravity, or there is an as yet unseen force at work.


We shall see what we see when we see it!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2016, 02:31:19 AM
Thanks guys for leading me to this discussion. It is a subject of monumental interest for me.


Now concerning the possible existence of such a planet that is perhaps 10 times as massive as Earth, they did say it is only an hypothesis at this time. More work needs to be done to either confirm it or disprove it. I am of the wait and see mindset. One thing I know is that there are a few ways the observed phenomena could be caused, and this is backed up by earlier discoveries of a similar nature. At one time the perturbations of Neptune seemed to indicate that there was a very massive object just beyond that planet, but what was discovered proved to be too low in mass to cause the observed perturbations. To this day there has been nothing discovered that could explain it. No, that new world if it exists would not be close enough. So either they have something wrong with their current understanding of gravity, or there is an as yet unseen force at work.


We shall see what we see when we see it!

Don't Neptune and Uranus both have strange perturbations?  You know, for as large as they are they're lightweights. Might not the 'backwash' of both the Sun's and Jupiter's magnetic fields perturb them? Jupiter has no small gravitational reach but at the same time it's mostly pulled sunward by the field of the Sun. Has that ever been explored?

Then again, I think both of their poles are tilted at odd angles. There are magnetic pole shifts that could possibly affect a large, light body like that. Has it ever been reported they are still perturbed or was that just back in the Herschels' time? Or, have they stabilized. Has the Cassini team made observations on that?

We've recently been observing the Earth going through a noticeable lot of magnetic shifting. The high and low density spots have been seen to move around and change shape, absorbing other areas like amoebas under the SWARM 'microscope'.

One would presume they have some sort of core, even if it's a giant ammonia and methane snowball. But what if there is semi-liquid slush in some layers of that that somewhat thawed under the frozen layers - many times over. Sort of a 'planetary parfait'? What if some of those layers have 'slushed' up pockets of the frozen layer underneath - so the layers are not necessarily evenly distributed in volume or thickness. They both have 16-17 hour days, so they're rotating on their axes fairly quickly. They'd wobble, wouldn't they?

What do we really know about ice giants?

So, what are your thoughts on Jupiter and possibly Saturn as failed suns? 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 22, 2016, 03:50:53 AM
It was perturbations in the orbits of Jupiter and Saturn that led to the discovery of Uranus and subsequently Neptune, so indeed they are perturbed by the Gas Giants. Really if you think of it everything in the Solar System is affected by Jupiter and to a lesser degree Saturn. Even the Sun is noticeably affected, especially by Jupiter.


Now Uranus is practically laying on its side in relation to the orbital plane of the ecliptic, but Neptune is tilted only a little more than the tilt of Earth if I recall correctly. I'll need to review my data on that one.


Now as for the possiblity of Jupiter and Saturn being failed stars? I would have to say not so much, since their mass is not as close to the lower limit as calculated by physicists and as shown by the smallest stars and the largest brown dwarf stars that we've found. For anyone that does not know, a Brown Dwarf is an object that is just below the mass needed for nuclear fusion to ignite in its core. It still haslight and heat generating capabilities, but it does not reach critical mass for Fusion to start. Now Jupiter does happen to be hotter that it should be at its distance from the Sun and it does emit radiation, but it isn't hot enough to become even a Brown Dwarf. And by that definition we must include Saturn as not fitting the needed criteria. So no, they are not failed stars.


I know, in  2001 and 2010, Jupiter was eventually turned into a star, but remember those film were based on current data from the times they were made. At the time of 2010 it was thought that Jupiter was on the brink of becoming a star but could not because it was just under the mass needed. At that time we had yet to actually discover any of the Brown Dwarf Stars that physics was telling us may exist, nor had we discovered any extra Solar Planets. And Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick wrote the stories. I think Kubrick fudged on the science a little to make it supposedly possible for Jupiter to ignite as a small star. The data we now have shows what we call Jovian planets in other star systems which can be as much as four times the mass of Jupiter, and still not be a Brown Dwarf, and Brown Dwarves are perhaps 3 to 4 times that mass, or more. My point is that there must be sufficient mass to have a Brown Dwarf (failed star), and a significantly larger mass than that to be a star outright. I think the lower limit of mass for an object to be a star is about 7% to 11% that of our Sun. These stars are all Red Dwarves, and are known to be the longest lived stars in the universe. It is because they do not use up their hydrogen as fast as larger stars.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2016, 02:01:21 PM
If I'm recalling correctly, the magnetic field of Jupiter stretches sunward to just past Earth or nearly to Venus. Venus and Mercury are 'tethered' to the Sun by the strongest Birkland Currents, and we're influenced by both but mostly the Sun. Well, 'we' are all tethered to the sun but those two the strongest. It's funny when you think about it. Jupiter almost acts as an anchoring planet to the Sun...kind of a 'magnetic guy-wire'. I wonder how 'typical' that is in a single star solar system. Perhaps more than one if it is a bigger system.

I actually only considered about Jupiter and Saturn being failed stars maybe about 5-6 years back when I was trying to learn about the 'life and death cycles' of stars - and learned about failed stars in that endeavor. I suppose what one draws out of such studies is dependent largely on the nature of the information you're looking for.

I just wanted to know the general life-death cycyle. What I found in that is that their life cycles are very similar to our own. So much so, that they can pretty much be seen as 'alternate life forms themselves' or 'higher life forms'. Perhaps even some of the 'primordial or first-created 'material' life forms'. From this point of view it is much easier to understand ancient man's idea that the gods lived up there in the sparkly pictures in the sky. They 'were' the gods and their 'armies'. My stuff is all geared toward understanding mythology and the stories and the thinking of those who wrote them. What ARE they really talking about (?)...because those stories are all largely allegorical or moralistic.

So, I did not further research the particulars of failed suns, and I :ty: you sir for your explanation! That clears it up for me.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 22, 2016, 04:05:37 PM
You're quite welcome. I probably gave you more information than you wanted, but I wished to make sure you knew what I was saying. I've been told I should be a lecturer, because I try to give as much information as I can. I hope what I post here is enjoyable for those reading it. I do tend to be long-winded with such things.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2016, 04:07:49 PM
No problem. You may have noticed I tend to be much the same but a lot of it is not easily explainable. That was understandable. All's cool!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 22, 2016, 04:17:09 PM
Much Appreciated! I had noted that about you, and it is something I like! We are alike in that respect, and to me that's good!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2016, 11:34:27 PM
:ty: I guess. I sometimes think it might be a 'two-edged sword'.

:thud:

Doesn't help I was on the Debate Team in HS. :odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 22, 2016, 11:53:01 PM
Never had that distinction, but my baby sister did, and she was at the top of her class with it! She always prepped for a debate well ahead of schedule, then she would practice here oratory skills. My family has several members that are good at speech, including yours truly. But I only use it when I have something I need to say. I actually prefer to to use the written or typed word over delivering a speech. I can at least prepare my paper and proofread it before delivering it, and my language skills are quite good. I use the U.S. version of proper English usually, but can switch over to the British version with almost no trouble. The two are quite similar, but they do have several differences. Mind you, I could not speak proper British English, but I can certainly write it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 23, 2016, 12:32:50 AM
Heh...most of the Brits I've ever known don't even speak 'proper British English'. Most of them can but they don't. Then there's me Scot and Irish friends... Oy - lol.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 23, 2016, 01:19:48 AM
I can do a pretty good impression of a Scotsman's speech, but that comes from my love of Star Trek, and most notably James Dooghan's version of Scotty. When I was a kid my friends and I would act out some of the scenes. Charles played Kirk, his brother Mike played McCoy, Pinky played Spock, and I played Scotty. Sometimes we would have Charles and Mike's older sister playing Chappel and the computer voice. She could sound exactly like them. Majel Barrett played both parts in the series. My sisters did not like Star Trek at the time, so getting them to play parts was out of the question. Never had an Uhura, Rand, or Chekov. Our ship was actually an old abandoned building that still had some of the old equipment in it. There was not power to the place, but we did not need it. Our imaginations were enough for us!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 23, 2016, 01:29:27 AM
It's interesting to hear what different people played as kids. You can almost pinpoint how old they are without seeing them within a decade by what they played.

We played cowboys and indians, war and gangsters and g-men. It's all in what's popular at the movies or on tv at the time you were a kid, it seems. Yup all we had was our imaginations and ingenuities too. Or those old day-glo orange, blue, green, red and yellow squirt guns from the Five & Dime. Pppeewww, ppppewww!! If you wanted a sword, find a good stout stick. A whip could always be had from the nearest sumac tree. We never hit hard, mostly.

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 23, 2016, 01:42:21 AM
Yeah, I get you on that! We had a big nylon rope we hung from a tree, and it became one of our special effects props. Pinky got a tape recorder for Christmas and he recorded sound effects from the series, like the transporter sound, the Phaser sound, the Tricorder sound, computer sounds, and a whole bunch more. Charles was supposed to do the opening monologue to the show, but he always forgot part of it, and they would look to me to supply the right words that were missing. I knew them by heart, and one time I did them in my Scotty voice! It made everybody laugh so hard!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 23, 2016, 02:15:13 AM
So much fun :tearlaugh:

Those were the days.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 23, 2016, 12:20:30 PM
I always wanted a small role in a Star Trek production. Good Guy or Bad Guy; it wouldn't matter to me. I can do a pretty good death act.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 29, 2016, 05:37:50 AM
THE GREAT NAKED-EYE PLANET SHOW: The mainstream media is buzzing with news about astronomy: From now until Feb. 20th, anyone who wakes up before sunrise can see Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter all at once, no telescope required. These are the five brightest planets, and they are a beautiful sight lined up from east to west in the predawn sky.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/27jan16/skymap_27jan16.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26)


Although the planets can be seen any morning for the next 4 weeks, there are some dates of special interest.   As January ends and February unfolds, the Moon will hop from planet to planet, acting as a can't-miss guide for novice sky watchers. The action begins on Feb. 1st when the half Moon is only a few degrees from the red planet Mars in the constellation Libra: sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/01feb16/skymap_01feb16.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26). Two mornings later, on Feb. 3rd, a fat crescent Moon passes by Saturn, only a few degrees away: sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/03feb16/skymap_03feb16.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26). And finally, best of all, on Feb. 6th, the slender crescent Moon forms a lovely triangle with Venus and Mercury just ahead of the morning twilight: sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/06feb16/skymap_06feb16.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26).

Circle these dates on your calendar--and set your alarm for dawn. The Great Naked-eye  Planet Show is a great way to start the day.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 29, 2016, 05:40:49 AM
INTENSIFYING COSMIC RAYS: For the past year, neutron monitors around the Arctic Circle have sensed an increasing intensity of cosmic rays. Polar latitudes are a good place to make such measurements, because Earth's magnetic field funnels and concentrates cosmic radiation there. Turns out, Earth's poles aren't the only place cosmic rays are intensifying. Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have been launching helium balloons to the stratosphere to measure radiation, and they find the same trend over California:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/27jan16/cosmicrays_mar15_jan16.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26)


In the plot, neutron monitor measurements from the University of Oulu Cosmic Ray Station (http://cosmicrays.oulu.fi/) are traced in red; gamma-ray/X-ray measurements over California are denoted in gray. The agreement between the two curves (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/27jan16/cosmicrays_mar15_jan16_sep.png?PHPSESSID=mnsijqarpghingf3okc7cl6b26) is remarkable. It means that the intensification of cosmic rays is making itself felt not only over the poles, but also over lower latitudes where Earth's magnetic field provides a greater degree of protection against deep space radiation.
Cosmic rays, which are accelerated toward Earth by distant supernova explosions and other violent events, are an important form of space weather. They can seed clouds (http://home.cern/about/experiments/cloud), trigger lightning (http://news.sciencemag.org/space/2013/05/do-cosmic-rays-grease-lightning), and penetrate commercial airplanes (http://news.spaceweather.com/rads-on-a-plane-may-oct-2015/). Indeed, our measurements show that someone flying back and forth across the   continental USA, just once, can absorb as much ionizing cosmic radiation as 2   to 5 dental X-rays. Likewise, cosmic rays can affect mountain climbers, high-altitude drones, and astronauts onboard the International Space Station.
This type of radiation is modulated by solar activity. Solar storms and CMEs tend   to sweep aside cosmic rays, making it more difficult for cosmic rays to   reach Earth. On the other hand, low solar activity allows an extra dose   of cosmic rays to reach our planet. Indeed, the ongoing increase in cosmic ray intensity is probably due to a decline in the solar cycle. Solar Maximum has passed and we are heading toward a new Solar Minimum. Forecasters expect solar activity to drop sharply in the years ahead, and cosmic rays are poised to increase accordingly. Stay tuned for more radiation.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 05:55:51 AM
This solar max should have ended in 2012 or 2011. Now they're saying it's finally going solar min?

Okay. It wasn't quite this bad on the 'other side' of the 'waxing solar max'. Now it's waning and worse..........

:ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 05:57:57 AM
Great! The Moon and Mars in Libra. That should be interesting... Lots of highly conflicting emotions.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 29, 2016, 01:19:22 PM
One the coming Five Planet Show: I've known it was coming for more than two years now. Yes it will be a spectacular thing to see. This is all the planets that are visible to the naked eye in the morning sky just before dawn all at once. Saturn is the farthest from the Sun that can be seen with the naked eye!


Now if only Earth weather in our areas will cooperate so we can enjoy the show!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 29, 2016, 06:19:34 PM

Now if only Earth weather in our areas will cooperate so we can enjoy the show!


Me three
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 06:24:30 PM
Well, the good part is - it's 'playing in your sky' for an extended engagement, so there's bound to be a clear night or two.

It really is quite the sight. I saw the last one, but they were all up real high in the night sky all lined up and really bright. I think they must all be reflecting off one another from our vantage.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 29, 2016, 09:37:07 PM
I remember when all the planets lined up on one side of the Sun. Pluto was also included in that alignment, and was still considered a major planet. It was supposedly going to cause giant natural disasters, because of all those gravity sources being aligned! Of course that was just Doomsayer Hogwash. They'll latch onto any big coming natural event and say it will bring the end of our world as we know it!
https://youtu.be/Z0GFRcFm-aY
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 09:46:41 PM
Ah, you noticed that too! Makes one wonder that they're in such a hurry to die.

:ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 09:48:33 PM
"When the stars are right, the Old Ones shall return!" as H.P Lovecraft would say.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 29, 2016, 10:05:45 PM
What's really bad about it is that they have a fair amount of the population believing their predictions. I had a friend during the alignment that was stocking up for a long stay in his underground shelter. he still has half of the canned goods he bought to this day, and that was almost thirty years ago! Ouch! Nothing like learning you were wrong to believe something like that!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 29, 2016, 10:34:50 PM
The thing is, if it were to be something rather large from space...'whaddyagonnadoaboudit'? If it's big and hits us, that's all there is for pretty much everything as we know it. Like the song says.

If Yellowstone were to blow, we're pretty much all toast one way or another, but there'd be a lot of technology buried under a lot of snow. Welcome to a new mini-Ice Age if we aren't already easing into a full blown one.

Sure, one could stay in a fallout or underground shelter for three months, but if you were anywhere near GZ you be dead soon of radiation poinsoning likely as not. And what are you going to eat? Everything's contaminated and/or dead. The water, the rain, the ground, the plants, any animals who might be hungry....

There's no way out of that scenario really unless you're willing to face the unknown and hope there's somewhere to go whenever you get there and it's not too far.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 29, 2016, 10:51:09 PM
That's why we need to spread out from the Earth! The more places in the universe we occupy as a species, the better our chances to survive as a species!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 30, 2016, 12:12:18 PM
That's why we need to spread out from the Earth! The more places in the universe we occupy as a species, the better our chances to survive as a species!

I can not begin to express how any such notion is a very, VERY bad idea! I can assure you that the heavens are not devoid of life, as humans tend to think in their tiny little brains. LOL Only a small fraction of this life would welcome the monkeys with open arms..."those that aren't preparing you for dinner that is."

I have never really cared for the religions of humanity, but I have loved knowledge and science since my birth. Planets in our system do have impacts on plants, animals, and liquids of this world, but not much more. Yes I know, people do not like to be called "animal" but.... suck it up cupcake! That's exactly what you are!
 :tearlaugh:

Mankind can't come together and stop killing his own kind long enough to develop a working plan for the future of his race...He WILL bring about his own destruction, by his own hands! He doesn't really need the excuse of rocks falling from the sky.

Stupid monkeys!!!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 30, 2016, 01:12:13 PM
Your argument is valid, dRaCX! But I am not advocating going to the stars at this time. I'm just saying we need to establish a bigger presence in our Solar System. I don't even advocated colonizing Mars. There is enough raw material flying around in this system that could be mined and used to build space habitats, and park them in the Earth's Lagrange points, sharing the Earth's orbit. Shielding from harmful radiation is already being developed for future astronauts use, and I we could get the world's richest corporations to invest in this, 50 to a hundred years from now there could be a large percentage of the human population living offworld. This Is what I'm advocating.


Yes we have shown that we are a destructive people, killing each other of little more than what amounts to control over resources or even more so, religious differences. Some wars were fought over no more than a woman! The most well known of those was the Trojan War, and her name was Helen! I don't know about you, but to me that is a truly ridiculous thing to fight a war over. Not saying I don't like women, because I really do. Just saying why would an army follow a king to war over a woman? Do women really have that much power over us men?


Well enough about that. The point is that we need to lay down our weapons and refuse to fight our leader's fights for them! If all the citizens of the world could do this, war would not be anymore. Put all that effort toward developing better conditions for humankind and the environment we live in. There are peaceful ways to compete, as we right here at FA have already proven, and it is competition that betters technologies, not just war! War has been seen as the catalyst for technological advancement for far too long. It is time to put all that ingenuity into more constructive efforts. If we can do that, humankind will have a real chance at surviving a lot longer.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 06:36:10 PM
Excuse me while I  :(ROFLMAO:

We as a race of beings have not managed for 6000 years or better to not be at war with someone somewhere for something - usually land and resources, but not always. Religion becomes many times an 'external' reason, or freedom or some other glorious concept, when in fact it's all about resources. Viet Nam was about Drugs. The Middle East is about petroleum. Afghanistan is about a whole s-load of untapped resources. In fact religion-based thinking has produced some of the worst massacres in the history of mankind, including the Crusades, the Inquisition and it's offshoots. We are horrified at what 'they' do when 'we' have done it 'ourselves' at some point. We don't have it in us to change, evidently. Arrogance is another cause of massacres as in the case of 'The People', Apartheid, and what they pulled with the Abos in Oz. I'm sure you must know that.

You're all for the biggest corporations - the 'New People' of America who have managed to drive this country into ruins - literally in some cases, poison all of us, pollute everything, take over the government and the Supreme Court - our 'bastion of Justice' - still being around in 50 to a 100 years??? They can die first as far as I'm concerned. Except oh wait, they are not a single biological entity like a human being. Still they're 'People'? :thud: 'Privatization' is going to be the ruin of everything. Flint, MI is a great example of what lengths they're willing to go to to make socialized things break and seem not to be working right.

As for Helen and the 'ridiculousness' of fighting a war over a woman.... You have to understand the mindset there. Helen was like Heracles - a child of the gods. Like Dionysus. Like Gilgamesh - a child of the gods. This made her a serious 'prize' to possess in a man's world as far as finding favor with the gods in one's undertakings. In ancient times, it was good to have the 'demi-gods' on your side. Added to that, for those who knew or remembered the 'old ways', the Goddess was the king-maker...until Gilgamesh came along and told her not so politely to buzz off and started worshiping her brother Shamash. Yet another story of the patriarchy usurping the power of women and the Goddess(es).

Really I'm not trying to pick on anyone here, but these things are just facts of the matter and i really don't see how they'll change any time soon until each individual person experiences some sort of revelation this way of doing things is a disaster leading nowhere but to our own demise. We're not exactly the brightest race on the whole and one of the most 'devilishly' arrogant. (He got kicked out of heaven for that, remember and we NEVER, EVER will own up to the blame because "The Devil Made Me Do it! Really it was Mammon, but whatever.) We keep repeating the same mistakes and scenarios over and over, and over again. We never learn. We forget. We cover up. We lie, twist and excise that which does not agree with whatever 'nwo' is on tap for the day. This too has happened over and over...even with religions and gods. Resources - yeah we all need them but 'Be fruitful and multiply' is only about strength in numbers. We're already pushing the limits on over-population and war often becomes an excuse to 'get rid of the excess'.... Oh, uh 'collateral damage', excuse me.

Then there's 'Life on Mars'. We can do it! We're HUMANS gosh-darn it!!! "We are big and special and we're sure of something." ("Hammerheads" by Shriekback).

:tearlaugh:

You do realize when AI takes over and it will eventually, they're going to see us as a virus and obliterate us...if we haven't done it to ourselves already. We're already half-way there in many or both cases.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 30, 2016, 07:25:34 PM
While what you are saying is true, I don't think it is a bad thing to try and change those things! We are far more intelligent now than our ancestors from those times were. The biggest obstacle to advancement is a five letter word; "Greed!" It has driven the actions of humans since time immemorial! If that can be eliminated, we could beat the odds that are currently against us! I am of the mindset that thinks it can be done! Whether or not most of us want to do it is still a matter of individual choice. That is why I will shout my plea to as many as I can get to listen. Hope springs eternal for me, even if it is futile!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 07:41:38 PM
I don't think we're 'far more intelligent now' than our ancestors. Can we build the Great Pyramid as it was built? No. Do we know how the stones at Machu Pichu were cut so brilliantly to fit together like a jig-saw puzzle? No. Did they make iron that well according to 'EHRMAGERD Aliens!' we have nothing that cuts it. There's a iron pillar in New Delhi that is a 1000 years old and has never rusted. Look at the Antikythera Mechanism. It took us how many years to re-invent armillary spheres and geared clocks? There were steam engine designs and odometer designs on scrolls at the Library of Alexandria. How long did that take to reinvent? Have you ever read any Egyptian love poems? They're no different than our love poetry - same feelings, expressions, etc. Astronomers today refer to the Chinese Silk Scrolls to study comets. The East Indian siddhas or masters already knew the basic tenets of physics, and yes, even quantum theory. Um, where in time did we start looking into this?

We are still superstitious as all get out - as much so or worse for all our supposed 'intelligence' than our ancestors.

So.....? :ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 07:42:55 PM
Absolutely, it's not a bad thing and really hope is all there is. But if we don't all wake up to this soon, we're in big trouble.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 30, 2016, 08:41:06 PM
Absolutely, it's not a bad thing and really hope is all there is. But if we don't all wake up to this soon, we're in big trouble.

Too right ... on every level
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 30, 2016, 08:54:25 PM
At the times we are discussing here Ray, sure they had technology we cannot duplicate now, but we do have technology that is far more advanced than its type in their days. Most of their technology that was powered ran on either hydraulics, steam, or tension devices. Of course I do think that before their time there was a period when human technology did match ours. I think history is cyclical with rises and falls of civilizations and technological advances. By the time of the Pyramids Egyptian technology had already begun to decline. I think that that was just one of several instances when technology and civilization reached a pinnacle of achievement. Some of the older Pyramids have depictions of things that did not exist in the time of the Dynastic Kings! Things that look very recognizably similar to technology we are using now! Archaeologists would have us believe it was part of their Mythos, but the similarities are far too close to what we have for that to be true.


One thing we can be sure of; the advances of each high civilization are not linear. What I mean by that is that what one civilization was advanced in was not likely to be what another one was advanced in. There would definitely be differences, just as the technology we have now is not the same as that of the most recent ancient technologies. There are some things in common but there are just as many uncommonalities!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 30, 2016, 09:02:50 PM
Now if that doesn't make one think for a moment or two.. and folks wonder why I go nowhere else ... bunch of sissies I call them  ... I guess thinking for oneself can be scary ... bunch of weakling scum
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Madbat on January 30, 2016, 09:09:47 PM
I have to agree with sidherose on this. We're pretty much hooped and it's our own fault. Well be the cause of our own extinction, we don' need no steengkeeng ast'roid. We got greed, and that's enough right there. If we could take that little bugger and nail him shut in a box, and bury it in concrete, we might do all right.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 09:38:02 PM
Well then Agent...by your own words they weren't 'less intelligent' than we are. Just intelligent in different ways.

Do you know what the symbol of the Yin-Yang means? It is the cycle of Life that ever and always 'rolls on'. Where the black becomes the white is the POB. Where the the white becomes the black is the Nadir. Because everything IS cyclical as soon as something reaches it's nadir it invariably falls into decline......eh, kind of like some of our bodies are doing. But we had a 'nadir' in our 'prime'. Once you reach there the black turns white again, you have both a POE - point of ending, and another POB. Theoretically, the new POB should be at an 'older wiser' level with a different veiw on things because we have been through a cycle and seen it fail.

But what happens all too often on the next 'upswing' is people decide for whatever reason this knowledge s/b 'forgotten', or education should be repressed or glossed over with redactions and flat out lies and omissions and suddenly that knowledge begins to ebb away in the common consciousness. But it's still there to the seekers who look. Note there is a black dot in the white part and a white dot in the black part. Those who still know are the black dot in the white. Nothings ever 'purely' this or that. Anyway, this is why you see this same pattern over and over and we never seem to correct our grievous errors.

You're right - one civilization may be good at smithing, carpentry and stone-cutting, while another is good at philosophy and teaching, and another good at basket-weaving and pottery. It depends on your resources and what sort of civilization you live in as well as where you live.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 09:39:07 PM
Kick the Mad Hatter's Tea Party out, while you're at it.

Pizza!!!!!! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 30, 2016, 09:49:54 PM
At the times we are discussing here Ray, sure they had technology we cannot duplicate now, but we do have technology that is far more advanced than its type in their days. Most of their technology that was powered ran on either hydraulics, steam, or tension devices.

We still use hydraulic cranes and pulley-tackle mechanisms - elevators for one. We still have things that run on tension. I think really that it's all down to we have stronger materials, more access to them and larger quantities; more factories that can produce things with more precision. We have microscopes we can look at tiny little things we can't even see with the naked eye and telescopes in space (!!) BUT! If our ancestors hadn't figured out basic math, zero, chemistry and metallurgy, planting techniques and astronomical cycles and kept that knowledge alive...ask yourself, where would we be now? Not as well off as we are. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 31, 2016, 08:47:38 AM
Wheel turns civilization rise ... wheel turns civilization falls.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 31, 2016, 02:34:20 PM
aka "Thee Flying Fickle Finger of Fate" hath touched thee...again, and moved on.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 31, 2016, 02:55:39 PM
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In

How is that for a blast from the past
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 02, 2016, 04:25:13 PM


I’m gonna throw a bit of a curve ball…LMAO!
 :heeheehee:

It is commonly accepted that we are nothing more then carbon copies of all those who came before us. Likewise it is also accepted in genetics that each copy from the original source degrades somewhat.

This also includes the intellect of the copies, as that degrades as well. If our ancestors had advanced technology then it is easy to assume that over time that knowledge was lost due to our declining intellect, thus coming to the point in time we have now.

Anything humans discover now is downright awesome to them only because they’re too stupid to remember the really cool stuff!

Chew on that for awhile!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 02, 2016, 07:46:11 PM
:woohoo:

Valid point
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 09:32:18 AM
Absolutely right.....and valid point.....  Though I still say a lot of the technology of the Ancients were given to them by Aliens  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 09:52:24 AM
:thud:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 10:36:13 AM
As I like to say "Brain-Eating Evil Reptilian Alien Overlords" 

"Well, Grffsplk we can't very well leave any of our tools lying around for them to find later can we? So why don't you go 'round and clean up. It's great that none of our ships crashed. Hate to have to clean that up! I can see it all now way off in the future, when they will have forgotten us completely because we left no trace."

"With, all due respect sir - they've seen us and our craft and the stupid little buggers like to draw pictures. I've seen them!"

"Don't be silly. They're bees, oil lamps and other things, and as you know, you never can tell with bees. Get on with you now."

   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 10:39:10 AM
:tearlaugh:   I love the show Ancient Aliens.....Some points get one thinking...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 10:53:29 AM
They get me LMAO. Do you know how much they (for example) exaggerate the weights of the stone blocks? They do, seriously. Not like they aren't hugely impressive as they are, but we gotta make 'em even bigger so you need a space ship to pick them up and place them. Really I'm not kidding.

I can't recall how big the stone that was being cut for Baalbek in the quarry is but it's thee largest (mostly) cut stone ever found and still there in the quarry. Never got placed. They even exaggerated the size of that - like you need to!

When they take a carpenter's square to to a block it's all about the angel of the camera, for another. Others have gone to these sites and 'squared' the same blocks and they are not perfectly square.

"That's entertainment!"

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 11:01:40 AM
Yup....but some of it is pretty solid on facts also.  Half and Half I call it.   

I'm one of those who think it's silly to think we are "Home Alone" here on Earth....And there is nothing or no one out there smarter then us :tearlaugh:  We've proven how Dumb we are...and yes, how smart  we are, many times...and continue to do so.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 03, 2016, 11:10:01 AM
Well, the technology of the Ancients is well documented in a manor that was meant to stand the test of time. The problem however, is that in our declined mental state it is nearly impossible for us to translate what they left behind. We assume to know what it means but most often are proved wrong!

Assumption is the Mother of ALL F***UP's!

Aliens you say? Well again, that as well is documented but they most likely were known to the Ancients by they're race rather than called "Aliens." It is simply unrealistic to believe that the universe is teaming with life, yet none of them have ever been here?!

You can't have your cake and eat it too!

It is a common belief these days that because the Ancients carved their stories in stone, it reflects on their primitive state of mind. This couldn't be further from the truth however! Will paper or cd's last as long as the stone? NOT LIKELY!!!! So in fact it reflects more on their superior mental state rather than the lessor.

Think with your dip-stick Jimmy!!!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 11:32:43 AM
Agreed on all points....except maybe the dipstick one :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 11:48:49 AM
I don't believe we are 'Home Alone' in the universe - not at all and don't think I do. It would be supremely dumb to think we're the only 'intelligent' life forms in the universe.

However, as you yourself have pointed out many times my friend (dR) WHY would they come here for any other reason than to harvest us for dinner, slaves or experimental subjects - or take our resources. Let me refresh your memory: Remember the 'To Serve Man' conversation we had? :smiley: Remember the conversations we've had about how superstitious we still are in spite of our 'intellect'.

Any race smart enough to travel here through light speed travel or wormholes and build ships capable of it would think we were 'stupid monkeys'. Really I'd believe in 'Inter-dimensional' visitors before aliens or believe in those 'other ones'. However, when I know for a fact that the priest-astronomers used their knowledge of when eclipses were due to happen and would go out and impress the poo out of the natives with much harranging, banging, blowing of horns and so forth that they were all powerful and could make the 'dragon' or the 'wolf' go away by their 'divine grace', I have to come to the conclusion that esoteric knowledge withheld from the general populace could impress them so very much that they belived anyone who knew it was some sort of god - or at least had been graced with such knowledge and power by the gods. If you've ever seen "Excalibur" and watched the wonder and awe on the witnesses faces when he strikes a match he's made and instant fire! Magical! Flick my BIC baby! No, it's just a knowledge of alchemy. We got the same reaction going into the Amazonian jungles with BICs, cameras, watches, etc. There's nothing godlike or magical about it. It's just knowledge they don't know. You don't even like the word 'magic' for that reason.

So........Jimmy :tearlaugh:   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 11:59:07 AM
I do have to admit there IS some rather odd stuff floating around - carved in stone as you say...like some of the 'flying machines' found carved into the lintel at Denderra temple. Those ARE puzzling especially the one looks like a helicopter. But whoever invented helicopters likely never saw that. So what is it? I can't answer that. I have seen things people were saying were alien artifacts that were clearly oil lamps. Really. But how many now know what an old brass oil lamp looks like and knows they have many forms and shapes? Well, except if you saw "Alladin" and the genie's oil lamp. But they didn't all look like that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 03, 2016, 12:05:31 PM

However, as you yourself have pointed out many times my friend (dR) WHY would they come here for any other reason than to harvest us for dinner, slaves or experimental subjects - or take our resources. Let me refresh your memory: Remember the 'To Serve Man' conversation we had? :smiley: Remember the conversations we've had about how superstitious we still are in spite of our 'intellect'.


Well, My comment wasn't a jab at anyone so don't get your bloomers in a bunch! I can't handle all that dust, I have ALLERGIES!!!!
  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
 
 We were talking about the "Ancients," which WOULD have things in common with any outside Race in the universe! DUHHH!!! Not present day humanity, they're dumb as a poke and not half as useful!
 
 Don't make me put you over my knee!!!! Wait...forget that, again....I have ALLERGIES!!!
 
  :nanana:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 12:21:49 PM
You're going to make me do this aren't you  :dominatrix: :upurs: ?

:tearlaugh:

I wasn't taking it personally, just doing what I love to do best with you...remind you of your own words.

Besides, I don't have a dipstick.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 12:23:44 PM
Alright Ancients not = Aliens. :nanana:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 03, 2016, 01:42:52 PM
I'm not afraid of chains, whips, dips & chips....soooo...Promises, promises!!! You're such a tease!

 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 01:45:57 PM
I'll continue being the Innocent Bystander  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 01:55:21 PM
Eh, don't worry. We talk to each other like that all the time

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 01:57:40 PM
I know :tearlaugh:  I get a kick out of it.....  And all in good fun..... :Hi5:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 03, 2016, 02:27:39 PM
Yeah, soon as I can get to everything she'll be having my dragon babies. Geezzz...sooo much to do for one fella.

 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2016, 02:29:25 PM
:thud: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: and I'll..... :zipit: :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 03:36:14 PM
I'm not afraid of chains, whips, dips & chips....soooo...Promises, promises!!! You're such a tease!

 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Nah, you'd like it too much.... Although I may find something diabolical to do with the dips & chips.

I echo your words re: the dragon babies - 'Promises, promises...promises........"

You know I have to say that.... :tearlaugh:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2016, 03:38:52 PM
I know :tearlaugh:  I get a kick out of it.....  And all in good fun..... :Hi5:

It is. We laugh alot. He zings me and zing him right back.   :heeheehee:

When I was on here earlier the pages were bogging down and taking forever to load. Don't know what it was, but it's okay now.

So, I just decided to go 'bake some Cookies'. Heh... Look in the Gallery in about 5 minutes.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 09, 2016, 10:57:39 AM
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUN on Space Weather (http://spaceweather.com/) Site....Pretty cool shots
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on March 20, 2016, 06:08:38 AM
Interesting article on the Vernal Equinox for 2016 which happens today and brings in Spring.


http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox)


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 20, 2016, 06:36:01 AM
Indeed it was, my thanks
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 20, 2016, 11:51:27 AM
Interesting article on the Vernal Equinox for 2016 which happens today and brings in Spring.


http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-vernal-or-spring-equinox)

Good information! Thanks!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 02, 2016, 05:45:29 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM IN PROGRESS: A G1-class geomagnetic storm is in progress on April 2nd as Earth enters a stream of fast-moving solar wind. This is the storm we predicted on Friday. It was kicked off by the arrival of a CIR (co-rotating interaction region) and is now intensifying as solar wind buffets Earth's magnetic field.

The sun was about to rise over New Zealand when the storm began, but it was still dark enough to see the Southern Lights:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Ian-Griffin-lady-aurora_1459624704.jpg)

"A beautifully subtle aurora greeted me when I woke up this morning," says photographer Ian Griffin of   Hoopers Inlet, Otago. "So I   set off to my favourite viewing spot and captured a couple of pictures   of the start of what could  be a super solar storm over the next few   days."
The incoming solar wind stream is filled with "negative polarity" magnetic fields. Such fields can easily link to Earth's  magnetic field, opening  a crack (http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2003/03dec_magneticcracks/) in our planet's defenses against solar wind. This is why NOAA forecasters offer good odds of continued magnetic storming this weekend--a 60% chance on April 2nd followed by a 55% chance on April 3rd
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 02, 2016, 05:47:23 PM
SPACE STATION VS. JUPITER: On March 31st, the International Space Station flew past Jupiter in the skies over Magurele, Romania. Maximilian Teodorescu photographed the near miss:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Maximilian-Teodorescu-1800-FRAMES-ISS_1459456233.jpg)

The transit was predicted by Calsky (http://www.calsky.com/)," says Teodorescu. "Together with my wife and her brother,   we traveled 40 kilometers from home to be in exactly the right spot to see the space station fly  in front of Jupiter. It turns out, we were about 100 meters off, and the ISS missed the giant planet."
"Even so," he says, "the view was spectacular."
Teodorescu's image illustrates the scale of the space station. Measuring more than 100 meters wide, the behemoth spacecraft orbiting Earth is an easy target for backyard telescopes on the ground below. If it had passed directly in front of Jupiter, it would have blotted out much of the planetary disk.
The image also shows that the ISS has a higher surface brightness than Jupiter. That's because sunlight reflects easily from the station's metallic surfaces--much more so than from Jupiter's absorbing cloudtops. Indeed, sunlight glinting from the station's solar arrays sometimes causes flares as bright as magnitude -8, more than 200 times brighter than the entirety of the giant planet.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 02, 2016, 05:49:16 PM
THE GIANT GREEN ATMOSPHERE OF A COMET: On March 21st, Comet 252P/LINEAR buzzed Earth only 5.4 million km away. It was the 3rd-closest approach by any comet in recorded history. Since then, amateur astronomer Michael Jäger has been tracking the comet, taking ever-improving pictures as 252P races into northern skies over his private observatory in Stixendorf, Austria. His latest image, obtained on March 31st, reveals the comet's magnificent green atmosphere:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-252P20160331weblarge_1459410667.jpg)

The green cloud  in Jäger's photo comes from jets of gas spewing out of the comet's core. While the comet's icy core is tiny, perhaps only a few km wide, the surrounding atmosphere is enormous. The gas cloud measures  90,000 km across. This means it is more than half the size of the planet Jupiter, and about twice as wide as Neptune. Comet 252P/LINEAR is a gas giant, indeed.
The comet is green because its vaporizing  nucleus emits diatomic carbon, C2, a gas which glows green in the near-vacuum of space. Astronomers who wish to see the verdant hue for themselves can point their telescopes using this ephemeris (http://cgi.minorplanetcenter.net/cgi-bin/returnprepeph.cgi?d=c&o=0252P). Mid-sized telescopes and CCD cameras (http://www.sbig.com/) are required for best results.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 02, 2016, 06:02:15 PM
Wasn't those some awesome shots....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 08, 2016, 05:12:22 AM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM: On April 7th, Earth crossed a fold in the heliospheric current sheet, plunging our planet into a region of space filled with "negative-polarity" magnetic fields. This sparked a G1-class geomagnetic storm and bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. "Suddenly, the sky exploded in color," reports Janne Maj Nagelsen, who took this picture from Stamnes, Vaksdal, Norway:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Janne-Maj-Nagelsen-nordlyskronen-over-hersjedalen-II_1460083294.jpg)


"I've waited for so many years to take this picture, because the Northern   Lights has never been high enough in the sky before," says Nagelsen. "It was amazing."
Many people have never heard of the heliospheric current sheet.  It is   one of the biggest things in the solar system--a vast undulating system   of electrical currents shaped like the skirt of a ballerina: picture (http://wso.stanford.edu/gifs/HCS.html). Earth dips   in and out of it all the time.
NOAA forecasters estimate a 55% chance of continued storming on April 8th as Earth slowly exits this region of space. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 08, 2016, 05:14:00 AM
ANTARCTIC LIGHTS: When the sun goes down over Halley Research Station in Antarctica, the darkening sky usually turns an icy shade of sunset red. On April 2nd, the primary color was, instead, green


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Greig-Lawson-aurora1_1459708747.jpg)


"The auroras were incredibly fast moving and at times covered with entire   sky," says photographer Greig Lawson (https://twitter.com/patchedup), the station's doctor, who ventured out onto the ice during a G2-class (http://spaceweather.com/glossary/g2.jpg?PHPSESSID=jq4b0uri3pk4ql6v8f4s9k0jf7) geomagnetic storm. "They were clearly visible even while the sun   was still setting."
Operated by the British Antarctic Survey, the Halley Research Station (https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/sites-and-facilities/facility/halley/) is known for its studies of  ozone, cosmic rays, and climate change. It is located on the Brunt Ice Shelf, a 130 meter thick slab of frozen water that floats atop the Weddell Sea. Such a platform is a dangerous place to be. Pieces of the shelf frequently break off, or "calve," giving birth to new icebergs.  The current base structure,  Halley VI, can avoid unstable ice by relocating itself. The station's colorful modules (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/05apr16/halley3.jpg?PHPSESSID=jq4b0uri3pk4ql6v8f4s9k0jf7) are built upon huge hydraulic skis.
Lawson will be busy in the months ahead  tending to the station's wintertime staff of 16. Hopefully, he'll have time send more pictures. As the Arctic  brightens, making Northern Lights difficult to see, the Antarctic will darken, providing a velvety canvas for geomagnetic storms to paint their colors on southern skies.                           
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 08, 2016, 06:28:56 AM
They were awesome shots....more on other links in the Spaceweather Newsletter...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 08, 2016, 10:58:01 AM
Awesome!!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on April 18, 2016, 09:41:18 PM
Scientists discover huge galaxy that appeared out of nowhere. 
See the story here http://www.usatoday.com/videos/tech/2016/04/18/83177544/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 19, 2016, 06:59:21 AM
Love reading this stuff....and the pictures from all the links they have are always so cool.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 19, 2016, 11:35:18 AM
Did some research concerning this, and found that the USA News reporter has sensationalized his report. When he said a giant galaxy has been discovered orbiting the Milky Way Galaxy, I knew immediately that he got that "giant" part wrong. If it really was a giant galaxy, the Milky Way would be more likely to be orbiting it!


So here is what I learned:
One thing I know about USA News is that they get astronomical reports wrong, because they don't diligently research the subject. I always do research after seeing a report like this one from them. So far, I have yet to see an accurate report on astronomical news from them, and what they do report is sensationalized every time. As for the images accompanying this report, not even one of them is a photo of the galaxy being discussed. I am still following the more sensible reports on this, and will provide updates as I get them.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 19, 2016, 01:59:09 PM
Very cool no matter how you look at it though.....and yes...sometimes the truth gets stretched LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 19, 2016, 04:24:27 PM
You can rest assured that I will do such things with due diligence, and collect the best information I can find concerning a subject like this. I have been studying and practicing astronomy since I was a child, and when an article like this gets published, I feel the need to see that the best data gets out, including letting folks know if something in the article is not right.


Such articles do more harm than good, because many will believe what is said in such articles, and do not take the time to find the truth. I understand that a lot of them do not have time to do so, so I will do it for them, if they really want to know.


Just know that reports like these are more than likely due to the reporter not being well informed, and perhaps not really educated on how such things work according to the laws of physics. As I do understand most of these things, I can be a shield against misinformation, whether intentional or not.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 19, 2016, 04:42:36 PM
You have sites which try to create sensationals informations in titles just to attract many people.
Those which made really sensationnal looking only one word or article elsewhere, but not necessarily the article of base.
And those which are totally crap sites.

I tried to look on the NASA site. I write in search "nasa site officiel". OK it's the first on the list.
But the second site is a complotist site, that is looking by the title of url only.
"Sciences et avenir" is a site of sciences really, but only fourth in the list...

Brief, on the Nasa's site, i'm on this category
https://www.nasa.gov/content/stars-and-galaxies
Could you find your galaxy into? (this morning i followed the link of M-Callahan, but like in France probably it's the reason for why i can't see the video. That is reagular for videos in US which aren't on youtube for example).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 19, 2016, 05:38:27 PM
Aelin, you can view a YouTube video concerning this subject here:
https://youtu.be/oEUAbyJmnWo


And if you wish to know more:
https://youtu.be/gLYd--fSqYE
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 20, 2016, 01:16:29 AM
She plays really to hide-hidden.
We have some "new" neighbours to  :binoc: it seems  :psycho:
:ty: for videos Agent!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 28, 2016, 08:11:57 PM
SOLAR SECTOR BOUNDARY CROSSING (UPDATED): On April 29th or 30th, Earth will cross a fold in the heliospheric current sheet--a vast wavy structure in interplanetary space separating regions of opposite magnetic polarity. This is called a "solar sector boundary crossing," and it could trigger geomagnetic activity around Earth's poles. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms when the crossing occurs.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 28, 2016, 08:16:47 PM
SPACE LIGHTNING OVER TEXAS: High above Earth in the realm of meteors and noctilucent clouds, a strange and beautiful form of lightning dances at the edge of space. Researchers call the bolts "sprites." They are red, fleeting, and tend to come in bunches. Last night in Hawley, Texas, Kevin Palivec photographed a magnificent display over an advancing thunderstorm:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Kevin-palivec-image_1461844630.jpg)


"Storms moving across Texas produce more than just rain,wind,hail and tornados!" says Palivec. "They also produce a lot of space lightning called sprites. This is a stacked image of all the sprites I caught over   storms as they moved across Texas towards Dallas/FtWorth--with one   meteor thrown in!"
Because sprites are associated with thunderstorms, they tend to occur in late spring and summer. Palivec's photo shows that sprite season is now underway.
"Sprites   are a true space weather phenomenon," explains lightning scientist   Oscar van der Velde of  the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain. "They develop in mid-air very high above Earth's surface, around 80 km altitude (http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/mesosphere.html), growing in both directions, first down, then up. An individual sprite lasts only around 5-50 milliseconds but a sequence of them  can be seen to 'dance' over storm fronts for a much longer period of time."
Some researchers believe they are linked to cosmic rays: subatomic   particles from deep space striking the top of Earth's atmosphere produce secondary electrons that, in turn, could provide the spark that triggers sprites.
Although sprites have been seen for at least a century, most scientists did not believe they existed until after 1989 when sprites were photographed by cameras onboard the space shuttle.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 28, 2016, 08:18:38 PM
PENGUINS SERENADE AURORAS: As northern summer approaches, the midnight skies of the Arctic Circle are no longer completely dark. Aurora season is therefore shifting from north to south. For the next four months or so, the velvety-dark skies of Antarctica are the perfect backdrop for auroras. Penguins on the Brunt Ice Shelf serenaded this display on April 16th:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Greig-Lawson-AI1J1199-Edit_1461583643.jpg)

"I camped out in the field, enduring temperatures around -32°C to -34°C   to witness this fantastic glow of green and   purple," says photographer Greig Lawson (https://twitter.com/patchedup). "This is at the site of an Emperor penguin colony. The calls of the birds in the background provided the soundtrack to the   evening's photography!"
Lawson is a medical doctor working at the British Antarctic Survey's Halley Research Station (https://www.bas.ac.uk/polar-operations/sites-and-facilities/facility/halley/). Located atop the Brunt Ice Shelf, a 130 meter thick slab of frozen water that floats atop the Weddell Sea, Halley is known for its studies of  ozone, cosmic rays, and climate change. Lawson will be busy in the months ahead  tending to the station's   wintertime staff of 16. Hopefully, he'll have time send more pictures as geomagnetic storms paint their colors on Antarctic skies.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 01:39:57 AM
Sort of to do with Space here - as in why did this happen? I've read about this several times over the years. It's not some new idea. This guy however makes a good presentation of it that's understandable. I've read a lot about Nazca as well and the patterns of animals do have directional function in this. The cause of this thing is thought by most to have been caused by the Vela Super-Nova, which is now the closest Wolf-Rayet star to the Earth - 800 lys. It sits in a cluster called Gamma-Velorum. This is an x-ray blazar and can't remember but a gamma-ray burster as well (?)

There are as well ancient stories - often condemned as 'silly myths', silly people. There is one in particular where in the Babylonian text called "Erra and Ishum" the god Marduk (who was the supreme god of all of them in that time) says: "I changed the course of the stars, and I did not set them back". He also says something to the effect that he smote the Earth with fire and all the fields and furrows and people were burnt up..."and it was grievous." 

And why is there a "Hitching Post of the Sun" at Machu Pichu? Why would you want to 'tie' down the Sun? It's pointed toward what was then the Winter Solstice. Did they want to make sure it didn't slide even further away? There are places in several mythologies, including Egyptian and the Bible where it says 'the foundations of the heavens shook and were broken. If it shot anything in it's path, that could have reigned down as meteors - flaming balls of death. And it was grievous. There's the war of the Gods and the Devas in India and the "Iton Thunderbolt". Those bolts are like lasers - light carried at not quite the speed of light on EM twisted/braided filaments called Birkland Currents. Venus and Mercury are actually tethered to the Sun by such EM lines. Earth is caught between the Sun and Jupiter's EM fields. The Flaming Sword that Turns in All Directions? Maybe. But that's what all neutron stars (blazars, quasars, pulsars appear to do, flashing and rotating.

When you find stories that say essentially the same thing in their own ways all over the world...you have to start paying attention. The Moai at Easter Island are 'Those Who Watch the Skies'...for the return of something. Their shape is somewhat consistent with figures at Gobekli Tepe, and Kurgan burial mounds all over eastern, central and western Asia. They call them babas - old mothers.

So have a watch and see what else it lines up with.

https://youtu.be/DpNI2FtCgtc
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 01:48:10 AM
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap000609.html

This is it. Looks like a crossbow doesn't it? :grin:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 21, 2016, 07:16:35 AM
What a magnificent image and that be some interesting reading material
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 01:16:33 PM
It is an amazing image. I find Wolf-Rayet stars and neutron stars in general quite fascinating.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 21, 2016, 02:28:45 PM
MIDNIGHT SKY SHOW: Tonight, around midnight, step outside and look south. The full Moon is passing by Mars and Saturn, forming a luminous triangle in the constellation Scorpius. You won't need a sky map to find them, but just in case:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/22may16/skymap_strip.png)
The Moon and planets are easy to see with the naked eye. Pay special attention to the intense rusty-red color of Mars and subtle golden hue of Saturn. The contrast is beautiful.
If you have a telescope, take a closer look. The rings of Saturn  are easy to   see through backyard optics. Ditto for the ruddy disk of  Mars. The Red   Planet is just finishing winter in its southern  hemisphere, so be alert   for a bright polar cap at the martian south pole.
This meeting in Scorpius occurs just 8 days before Mars makes its closest approach to Earth in a decade. Note the location of Mars tonight so you'll know where to look again on May 30th--the Night of the Red Planet!                           

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on May 21, 2016, 02:41:58 PM
Here we have article which talks of a "blue moon" because it's the fourth fullmoon in 3 months if i understand well.
I noticed Mars from several nights, but didn't take care of Saturn. Anyway, clouds are their, no way to look at midnight. :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 02:52:37 PM
It may look very pretty visually, but that's not a great alignment astrologically speaking - in old, old horror-scopes. Guess we'll see, eh?

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on May 21, 2016, 03:08:47 PM
Not an alignment but like a special triangle; like if Saturn and Mars will be at the same distance of the Moon.
And i don't remember how Antares shines, but almost a losange with it in more.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 03:59:29 PM
Not an alignment but like a special triangle; like if Saturn and Mars will be at the same distance of the Moon.
And i don't remember how Antares shines, but almost a losange with it in more.

Mars is the 'War God' and was the ruler of Scorpio before Pluto took over. Antares is the Heart of the Scorpion, whose armor represents the warrior and battle - warrior's heart. When Saturn is in conjunction with (near) Antares "The King is warned to stay in his quarters." So, there you go. Like I said, "We'll see."   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 21, 2016, 05:13:07 PM
Antares is a red giant star, similar to Betelgeuse in Orion. Both stars are thought to be close to going supernova, with Betelgeuse considered to be the most likely next near supernova. In fact, astronomers think it has possible already exploded, but the light from the event has not reached Earth yet.


Another prominent red giant star is Aldebaran, known as "The Baleful Eye of Taurus the Bull".


Red giants are thought to be stars that are near the end of their lives, having consumed nearly all of the Hydrogen and most of the Helium in their cores. Observations of similar stars have shown a consistency with this theory, indicating that it is most likely how giant stars end their lives. There are other types of supernovae, such as the type 1A supernova which has a very specific cause in which a dense neutron star has a companion star from which material is being stolen by the neutron star. In essence it is eating the other star, its companion. At a certain point the material falling onto the neutron star reaches critical mass, and the result is a type 1A supernova. This type of supernova is of use to astronomers as what is known as a standard candle. It is known that this type of supernovae has a specific brightness, making it a good way to determine the distance to the galaxies we detect them in.


Why do we use this instead of the triangulation method of distance measurement? Because most other galaxies are so far away that the actual angle between a distant galaxy and Earth on one side of the Sun and then six months later on the other is so small it is hard to measure. Sometimes it is perhaps 1/1,000,000,000,000 of a degree, and our instruments cannot measure such angle with reliable accuracy. So the standard candle method is used, because we can measure apparent brightness of a type 1A supernova, and compare that with the known brightness of those types of events. If one happens in a distant galaxy, this can tell us the approximate distance to that galaxy within a few thousand light-years.


OK Ravyn! It's good to have you back and getting me to post such comments as this one. Astronomy is a top interest for me!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 07:10:06 PM
Oh...just imagine if they were all relatively close to us  and set each other off. Wouldn't that be delightful?

The Orion-Taurus part of the sky has seemingly been the area of many events in the sky and the subject of many myths world wide. The names are different but the stories are similar in essence. That part of the sky was seen as the Entrance to the Duat (Egyptian Underworld) as well as the Entrance to the Underworld. Osiris was Orion. Gilgamesh was Orion and Perseus was Enkidu, in the Fertile Crescent. He was Orion the Hunter in Greece, and Nimrod in Assyria. In India he was sometimes Shiva and his Third Eye, and Taurus was his mount or vehicle Nanda the Bull. Just depends on where you're at.

Antares is exactly opposite these two in the sky, in Scorpio - a triangle.

As a kid, we had a field trip to the Observatory at the Museum. We saw a show about the Solar System and it was talking about when the Sun does begin to die. They said then it would likely become a Red Dwarf...but we'd be long gone by then because it would have expanded to the point of 'devouring us'.  That made an impression, I think. :smiley: That and the Foucault's Pendulum in the Atrium.

Even stars can be 'vampiric' and 'cannibals'. Maybe that's what they meant about Titan eating his children.

 

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 07:22:22 PM
As the text with the image of Vela looking like a crossbow there, says it's moving north and east. The 'bows' are the 'bow-shock' of the energy traveling through space, and so shows the direction of it. As you say, the telescope distances are so minute from here it's hard to measure by that alone. This gives them a clearer idea of what is happening. So...where is it moving to and will it stop? What if something else stops it?

Are you aware of the clouds of antimatter sitting on either side of Galactic Center and Alpha Centauri? They're created by matter being destroyed (they believe) as it gets sucked into the black hole and jetted back out falling away. But, it's just sitting there in clouds - more on one side than the other, and apparently outside the accretion disk. How is it clouds of antimatter can exist in clouds within the material universe? How is it supposed antimatter galaxies exist in the material universe? They're not annihilating one another like they do in the smasher. What's up with that?   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 21, 2016, 08:31:13 PM
Matter and antimatter must touch to annihilate each other. If there is a pocket of empty space in which one or the other exists, as long as the counterpart does not enter the pocket and make contact, there will be no reaction. On Earth when we create antimatter, matter is of course already present, thus instant annihilation occurs. It is this reaction that allows our scientists to detect that there was antimatter present for a fleeting moment, all due to the ability to predict what types of radiation would be emitted by the event. Now with that said, how is it that we have detected antimatter in those areas you mentioned, Ravyn? The answer must be that some matter does occasionally enter the area, which then reacts with an equal amount of the antimatter. That causes the same type of radiation, and it is detected by our instruments. Why does antimatter continue to exist there? Because its mass is much greater than that of the matter it encounters.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 21, 2016, 09:02:38 PM
Ahhh, the mass. Thanks for the explanation.  :Hi5:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 22, 2016, 02:13:41 AM
On a rare night these days: just went out and looked up at that Antares, Moon, Saturn and Mars conjunction. The sky is very clear. I swear it looks like a perfect equal armed cross. Antares at bottom - just like it's shown here. I could barely see most of Scorpio's stars for the Moon. It is very pretty.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 22, 2016, 09:56:23 AM
Weather was not good here for astronomical viewing last night! :cry2:  Will need to find photos of the event!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 22, 2016, 01:48:37 PM
This is in Turkey, so it's at a different perspective but you can see everything in this, Agent

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160521.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 22, 2016, 01:51:44 PM
Beautiful image
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 22, 2016, 08:40:45 PM
It's a great image...except they didn't do it last night when the moon was there. Maybe they'll post that tomorrow? We can hope.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 02, 2016, 04:41:51 PM
ASTEROID EXPLODES OVER ARIZONA:

Early this morning, June 2nd just before 4 a.m. MST, a small asteroid hit Earth's atmosphere and exploded over Arizona. "There was a bright flash and the ground shook from the explosion," reports Chris Schur of Payson AZ, who says the flash of light was about 10x brighter than a full Moon. The explosion actually blinded a NASA camera located at the Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Arizona.

Watch the complete movie to get a sense of how bright the fireball was. The fact that the explosion saturated most cameras that saw it initially complicated analysts' efforts to pinpoint its nature and origin.

Schur missed photographing the explosion itself, but "we were able to get images soon after of the smoke train from this object." Here it is, twisting in the winds of the upper atmosphere before sunrise:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Chris-Schur-BolideSmoke060216Schur_1464876827_lg.jpg)

Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office says this  is the brightest fireball detected in the 8-year history of the NASA's All Sky Fireball Network (http://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/), an array of cameras that  monitors fireball activity across the USA. According to NASA analysts, the asteroid was ~10 feet (3 meters) in diameter  with a mass in the tens of tons and a kinetic energy of approximately 10 kilotons.
Eyewitness reports placed the object at an altitude of 57 miles above the Tonto National Forest east of the town of Payson, moving almost due south. It was last seen at an altitude of 22 miles above that same forest.
"There are no reports of any damage or injuries—just a lot of light and few sonic booms," says Cooke. "If Doppler radar is any indication, there are almost certainly meteorites scattered on the ground north of Tucson."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 02, 2016, 04:46:12 PM
Man, they're lucky that's all it did. Tunguska wasn't quite so fortunate.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 02, 2016, 04:51:44 PM
Exactly....and keep in mind what that meteor did in 2013 when it exploded over Russia...YIKES
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 02, 2016, 05:04:58 PM
Yeah, that one too. Blew out a lot of windows and that is very dangerous!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on June 02, 2016, 08:14:37 PM
It wasn't me! Mom always told me that throwing rocks could hurt someone! I would always blame it on my brother!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 02, 2016, 08:37:38 PM
Must have gotten that throwing arm from your mom. :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 02, 2016, 09:30:30 PM
I wonder if that was the pitch I threw back in 1974 that got away, because my catcher could not catch it. I was in Texas at the time, and the catcher said I launched the ball! We never did find it! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 03, 2016, 11:02:55 PM
This was a small frozen chunk of comet that appeared in the sky over Macon, GA about 5 years ago (I think). This is what it looks like as it enters the atmosphere.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtyH0yHmE9c

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 04, 2016, 02:29:41 PM
Interesting! Actually it could be seen over most of central Georgia, even from where I am, and was at that time too. I saw it myself, as I was looking south. It made the local news as I recall.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 02:34:02 PM
I'm sure it was rather visible! What I find interesting there is how it showers the ice crystals everywhere. Think about that and all the things and 'cosmic dust' it collects out there. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 04, 2016, 03:07:08 PM
As you no doubt know, all comets develop a tail when they are close to the Sun. The radiation heats things up, and that causes dusts and vapors to be thrown off, which the Solar Wind then pushes back away from the Sun. It is thought that Comets are made up of dust and ice, like a dirty snowball. So when one enters the atmosphere of Earth, all the material in them are added to that of the planet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 03:16:09 PM
Which is why I said "Think about that..." :winks:

Not to mention the radiation out there.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2016, 03:44:25 PM
VANISHING SUNSPOTS: Something interesting is happening on the sun. Yesterday, June 3rd, the sunspot number dropped to 0, and the solar disk is still blank on June 4th. Latest images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory reveal no significant dark cores:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/04jun16/blanksun.jpg?PHPSESSID=a7ih2nmomemg8tu1qdeed8fo13)

What does this mean? The solar cycle is like a pendulum, swinging back and forth between periods of high and low sunspot number every 11 years. Today's blank sun is a sign that the pendulum is swinging toward low sunspot numbers. In other words, Solar Minimum is coming.

The spotless state of today's sun is just temporary. Underneath the visible surface of the sun, the solar dynamo is still churning out knots of magnetism that will soon bob to the surface to make new sunspots. The current solar cycle is not finished. It is, however, rapidly waning.

Forecasters expect the next Solar Minimum to arrive in 2019-2020. Between now and then, there will be lots of spotless suns. At first, the blank stretches will be measured in days; later in weeks and months. Don't expect space weather to grow quiet, however. Solar Minimum brings many interesting changes. For instance, as the extreme ultraviolet output of the sun decreases, the upper atmosphere of Earth cools and collapses. This allows space junk to accumulate around our planet. Also, the heliosphere shrinks, bringing interstellar space closer to Earth. Galactic cosmic rays penetrate the inner solar system with relative ease. Indeed, a cosmic ray surge is already underway. Goodbye sunspots, hello deep-space radiation!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 04, 2016, 03:53:19 PM
LOLOL....I must have been reading my Newsletter as you were posting this....Good read though....on all of the articles today...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2016, 03:55:27 PM
GMTA
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 04:12:08 PM
Or so they think. Do they really know what's going to happen next? This is a phase we've never witnessed before. I hope they're right.

It looks weird without the spots.  :hypno:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 04:13:00 PM
GMTA

Greenwich Mean Time America?  :madfun:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2016, 04:16:17 PM
Great Minds Think Alike :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 04, 2016, 04:17:54 PM
It is weird looking and then some.....

And :tearlaugh: on the GMTA guess........
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 04, 2016, 04:18:49 PM
You have to stop doing that "J".....

Replying while I'm typing....It's very impolite  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 04, 2016, 04:26:10 PM
Luffie, Whaddaya expect from a big group of loonies!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2016, 04:31:49 PM
You have to stop doing that "J".....

Replying while I'm typing....It's very impolite  :tearlaugh:


You need to learn how to type faster ye ole wizened one.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 04:37:05 PM
Great Minds Think Alike :psycho:

Eh, not always  :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 04:38:02 PM
You have to stop doing that "J".....

Replying while I'm typing....It's very impolite  :tearlaugh:


That's always happening with you TL :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 04, 2016, 05:28:38 PM
I know....I'm at the point in my life where I don't trust Speel chuck and even if I did trust it....I wouldn't know if the word is spelt right or not....so I take my time and think things through...somewhat.... :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 04, 2016, 07:05:54 PM
Not to mention sometimes fingers seem to type whatever they will and not what you know is right. There, they're and their. There, there. Hear, here. Through,  though, thought. Sale, sail. Plain, plane. 

:odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2016, 07:12:47 PM
Indeed
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 05, 2016, 09:22:22 AM
Yup.....the mind and fingers have to be synced every now and then..... Wish I had a button for that....but then again...I'd probably forget which button it was and blow my hand up :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 05, 2016, 09:54:19 AM
Yup.....the mind and fingers have to be synced every now and then..... Wish I had a button for that....but then again...I'd probably forget which button it was and blow my hand up :java:
Just remember not to touch the red button! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 05, 2016, 10:03:30 AM
Damn......almost blew my hand off  :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on June 05, 2016, 12:33:22 PM
Damn......almost blew my hand off  :OMFG:

"J" says that'll happen when you switch hands too fast!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 05, 2016, 01:12:00 PM
Now ya tell me....  :dispute:  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on June 05, 2016, 01:20:23 PM
Well, on the other hand.....(No pun intended) You have to watch what advice you take from "J" Just one look at dredzilla says it all!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 05, 2016, 02:34:02 PM
You DO have a point there :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 05, 2016, 03:08:18 PM
<--- Goes out and sticks thumb out for next passing UFO! :shock:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 05, 2016, 03:27:20 PM
Well, on the other hand.....(No pun intended) You have to watch what advice you take from "J" Just one look at dredzilla says it all!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

:ummm: :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on June 05, 2016, 08:13:47 PM
:ummm: :iminnocent:

Well, at least that's NORMAL!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 06, 2016, 09:16:28 AM
See how an out of context remark can mix thinks up?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 07, 2016, 07:02:43 PM
PERSEID METEOR OUTBURST: Do you love the Perseid meteor shower?  This year, you will love it even more. Forecasters say the 2016 Perseids should be twice as active as usual, filling the sky with 200+ meteors per hour on peak nights between Aug. 11th and 13th.  This is happening because Earth is heading for an unusually rich stream of debris from parent comet Swift-Tuttle. Visit http://spaceweather.com for sky maps, observing tips, and links to live webcasts of the Perseid outburst.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 07, 2016, 07:04:57 PM
PERSEID METEOR OUTBURST: Every year in August, Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. The shower is beloved by sky watchers. It is rich in fireballs and plays out over a two-week period of warm, starry summer nights.

This year's display is going to be even better than usual. "Our models predict an outburst on Aug. 11-12 with peak rates greater than 200 meteors/hour under ideally dark skies," explains Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "That's about twice as many Perseids as usual."

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Petr-Horalek-2015_08_08-15_Kolonice_Perseidy_8bit_1200px_1470393709.jpg)

In ordinary years, Earth grazes the edge of Swift-Tuttle's debris   zone. Occasionally, though, Jupiter's   gravity tugs the huge network of dust trails closer, and Earth plows   through closer to the middle. This appears to be one of those years. Experts at NASA and elsewhere agree   that three or more streams are on a collision course with Earth--hence the outburst.
Observing tips: Go outside between midnight and   dawn on the morning of Aug. 12th. Allow about 45 minutes for your eyes to   adjust to the dark. Lie on your back and look straight up. Perseids can appear anywhere in the sky, but their tails will point back to a single point in the constellation Perseus: sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/12aug16/skymap_12aug.gif?PHPSESSID=323psqb1bnlva49mpg4i63v332). Increased activity may also be seen on the morning of Aug. 13th.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 07, 2016, 07:34:09 PM
Too bad they couldn't wait about four nights as there is a lunar eclipse on the 16th. I'm not sure when or where it is though. That would be quite spectacular - the Moon being covered whilst they meteors fly. Ah well.

So that's where Swift-Tuttle came from? Perseus. That seems to be a rather chaotic part of this arm of our galaxy, historically speaking - if myths and history are any indicators. That and the northern circumpolar stars. Oddly enough, those two spaces are often connected together in myths.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 07, 2016, 07:39:54 PM
Shoot. Looks like the place to see them before dawn would be somewhere out in the ocean. Midnight - maybe Eastern Europe...again, apparently. That image is from Slovakia.

Bummer.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 08, 2016, 06:01:43 AM
That is odd I am in Florida which places me lower coordinate wise and I can see the meteors, one does not necessarily have to be able to see the constellation as it is just the place of origin in the sky where they radiate from, I have seen them in the past and as you know I live in Central Florida.

The constellation probably rises earlier or maybe later in your part of the country but I would think that you should be able to see several of the constellations that ride the ecliptic, Perseus is I believe South of Taurus and North of Cassiopeia ... yes just checked the magic book of mine.

I recall seeing the Perseids, several times over the years.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 08, 2016, 08:59:21 AM
Didn't see anything here.....darn it all.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 10:15:33 AM
Didn't see anything here.....darn it all.

They won't be visible for another 6 days, TL :smiley:

14th-15th. It's only the 8th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 08, 2016, 10:23:09 AM
They won't be visible for another 6 days, TL :smiley:

14th-15th. It's only the 8th.

No wonder I didn't see a thing :tearlaugh:   Remind me the day before so I can see if I see a thing .... Please.....  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 10:53:21 AM
That is odd I am in Florida which places me lower coordinate wise and I can see the meteors, one does not necessarily have to be able to see the constellation as it is just the place of origin in the sky where they radiate from, I have seen them in the past and as you know I live in Central Florida.

The constellation probably rises earlier or maybe later in your part of the country but I would think that you should be able to see several of the constellations that ride the ecliptic, Perseus is I believe South of Taurus and North of Cassiopeia ... yes just checked the magic book of mine.

I recall seeing the Perseids, several times over the years.

Well, yes I know that part of the sky very well - and Perseus is above Taurus and the Princess over his left shoulder. Aquila is on his right. Orion stands before the Bull and Gemini behind Orion. And I know what the radiant of a stream is.

You're about what 1800 miles EAST from where I am? And I'm about halfway between you and where TL is N/S. I understand the Earth is passing through the debris field but how much of it I might see when those stars don't rise until about the time the Sun rises I'm doubtful because the bulk of the field should still be 'associated' with the part of the sky from whence it radiates. When are you seeing them? Around dawning when you get up so early?   

I have seen a couple of the Perseids since WalMart moved across the street. In fact I saw one (I swear) hit the Moon and largish plume of dust came up from where it crashed. Looking at just the right moment. Gob-smacked I was, that I just happened to see it.

But largely, because of the heavy light pollution here where I specifically live, I generally can't make out much of anything distinguishable. I guess we'll see when it's that night what I might see in the wee hours. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 10:54:49 AM

No wonder I didn't see a thing :tearlaugh:   Remind me the day before so I can see if I see a thing .... Please.....  :thud:


:tearlaugh: Okay!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 08, 2016, 11:19:16 AM
That is odd I am in Florida which places me lower coordinate wise and I can see the meteors, one does not necessarily have to be able to see the constellation as it is just the place of origin in the sky where they radiate from, I have seen them in the past and as you know I live in Central Florida.

The constellation probably rises earlier or maybe later in your part of the country but I would think that you should be able to see several of the constellations that ride the ecliptic, Perseus is I believe South of Taurus and North of Cassiopeia ... yes just checked the magic book of mine.

I recall seeing the Perseids, several times over the years.
Yes, and close to Andromeda and Pegasus!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 11:24:53 AM
The whole legend/myth of Perseus is contained in that quadrant - Royal family, him and Medusa, Pegasus and the Eagle ripping at him whilst chained to the rock. All right there. :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 11:36:43 AM
Here's what seems a pretty good explanation of the 'radiant point' on this page.

http://www.amsmeteors.org/meteor-showers/meteor-shower-basics/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 03:16:19 PM
Look what I found :)

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160808.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 08, 2016, 06:14:21 PM
Well, yes I know that part of the sky very well - and Perseus is above Taurus and the Princess over his left shoulder. Aquila is on his right. Orion stands before the Bull and Gemini behind Orion. And I know what the radiant of a stream is.

You're about what 1800 miles EAST from where I am? And I'm about halfway between you and where TL is N/S. I understand the Earth is passing through the debris field but how much of it I might see when those stars don't rise until about the time the Sun rises I'm doubtful because the bulk of the field should still be 'associated' with the part of the sky from whence it radiates. When are you seeing them? Around dawning when you get up so early?   

I have seen a couple of the Perseids since WalMart moved across the street. In fact I saw one (I swear) hit the Moon and largish plume of dust came up from where it crashed. Looking at just the right moment. Gob-smacked I was, that I just happened to see it.

But largely, because of the heavy light pollution here where I specifically live, I generally can't make out much of anything distinguishable. I guess we'll see when it's that night what I might see in the wee hours. 

Figured you did, was putting it out there for the others who might not have been in the loop.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 06:21:58 PM
Ah!

Even if some did come over from the north-eastern quadrant of the sky, I'm in the zone where the trails are shorter and I  can't see the NE sky only the S, SW and W, and NW. Not without going out and standing in the north parking lot at ridiculous o'clock in the morning, like some crazy old lady.

Oh, wait..... I am a crazy old lady. :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 08, 2016, 06:50:09 PM
 :heeheehee: The sound you hear is ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2016, 07:57:57 PM
Trust me, you would be too.......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 16, 2016, 06:17:30 PM
SPACE LIGHTNING OVER CHINA: On Aug. 13th in China, photographer Phebe Pan was photographing the night sky, hoping to catch a Perseid meteor. Instead, he witnessed a spectacular bolt of "space lightning." Working atop Shi Keng Kong, the highest mountain peak in the Guangdong province, "I was using a fisheye lens to capture as much of the sky as possible," says Pan. "Suddenly we saw a flash of blue and purple ejected from the top of a nearby thundercloud. It just looked like a tree with branches, and grew up very fast. So awesome!"


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Phebe-Pan-IMG_9840_1471236645_lg.jpg)


"It just looked like a tree with branches, and grew up very fast," says Pan. "It lasted just less than one second. So awesome!"

Oscar van der Velde, a member of the Lightning Research Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, explains what Pan saw: "This is a very lucky capture of a gigantic jet. It's the first time I've seen one captured using a fisheye lens!"

Think of them as sprites on steroids: Gigantic jets are lightning-like discharges that spring from the tops of thunderstorms, reaching all the way to the ionosphere more than 50 miles overhead. They're enormous and powerful.

"Gigantic jets are much more rare than sprites," says van der Velde. "While sprites were discovered in 1989 and have since been photographed by the thousands, it was not until 2001-2002 that gigantic jets were first recorded from Puerto Rico and Taiwan." Only a few dozen gigantic jets have ever been seen.

Like their cousins the sprites, gigantic jets reach all the way up to the edge of space alongside meteors, noctilucent clouds, and some auroras. This means they are a true space weather phenomenon. Indeed, some researchers believe cosmic rays help trigger these exotic forms of lightning, but the link is controversial.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 16, 2016, 06:46:31 PM
Sprites on steroids - NO DOUBT!

What a catch! It's beautiful, but boy I wouldn't want to be anywhere within ten miles of that thing out there.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 17, 2016, 04:40:39 AM
Terrific!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 17, 2016, 09:17:50 AM
That was amazing indeed. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 27, 2016, 11:27:02 PM
SUNSET CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down tonight, Aug. 27th, step outside and look west. Venus and Jupiter are having an amazing close encounter--only 1/15th of a degree apart. If you hold a pencil at arm's length, the eraser would cover both planets at once. The best place to see this conjunction is from the southern hemisphere. Stephen Mudge sends this picture from Brisbane, Queensland, Australia:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Stephen-Mudge-Jupiter-Venus-and-Mercury-over-Story-Bridge-27Aug16_1472299671.jpg)


"I captured the 2 planets (plus Mercury) above Brisbane's iconic Story Bridge using a Canon 6D and 35mm lens," Mudge says. "It was a beautiful evening."

This conjunction is easy to see in the southern hemisphere where the planets are high in the sky. Not so on the other side of the equator. In the northern hemisphere, Venus and Jupiter hug the horizon at sunset, barely visible in the orange glow of early twilight. This shot from Manhattan shows what to expect.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 27, 2016, 11:36:10 PM
Great shot! I've seen that conjunction twice with the moon and it was spectacular both times.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 27, 2016, 11:40:14 PM
Then there's this:

SOLAR SECTOR BOUNDARY CROSSING: On Aug. 28th, Earth will cross a fold in the heliospheric current sheet. This "solar sector boundary crossing" could disturb our planet's magnetic field and spark auroras at high latitudes. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% to 30% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 28, 2016, 08:59:45 AM
Awesome image.......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2016, 05:11:45 AM
ASTEROID BUZZES EARTH, HEADS FOR MOON: Newly discovered asteroid 2016 RB1 flew past Earth on Sept 7th only 25,000 miles above our planet's south pole. Because of the asteroid's southern trajectory, it did not pass within the orbits of any communication or weather satellites--but it was close. After it buzzed Earth, the space rock turned and headed for the Moon, executing a wider flyby of 179,000 miles on Sept. 8th. Researchers say 2016 RB1 is ~50 ft in diameter, about the size of a grey whale.

Ernesto Guido used a remotely-controled telescope in Siding Spring, Australia, to photograph the asteroid as it was approaching Earth on Sept. 7th:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Ernesto-Guido-2016_RB1_07_Sep_2016_Q62_1473264149.jpg)


"It was shining about as brightly as a 12th magnitude star," says Guido. The asteroid was also photographed by Marian Urbanik of ÄŒadca in the Slovak republic (photo (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=129190)) and Gianluca Masi of Ceccano, Italy (photo (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=129182)).
Where to next? This asteroid spends all of its time in the inner solar system. In Oct. 2017 it will fly by Venus. In March 2020 it will fly by Venus again before returning to Earth in June of the same year. Not one of these encounters is expected to result in an impact. This table from NASA (http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2016%20RB1;orb=1;old=0;cov=0;log=0;cad=1#cad) lists the many close approaches of 2016 RB1.
Asteroid 2016 RB1 was discovered on Sept. 5th by astronomers using   the 60-inch Cassegrain reflector telescope of the Catalina Sky Survey,   located at the summit of Mount Lemmon in the Catalina Mountains north of   Tucson, Arizona.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2016, 05:12:17 AM
WHY ARE JUPITER'S AURORAS SO RED?

Many readers have asked why Jupiter's auroras, described in a news item below, are so impressively red.  In fact, they are infra-red. Juno science team member Alberto Adriani explains:

"The colors of auroras are determined by the gas that is present in the atmosphere. On Earth the gas generating the beautiful red or green auroras is oxygen. On Jupiter, the atmospheric gas is hydrogen. Two distinct auroras coexist over the poles of Jupiter: Ultraviolet auroras created by hydrogen in its molecular form (H2) and infrared auroras created by the hydrogen ion H3+."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2016, 05:17:26 AM
AURORAS ON JUPITER: On Aug. 27th, for the first time ever, NASA's Juno spacecraft swooped over Jupiter's south pole. The flyby revealed an astonishing vortex of infra-red light:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/05sep16/southernlights_strip.jpg)


"While we knew that the flyby of Jupiter's south pole might reveal the   planet's southern aurora, we were still amazed to see it for the first   time," says Alberto Adriani from the Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali in Rome. Adriani is a co-investigator on the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM), the instrument that took the picture.
Another instrument on Juno named "Waves" detected low-frequency (<100   kHz) radio signals coming from Jupiter's aurora-zone. To make these signals audible, mission scientists at the University of Iowa shifted the signals into the frequency range of human hearing. The audio begins about 30 seconds into this movie:


https://youtu.be/slE2i0O0pDY



If the auroras of Jupiter sound mysterious--that's because they are.
 Unlike Earth, which lights up in response to solar activity, Jupiter   makes its own auroras. The power source is the giant planet's own   rotation. Although Jupiter is ten times wider than Earth, it manages to   spin around 2.5 times as fast as our little planet. As any freshman   engineering student knows, if you spin a magnet you've got an electric generator. And Jupiter is a very big magnet. Induced electric fields   accelerate particles toward Jupiter's poles where the aurora action   takes place. Remarkably, many of the particles that rain down on   Jupiter's poles appear to be ejecta from volcanoes on Io. How this   complicated system actually works is a puzzle.
Stay tuned for more space weather reports from Jupiter as Juno continues its explorations of the giant planet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2016, 07:47:28 AM
ASTEROID DOUBLE FLYBY:  On Sept. 7th, a newly discovered asteroid about the size of a large grey whale flew over the south pole of Earth only 25,000 miles away. For scale, that's only a few thousand miles above the orbits of typical geosynchronous satellites. After the Earth flyby, the space rock turned and headed in the general direction of the Moon, executing a wider flyby of 179,000 miles on Sept. 8th. Where will this asteroid go next?  Visit Spaceweather.com (http://spaceweather.com/) for answers and photos of today's encounter with Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2016, 07:48:29 AM
LOL...I see that "J" put this up earlier....Oh well....it's a reminder to look at it....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 08, 2016, 08:16:22 AM
Yes i heard for the asteroid but with no more informations.Thanks guys for double check  :panic:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 08, 2016, 10:12:28 AM
I think this asteroid might make a good candidate for a course alteration experiment. Obviously its course was altered greatly when it passed so closely by Earth. That fly by is how it was able to fly by the Moon too, and likely why it will fly close to Venus.


The experiment would be to send up a mission in which the spacecraft takes up a position near the asteroid. Controlled thrust burns would be performed to change ever so slightly the trajectory of the craft. The gravitational pull of the craft would then affect the asteroid changing its course even more slightly, but enough for Earth based instruments to detect. This craft could be used to perform several controlled burns of that type, and cause overall a significant alteration of the asteroid's trajectory.


But the experiment would not be ended there. The point would be to see if it could be guided into a path of the science team's choosing, perhaps toward a very close fly by of say Jupiter, which would then slingshot it out of the Solar System. Earth based instruments would be used to determine how well the expected results are met.


These are just some of me ideas on what to do with what is known. The time line for implementing such an event is a good one, and the data collected would no doubt be of great value, allowing us to determine how to deflect the much larger Earth crossing asteroids. Cleaning out Earth's path around the Sun should be a priority.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 08, 2016, 10:21:20 AM
They have made mention of that also.  But they have some other candidates for this it seems.  Love that site...and all the other links to great places that they have.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2016, 05:10:38 PM
I think this asteroid might make a good candidate for a course alteration experiment. Obviously its course was altered greatly when it passed so closely by Earth. That fly by is how it was able to fly by the Moon too, and likely why it will fly close to Venus.


The experiment would be to send up a mission in which the spacecraft takes up a position near the asteroid. Controlled thrust burns would be performed to change ever so slightly the trajectory of the craft. The gravitational pull of the craft would then affect the asteroid changing its course even more slightly, but enough for Earth based instruments to detect. This craft could be used to perform several controlled burns of that type, and cause overall a significant alteration of the asteroid's trajectory.


But the experiment would not be ended there. The point would be to see if it could be guided into a path of the science team's choosing, perhaps toward a very close fly by of say Jupiter, which would then slingshot it out of the Solar System. Earth based instruments would be used to determine how well the expected results are met.


These are just some of me ideas on what to do with what is known. The time line for implementing such an event is a good one, and the data collected would no doubt be of great value, allowing us to determine how to deflect the much larger Earth crossing asteroids. Cleaning out Earth's path around the Sun should be a priority.

Exquisite forward thinking there good sir
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 10, 2016, 09:04:18 AM
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2016/09/09/world/europe/ap-eu-cyprus-meteor.html

Cypriot officials are baffled by reports that a meteor streaking across the nighttime sky may have exploded overhead with a thunderous bang that some said made the ground shake.

Police said eyewitnesses reported seeing a blue glow emanating from the object that raced over the east Mediterranean island's Troodos mountain range shortly before midnight Thursday.

Cyprus Geological Department official Iordanis Demetriades told The Associated Press Friday that there's no indication the object struck the ground and that it probably "exploded in the sky."

A police official who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity in line with police rules said numerous reports spoke of "a loud explosion" followed by "the ground shaking."

Authorities are looking for possible remnants of the object.

*********
Sorry, i haven't photo for this. But i believe it's not the first meteore of the year in the world. Somebody knows how many they are usually for one year?  :madfun:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 10, 2016, 09:41:51 AM
I guess I'll have to venture over to Space Weather and look at their meteor logs......did I ever mention that I LOVE that place :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2016, 09:43:03 AM
:ummm: Not sure
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 10, 2016, 09:44:16 AM
So you're saying you're in your normal state of mind  :java: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2016, 09:50:42 AM
Define normal with out using the word normal in the definition first
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 10, 2016, 09:52:38 AM
WHY ARE JUPITER'S AURORAS SO RED?

Many readers have asked why Jupiter's auroras, described in a news item below, are so impressively red.  In fact, they are infra-red. Juno science team member Alberto Adriani explains:

"The colors of auroras are determined by the gas that is present in the atmosphere. On Earth the gas generating the beautiful red or green auroras is oxygen. On Jupiter, the atmospheric gas is hydrogen. Two distinct auroras coexist over the poles of Jupiter: Ultraviolet auroras created by hydrogen in its molecular form (H2) and infrared auroras created by the hydrogen ion H3+."

I was reading something somewhere - don't remember where - that they think the dust plumes from Io's volcanos erupting is what's making that red aura. Boy, is that EVER infrared red!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 10, 2016, 09:53:21 AM
Here's a cool link:

http://www.physics.upenn.edu/nineplanets/meteorites.html

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 10, 2016, 09:56:59 AM
That is a very cool site.  I always get a kick out of the "Meteorites For Sale" section....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 10, 2016, 10:01:17 AM
I love Penn State's web pages. They have so many cool things on there.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 10, 2016, 10:20:25 AM
In one of my travels I found the page and bookmarked it.  I haven't been there for a while....  I think one of the places Space Weather has links for had the link to Penn.  And the COOL thing is...you reminded me I had the Bookmark ....LOL....Thank you
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 10, 2016, 10:32:40 AM
Define normal with out using the word normal in the definition first
My definition: Um.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 10, 2016, 04:32:57 PM
Mark this date down on your countdown calendars.  A solar eclipse can be seen from North America on 21 August 2017.


https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2017-august-21
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2016, 04:36:44 PM
Smoking details ... will have to bookmark this somehow to alert me
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 10, 2016, 04:38:25 PM
Yes, i heard on that. And i believe you will have another in 2024. Take your organizers :psycho:
Hoping for you you will have no clouds. When we had ours in Europa (if i'm not wrong, 1999), we had clouds, on my town. In more, we had here just 90-95%, so we didn't turn in the night. Paris was more luckier.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 10, 2016, 04:56:49 PM
This is a good website it show solar and lunar eclipse all over the world and when they will happen.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 10, 2016, 06:47:26 PM
Next year..... 90-95% here. That should be rather impressive itself! I once took a 'picture' of a solar eclipse with an actual box camera - a cardboard box with a pinhole aperture, and some litmus paper. It came out pretty cool. I don't know what happened to it. But it is likely totally faded out by now.

I have a piece of smoked glass but it's about 3/8" thick square cut. Might still be able to look through that and see something.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 11, 2016, 08:29:06 PM
Think that the Orion Nebula is all there is in the region of Orion? Well I'm here to tell you that there is a vast amount of material beyond the nebula itself, and it is actually just a small part of an area a few thousand light-years across! There are several other nebulae associated with the region in and around Orion, all of which are embedded in the same gigantic cloud of gas and dust. The Flame Nebula, its nearby neighbor - the Horse Head Nebula, and the Rosetta Nebula are all part of it too! And these nebulae are all Stellar Nurseries. Star formation is quite active in this region of the galaxy, and it is obvious that there is plenty of material available for more new stars to form. The Milky way will continue to produce new stars for billions of years to come.



I found a photo that shows the bright Orion Nebula embedded in the cloud which extends in all directions of the photo t the very edges of it, and that photo is not showing all of what is there. Beyond what is in the photo the cloud extends a lot further in every direction to encompass the above mentioned nebulae, as well as many more.


Follow this link to see the photo:


https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/lpildfyojtilgfumczit.jpg
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2016, 09:04:09 PM
Horse Head... Always thought it looked more like a striding giant Yeti myself:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160608.html


Orion Nebula in Infrared looking very spiffy:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160718.html


Great Carina Nebula also in the neighborhood:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160527.html



And how about a bit of Orion's 'bow-shock'?:

http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap160522.html

Looks a bit unruly there, doesn't it?


My favorite part of the sky - well, yeah - but there's a close second in the Northern Polar Stars. And of course, GC! Yours too?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 11, 2016, 09:53:38 PM
Orion is my favorite part of the sky also! It is found in the myths of ancient and not so ancient cultures  all around the world, as I know you are quite aware.! Learning the similarities in many of those myths tells me that though these culture might be on opposite sides of the planet, they once upon a time had to be connected in some important way! Egyptian and Mayan pyramids were built to emulate the Belt and the Sword of Orion where the Great Nebula is nested. The Horse Head and Flame Nebulae lie just to the left of the Belt if you are viewing the constellation upright.


About the Horse Head Nebula: When it was first observed, it actually looked more like its namesake, but due to very powerful star light winds from young hot blue giants, it has been subject to what amounts to space erosion. Space weather if there ever was any!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 11, 2016, 10:45:20 PM
I do remember the old images of the Horse Head Nebula, and it did look more like a horse's head then. Yes, those are some powerful winds out there in the nurseries. I think it's rather cool that stars are born and die a little more spectacularly than we do, but they're born in a 'womb' and ejected when 'cooked'.

As above, so below.

I read an article once on-line somewhere, where certain 'alternative historians' were saying that a very important group of Pueblos in the 4 Corners Area (Navajo/Zuni/Hopi) are built in the same pattern as the stars in Orion. Their map was fairly well convincing. It does appear to be so. I checked my Atlas and yeah. They were saying that Orion represented 'The Great Spirit' or one of the other creator gods. Been years since I read it, so forgive the faulty memory.

I'd like to know just how far back and ancient the stories of Orion and the various 'beings' associated with him are. I don't know anything for certain past about 3000 BCE which were completely orally-transmitted for a long time. That constellation has long been associated with the Underworld - Realm of the Dead for a very long time, in the ancient cosmic 'world view'. I think I know why but there's nothing known to prove anything. It has to do with 'mega constelations' (rather like Argo) and Slain Gods and Heros. But I cannot find any corresponding events in the right timeframe when the 'gods' and 'heros' disappeared. It was sometime in about 3600-3000 BCE. The legends say that 'Sagitta' slew them - which was the constellation for Ninurta/Ningirsu, the son of either En.lil or En.ki depending on the version you read.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 12, 2016, 01:15:28 AM
My search skills are not so great, but I have read some of the stories from certain myths about the constellation. There was even mention that it was a home to certain gods. Not sure which ones, so I won't name any, as I could be wrong. It somehow seems strange to me that so many cultures lore features the constellation and the associated ones prominently, more so than most other constellations. And how a lot of what is in the myths correlate with aspects of it that were not easily seen without some type of observational instrument that could reveal them. Only in modern astronomy have we recently discovered aspects that were long hidden because our instruments were unable to reveal them. Makes one wonder if the ancient people of these cultures had something that could reveal those features. How else would they have known hidden details which are clearly included in their myths?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 12, 2016, 11:10:28 AM
Regarding searches: Ask yourself "What 'specifically' am I looking for?" Then form the question succinctly in your mind. Take the Key Words from your question and type those in the search box, like: "Orion southwest pueblos construction". It's all in the Key Words you use.

So, here you go:

http://www.academia.edu/8443234/Orion_Temple_at_Mesa_Verde_Colorado

http://www.theorionzone.com/maps.htm


Yes..."The Orion Zone" - lol. Some of his maps seem a bit of a stretch but others not so much.

Orion is not only the most recognizable constellation in the sky, he's on the ecliptic but not part of the zodiac. He marks the Winter solstice in observational traditions - Midnight Man. When he rises, the Egyptians knew Sothis - the Dog Star comes after him and when Sothis rose it was the time to begin the Harvest before the Nile Floods. It is the most 'humanoid' looking constellation as a mighty giant hero or demigod (Gilgamesh, most notably), striding across the skies. To this there is an additional point of interest:

The Fool card in the Tarot represents Orion and Canis Major. If you are familiar with Gilgamesh's story, he is the quintessential 'fool' who seeks to conquer Death by finding the Plant of Immortality. He ends up 'the Wise Fool' after achieving the goal and then loosing the plant to a tricky serpent.

The Fool is variously the first or the last card in the Major Arcana of the deck with the number '0'. He is the P.O.B. and the P.O.B. and the P.O.E. are the same on a circle. Right? The old P.O.E. becomes the new P.O.B. This is something that the 'great minds' seem to have not 'groked' ever because they argue on and on about "Is the Fool the first card or the last card?"

It's both.  It depends on the other cards how you read it as to 'fool' or 'wise fool' or a beginning/ending of a journey.

This 'revelation' about the Fool and Orion led me to begin looking at the other Major Arcana in relation to the constellations. Eureka and holy cow! I worked out several of them:

Fool - Orion and Canis Major
The Mage - Ursa Major
High Priestess - Cygnus
The Empress - Cassiopeia
The Emperor - Cepheus
The Lovers - Gemini
The Chariot - Auriga
Strength - Virgo/Leo
Hanged Man - Heracles
Temperance - Aquarius
Justice - Libra
Wheel of Fortune - the Ecliptic itself
The Star - Venus
The Sun - Sun obviously
The Moon - Moon obviously
The Tower seems to be an actual Tower in Sanliurfa that was used for watching the stars/heavens.

Given that the Tarot was supposedly developed from the knowledge of the Magian Star Lords (they are no myth) all of this makes perfect sense.

Oh and here's one other choice bit about Mr O:

He's also St. Roch of Montpellier and his faithful dog.

:smiley:

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 12, 2016, 11:34:35 AM
Yes, I've often wondered myself just how they knew some of the things they knew and described them so well. To some degree, you have to account for the plethora of light pollution around us today. We can't see 'squat' compared to what our ancestors could see before the coming of electricity except in rural places like out in the middle of the Prairie lands away from the highways. There's a big factor there.

You have to consider as well - the night sky was their 'television' and apparently a few thousand years back was a lot more violent than we know now. Someone was always-always watching.

However, there are really very solid abstract concepts in say East Indian mythology that can today be applied very aptly to Quantum Physics. I was reading Fritjof Capra's "Tao of Physics" about black holes and what I was seeing was a description of Shiva as the Destroyer/Creator. He's also Great Time, as is Kali-Ma who gives birth to and then destroys everything. "God is a Black Hole" - sounds weird but it works. Then there's the whole thing about 'the Ultimate Reality' being all Light - 'too bright for even the angels to look upon', and yet being dark. Vishnu works great as 'the Binder' - gravity waves. See what I mean?

Supposedly all those things were seen in meditational visions by the Master Siddhas. They were 'psycho-nauts', traveling through the cosmos in their visions...apparently! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 12, 2016, 01:15:42 PM
I know very little about the Tarot. Because of that I leave such matters to more knowledgeable ones such as yourself, Ravyn. My ideas might be right but more likely are not.


So a couple of questions:
In the complete deck of Tarot Cards, how many are there?
How many suits are in the deck, and what are their names?


I once dabbled a bit as a fortune teller using a standard playing card deck. I had a booklet given to me by a true Gypsy that taught how to do this, and the different layouts used. Just for fun I performed a reading on a few of my friends, and surprisingly it seemed to be working. There were a couple of rules concerning the deck I used:
I could not allow others to touch any of the cards.
The deck could not be used for any other purpose.


Now I know that the user must use personal interpretations in such endeavors, and that would seem to be counter-intuitive, but somehow there seems to be a channel under the surface of events that connects to the user through the cards. As much as this scares me, I see that it works, and that there are a lot of things that can never be explained through science.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 12, 2016, 04:11:45 PM
There are 78 cards in a standard Tarot deck. There are 22 Major Arcana - also called the Major Trumps. And there are 56 Minor Arcana cards, which are 1-10 and the Court cards, which include the King, Queen, Knight and Page.

There are four suits which are from whence the playing card suits come from today - except they're Wands (fire element)/Clubs, Cups (water element)/Hearts, Swords (air element)/Spades, and Pentacles or Coins (earth element)/Diamonds. There's a lot more to it but that's the general gist of it. It's all quite involved, actually and takes awhile to learn.

The numbers of the Cards also have numerological meanings attached but they're fairly 'intuitive' if you're familiar at all with number meanings and/or Sacred Geometry. 1= the Quintessence of a thing, etc. For example 9 is 'almost done' or 'almost completed', while 10 is something has come to fruition and is done. 

No, you don't want other people handling your cards as then they absorb their vibrations and not yours. The more you handle them, the more they ARE yours and in tune with you, the reader.

I've often found myself saying really weird stuff that comes to me that makes really NO sense at all when reading a fortune. Funny part is, those are the ones that in some weird way came true, more than the logical seeming ones. Really, reading them is kind of a hit and miss proposition, because some days you just aren't really able to tune in to them, while on other days it's cake. Doing several in a row can be extremely taxing of the reader because of the concentration and collation that the mind has to go through in order to process what's sitting there.

I once had a man I didn't know from Adam that came to me for a reading. I knew nothing about him nor did he tell me anything at all. "Just read my fortune, if you will." What I saw there was that he was going to be involved in a court case. I told him "You're going to win the case but you won't profit from it." We both kind of wrinkled our brows at that.

He called me back some months later and told me about what I said to him. He was indeed in a lawsuit with the Railroad for Workman's Comp to pay his medical bills for an on the job accident. They were being difficult about it. Well, he won his case but by the time the bills were all paid and the lawyer and filing fees were paid - there was nothing but a couple of hundred dollars left, with which he bought himself a new lawnmower. Yup. Crazy, huh?

There does indeed seem to be something there. What really blows me away is a couple of old, old ladies that I met many years ago who did tea-leaf and tarot readings. One was actually legally blind. She could only see blurs of shapes and colors. They were so spot on about everything they said it was a bit freaky. Neither of them knew me at all either. I've met a couple of palm readers who were just amazing, as well. They told me things about myself that really only I knew - no one else. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 27, 2016, 05:43:32 AM
CORONAL HOLE TURNS TOWARD EARTH: A large coronal hole is turning toward Earth, and it is spewing a stream of high-speed solar wind. NOAA forecasters expect the stream to reach our planet on Sept. 28-29 with a 50% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms when it arrives. At this time of year, even a gentle gust of solar wind can spark bright polar auroras. The incoming stream is almost sure to provoke a nice display.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/25sep16/ch_strip.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 27, 2016, 09:08:44 AM
Saw this on their FaceBook page and their mailing....  Talk about a wow factor.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 24, 2016, 06:47:53 AM
Thought this would be interesting there are 10 times more galaxies in the universe than expected before.


http://www.space.com/34382-universe-has-10-times-more-galaxies-hubble-reveals.html?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_campaign=socialtwitterspc&cmpid=social_spc_514648
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 24, 2016, 07:14:49 AM
That's pretty awesome. So much we do not know about Space and having to rethink on a whole lot of things.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 24, 2016, 09:31:17 AM
Saw that also on Space.com M-C....and like Ray said....we know so little about where we live it's not even funny.  Thanks for the heads up on this one....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 24, 2016, 02:33:23 PM
I saw that last week. My personal belief is that even that is a gross underestimate. At first they estimated 100,000,000,000. Then that was raised to 200,000,000,000. Now they are saying 2,000,000,000,000! While that is quite a lot more, I think that is is nowhere near the truth.


My reasoning behind my belief is as follows:
1. The Universe is infinite in its size. Scientist these days are unable to comprehend what that means, and they try to say or implicate that it has an edge or end. This hypothesis that limits the size of the universe makes me say "Claiming there is a edge or end to something like the universe is to indicate that there is something beyond that edge or end. What could that be? Well it can only be more of the universe, because the word universe in its top definition means all that exists. This includes every continuum, reality, timeline, etc. Nothing that exists can truly be said to not be part of the universe. This also makes the word 'multiverse' a misnomer.


2. An infinite universe must have infinite pockets of existence all throughout itself. Some may be like what we know to exist in our part of the universe, but there are possibilities for completely different laws of physics in other pockets of existence, including totally different types of matter, as well as totally different types of energy all working in totally different ways than those governing our own pocket of existence.


3. Even within our pocket of the universe there must be much that we will never be able to detect or observe, by a factor none can actually guess. We do know that what we can see is actually embedded in a much larger structure that can only be detected by its gravitational effects on what we can see. In other words, We can see how something unseen is affecting the movements of galaxies at the limits of our ability to see, and we can by simple Newtonian calculations understand that the unseen is out of our range of visible objects. All the extra matter that we cannot see in our pocket of existence far outweighs that which can be seen.


4. Scientist say that "The universe is expanding!" What should be obvious to us all is that what is meant is that the matter in our part of the universe is expanding. This does seem to be the case, if red shift is any indication. They also say that what is at the limits of our ability to see is moving away from us at close to the speed of light, relatively speaking. This means that what is beyond what we can observe is moving away at speeds greater than the speed of light, relative to our position of observation.


5. In just released reports, our own Milky Way Galaxy has had it's amount of stars that it contains raised from 100,000,000,000 to 600,000,000,000! And that is just what we can detect by various means. I think like I do about the universe, that this too is a gross underestimate. I would be more inclined to believe there are at least 2,000,000,000,000 stars in our galaxy alone. You see a galaxy like ours is not just a disc with a bulge in the middle. All that is gravitationally bound to it must be included. The galaxy has an inner and an outer halo of matter, filled with more stars than we can currently see. Most of the stars in the known universe are now known to be what we call red dwarf stars. I would estimate that the total of all other types of stars, is but 1% or less of the actual amount of stars that exist.


So if we extrapolate this and apply it to what I will call the known universe, then the amount of galaxies that exist within this expanding pocket of existence could be as much as several billion times the latest estimate. Understanding that each time something like this has been said, new evidence has proven what exists to be far greater, is something we should keep in mind, while reading or viewing any article making statements about it. Certainly, because of the actual nature of science, they can only report what the latest findings are, and this is a step in the right direction. Still, it seems a bit narrow minded of scientists, to not be thinking ahead, and postulating very real possibilities.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 24, 2016, 09:03:12 PM
There are also apparently dark-matter galaxies that we cannot see, as they have no visible stars, like Dragonfly 44. This paper was released in August of this year. It seems to have the same mass as our galaxy.

And then if you like, there's 'D-branes' and strings in other dimensions...possibly, but even that is a theory at this point, extrapolated from calculations. 

We really don't know squat, do we? We used to think we were the center of the universe. Some still do, I think.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 24, 2016, 09:33:57 PM
There are also apparently dark-matter galaxies that we cannot see, as they have no visible stars, like Dragonfly 44. This paper was released in August of this year. It seems to have the same mass as our galaxy.

And then if you like, there's 'D-branes' and strings in other dimensions...possibly, but even that is a theory at this point, extrapolated from calculations. 

We really don't know squat, do we? We used to think we were the center of the universe. Some still do, I think.
Actually the Infinite Universe Model allows each of us to be the center for ourselves. This is because from wherever you are infinity extends out to infinite distance in all directions. Seems incomprehensible, I know, but through long hard thinking and researching on the subject, it would make sense in no other way. So I believe that "Yes, we are the center of the universe regardless of where we are in it."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 24, 2016, 11:32:32 PM
Really, was speaking more of the old 'Geocentric Universe' model that for some reason became the vogue in the Dark Ages. Apparently the Greeks understood we revolved around the Sun back in Alexandria.

However, if you want to look at it that way, yes we are all the center of our own perception of the Universe. I have thought about it much, and how things are fractal and holographic. In fact in light of belief in Reincarnation, in a sense we seem to be our own little So(u)lar System where we are the Sun. For example: How many people have you met in your lifetime that you inexplicably feel somehow like you know them or you've known them before, but you know you never did. Not in this life, at any rate.

How does one explain that? Or people you automatically detest or dislike intensely and you don't even know them? They just walk in the room and you cringe. I've had both experiences several times in my life...and try to explain that to even yourself! It's pretty weird.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 25, 2016, 01:03:03 AM
Strange Messages from Space could be Aliens.


http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/aliens-proof-evidence-facts-stars-scientists-extraterrestrial-life-et-intelligence-a7377716.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2016, 02:03:36 AM
Maybe it's the stars talking to each other! Have you ever heard NASA's "Symphony of the Planets". I have CDs of them. They are kind of trippy, and they do all sound different. Listen below to Saturn. The Sun sounds like it's chanting 'OM' and the Earth sounds like wind storm. Venus is just strange - indescribable, really.


This must be where TL got his 234 Aliens thing. Thanks for posting that, M-C!


https://youtu.be/p4si39uScTQ?list=PL97C5D1CAD37FC66C
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2016, 02:05:12 AM
Hmmmm, the videos aren't showing up again...... Like once before.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 25, 2016, 11:46:12 AM
Really, was speaking more of the old 'Geocentric Universe' model that for some reason became the vogue in the Dark Ages. Apparently the Greeks understood we revolved around the Sun back in Alexandria.

However, if you want to look at it that way, yes we are all the center of our own perception of the Universe. I have thought about it much, and how things are fractal and holographic. In fact in light of belief in Reincarnation, in a sense we seem to be our own little So(u)lar System where we are the Sun. For example: How many people have you met in your lifetime that you inexplicably feel somehow like you know them or you've known them before, but you know you never did. Not in this life, at any rate.

How does one explain that? Or people you automatically detest or dislike intensely and you don't even know them? They just walk in the room and you cringe. I've had both experiences several times in my life...and try to explain that to even yourself! It's pretty weird.
I like that So(u)lar System term you came up with! Thinking outside the box is something I certainly do, and I also admire that in others. Let's get rid of the parentheses and just call it Soular System, because that makes a lot of sense. I credit you with that excellent idea!


You hit the nail on the head, WITH the center of your hammerhead drive end! I've had those experiences so many times in my life that I lost count a very long time ago. As for people that make me cringe whom I will never trust, I chalk that up to my innate sense of intuition, an ability I've had my entire life. As for feeling as though I've known someone for a long time, there is no rational way to explain that. And it happens without even speaking to each other at first! Weird? Definitely; although, if we think about that we should wonder why it has to be weird. I mean, we have these experiences often enough in our lives to make it a normal occurance, yet when it happens, a weird feeling washes over us, kind of akin to a thrill. Maybe that's why we call it weird, when actually the weirdness is in ourselves. Hmmm! Waxing philosophical here!


Speaking of why the people of the Dark Ages believed in a geocentric universe, it is because there was a story of a battle in the Holy Bible in which the day was prolonged to allow the combatants to continue the fight for an undefined amount of time. Now in our time we know that during extreme circumstances time seems to slow to a crawl, and a battle would certainly fit the bill on that. So what was actually perceived as the Sun stopping in the sky (a miracle) might only be that everyone involved in the fight had this experience in which time slowed to a crawl. Nothing to do with the way the Solar System works.


The point is that the higher ups in the Church interpreted these types of Biblical events as proof that the Earth was the center of all of creation. They then imparted this interpretation as fact to the masses, and any forward thinker smart enough to see the flaws in that was branded a heretic and blasphemer. Galileo is the man that showed proof that they were wrong, and could have been burned at the stake for it. He was a very smart man, though, and he did what anyone in his position should. He acted as though he was repentant for his "errant beliefs", meanwhile continuing his work in astronomy, and writing his books in secret, because he knew that their narrow minded belief system would eventually fall. Now that same church has an astronomy division with their own observatories, and real astronomy is practiced by prominent astronomers at those facilities. And they now consider Galileo as the one that led the march to the truth about that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2016, 12:49:03 PM
Actually that whole thing with the Sun standing still in the battle of Jericho refers to either the Winter or Summer Solstice, I do believe. Why do I believe that? Well because that IS how long the Solstices last before the Sun begins moving north or south again - three days. There is the other matter that before the Hebrews had actual kings, they had 'solar kings' who include Joshua, Samson and Yeshua, to name a few. Samson notably with his long locks being his 'strength'. This refers to the long, and strong rays of the Summer Sun. When he is shorn of his long locks/rays, he is the Winter Sun - weak and ineffective. There's more to him, but that's the jist of it.

This is all actually fairly well known amongst those who study myths and Biblical stories as related to myths (What is it REALLY saying/about??). So, it does have 'something to do with how the Solar System works', hon. The turning of the Stars, Planets and Seasons was referred to as 'The Mill' which existed in the Northern Circumpolar stars - the 'fixed stars'. Samson turning the Mill is the passage of the seasons and the pillars he is between are the Summer and Winter Solstice, as well as being the Pillars of the Temple - Jachin and Boaz.

See? It all works :yes:

Yes, poor Galileo - but praise be he kept at it even in secret. We are fortunate he was not burned at the stake for his ideas.

Well thanks for the compliment on my Soular System 'bright idea'. I had a very long talk one evening with a friend where I worked who was of like mind to think outside the box or expand the box at least, and he agreed as well. That was oh gosh...back in the mid to late 80's I think. He was a very smart man - the head of our Marketing Dept.

As for the immediate something bordering on instant "Warning! Warning Will Robinson" effect some people have, with me it goes beyond the 'instinctual mistrust' thing which I have as well. It's like I don't even want to look at them, hear them or see them...and I know immediately when they enter a room, even if I'm not looking at the door. I stiffen up like a cat with a 'kitty-mohawk'. Hisssssssssss! It's very intense, that feeling. Moreso than just the "Eh, don't even try to talk to this one!"

Glad to hear I'm not alone there...but I know others like this as well. I think it's just so strangely inexplicable to us that yes, it seems 'weird' but really, it's a natural animal reaction - animal instinct. After all, we we do have a primitive part of our brain that a lot of people have effectively shut off because it bothers them and seems somehow dark and evil to them - their 'Psychic Sensor' shuts them down. So much the worse for them. Those are the ones who get bilked by criminals and taken advantage of, largely and sadly.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 25, 2016, 03:26:39 PM
That's interesting info about the Battle of Jericho, and indeed I think you could be right about that. I was just talking about why people in the Dark Ages were so sure that the Earth was the center of the universe, and how it must be faulted to the Church, who read those passages in the Bible and interpreted them as literally meaning that.


It is no secret that most people in the Dark Ages were uneducated and illiterate, and that the people in charge wanted to keep things that way. It was how they maintained their power over the masses. They could tell the people whatever lies or misinterpreted info they wished and the people would believe them, (except for a few, that often suffered for their dissension). That to me is the very definition of tyranny. The Tyrant wants to keep his/her power, and will do whatever he/she thinks will allow him/her to do so. Let one challenge his authority, and that person will likely be made an example of in the harshest possible manner. That's why it all comes down in the end, because the people soon realize their ruler is out only for self, and will step on anybody that gets in their way.


This is why Galileo had to be careful. History would have obviously taken a dramatically different course if he had not done things the way he did.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2016, 04:05:40 PM
Oh I'm well aware of all of that. I've read books on the Spanish Inquisition and the Templars and the Church. One of those great-grandfathers named Raymond was excommunicated 3-4 times for refusing to bow to the Church's demands and demands of the French crown. He was very well educated himself. Tomas de Torquemada was just an evil whack job.  :OMFG:

I think the book "The Spanish Inquisition" is the one by Henry Kamen but I can't find mine at the moment to check if that's the Author. It's quite eye-opening!

There's a fictional book by Umberto Eco called "The Name of the Rose" but it's based in historical facts. Mostly it tells about the revolution of the monk Fra Dolcino (Italian) who formed the Penitents Movement. They took vows of poverty and fought against the Church because of all the corruption and their vast wealth in spite of their calling and words. They couldn't track him down for several years. Their rallying cry was "Penitenziagitae". They made a movie of it that's really good with Sean Connery and Christian Slater, and Ron Perlman. It's also called "The Name of the Rose". 

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 25, 2016, 10:09:44 PM
Will have to look that movie up!


It's things like that that our founding fathers  were trying to protect us against when they wrote the Bill of Rights. The second amendment is of particular importance, as it is first and foremost intended to give us the means to protect ourselves from tyranny, whether it be from foreign or our own government. Some think it means just for protection against other people trying to hurt you, and while that part is true, it is not the main reason for that amendment. The right to own and bear arms is so that we won't be left defenseless when tyranny raises its ugly head.


Well enough on this because we have sufficiently hijacked this thread now. :drHiJack:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 26, 2016, 05:51:50 AM

Well enough on this because we have sufficiently hijacked this thread now. :drHiJack:

Well, in that case then,

SOLAR WIND STORM SPARKS AURORAS: As predicted, a stream of high-speed solar wind hit Earth's magnetic field on Oct. 25th, sparking geomagnetic storms around both poles. There was one episode of strong storming, which registered G3 on NOAA scales of geomagnetic activity, and many hours of lesser disturbances.

While much attention was given to an explosion of green over the Arctic Circle, the Antarctic was equally bright and colorful.  Taichi Nakamura photographed the glow all the way from Dunedin, New Zealand:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Marketa-S-Murray-IMG_0057-Edit_1477402758.jpg)

"Through the pockets of clearance, magical lights poured onto the ocean from the sky," says Nakamura. "The aurora was wide and bright with rows of beams appearing time to time."
More auroras are in the offing. This solar wind stream is broad and fast; it is currently blowing  700+ km/s and is expected to influence our planet for some days to come.  High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras on Oct. 26-27
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on October 26, 2016, 09:27:01 AM
TOTALLY AWESOME!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 26, 2016, 09:34:35 AM
Wow - just WOW! Should be some spectacular videos/photos come out of this.

It'll be interesting to see if there any more 'animals' show up in the auroras.

I can't always help but think of the shirts of gypsies and Spanish Dancers when I see the ones like this. Like layers and layers of petticoats swirling in the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 26, 2016, 05:32:49 PM
Awesome and then some....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2016, 12:35:04 PM
Anyone seen this before?


http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?feature=4753
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2016, 12:41:38 PM
Came across this as well, from 2012. My, what a warm fuzzy thought - rogue black holes roaming the universe:


Although the ejection of a supermassive black hole from a galaxy by recoil because more gravitational waves are being emitted in one direction than another is likely to be rare, it nevertheless could mean that there are many giant black holes roaming undetected out in the vast spaces between galaxies.


http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2012/jun/HQ_12-182_Chandra_Black_Hole_Ejected.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 05, 2016, 01:21:05 PM
Rayvn, these are awesome articles! Thank you for the links!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2016, 02:03:12 PM
You're welcome! I thought they were as well :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on November 06, 2016, 11:25:35 AM
Roaming black holes? Wow...what's my sister doing in space I wonder.

 :thud:

As for Agent hiccup's comment on the bill of right...You should continue that in politics thread, I'd be happy to show you how what you spat out is merely the traditional brainwashed version of it.

 :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 06, 2016, 01:30:32 PM
Roaming black holes? Wow...what's my sister doing in space I wonder.

 :thud:

As for Agent hiccup's comment on the bill of right...You should continue that in politics thread, I'd be happy to show you how what you spat out is merely the traditional brainwashed version of it.

 :java:
What I spat out was just a simple statement, not meant to be the full explanation. I know what the second amendment says. No need to be shown anything about it, because I've heard every argument concerning this that there is. I have my opinion, and we shall leave it at that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2016, 04:38:57 PM
'CANYON OF FIRE' OPENS, SPITS A CME TOWARD EARTH: Yesterday, Nov. 5th, a filament of magnetism in the sun's northern hemisphere became unstable and erupted. The blast split the sun's atmosphere, hurling a CME into space and creating a "canyon of fire," shown here in a movie recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory:

The glowing walls of the canyon trace the original channel where the filament was suspended by magnetic forces above the sun's surface. From end to end, the structure stretches more than 200,000 km--a real Grand Canyon.

Fragments of the exploding filament formed the core of a CME that raced away from the sun faster than a million mph: movie. NOAA analysts have modeled the trajectory of the CME and concluded that it will probably strike Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 8th. The impact could spark G1-class geomagnetic storms and auroras at high latitudes.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 06, 2016, 04:48:15 PM
'CANYON OF FIRE' OPENS, SPITS A CME TOWARD EARTH: Yesterday, Nov. 5th, a filament of magnetism in the sun's northern hemisphere became unstable and erupted. The blast split the sun's atmosphere, hurling a CME into space and creating a "canyon of fire," shown here in a movie recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory:

The glowing walls of the canyon trace the original channel where the filament was suspended by magnetic forces above the sun's surface. From end to end, the structure stretches more than 200,000 km--a real Grand Canyon.

--snip--


Where's "here"? We demand pictures! :tearlaugh:




Here's a beauty for you!


http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161029.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 06, 2016, 04:57:23 PM
'CANYON OF FIRE' OPENS, SPITS A CME TOWARD EARTH: Yesterday, Nov. 5th, a filament of magnetism in the sun's northern hemisphere became unstable and erupted. The blast split the sun's atmosphere, hurling a CME into space and creating a "canyon of fire," shown here in a movie recorded by the Solar Dynamics Observatory:

The glowing walls of the canyon trace the original channel where the filament was suspended by magnetic forces above the sun's surface. From end to end, the structure stretches more than 200,000 km--a real Grand Canyon.

Fragments of the exploding filament formed the core of a CME that raced away from the sun faster than a million mph: movie. NOAA analysts have modeled the trajectory of the CME and concluded that it will probably strike Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 8th. The impact could spark G1-class geomagnetic storms and auroras at high latitudes.
I'm with Rayvn, demanding pictures! Mmm Hmmm!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2016, 04:57:26 PM
Wasn't specified in the article regrettably

Went back and double checked to see if I could pin it down and sadly no I could not
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2016, 04:58:17 PM
The only picture we have is the home page

http://spaceweather.com/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 06, 2016, 05:40:48 PM
Bummer but thanks for checking, J. The one on the article isn't much to look at, is it?

Maybe in a while here, APOD will have a longer video of it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 10, 2016, 08:55:56 AM
TARDY CME SPARKS AURORAS OVER ALASKA: Arriving hours later than expected, a CME brushed past Earth's magnetic field on Nov. 9th at approximately 0600 UT.  At first the weak impact did little to spark geomagnetic activity. As Earth passed through the CME's magnetized wake, however, auroras did appear.  Marketa Murray sends this picture from a spot outside Fairbanks, Alaska:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Marketa-Murray-IMG_8678-Edit_1478703155.jpg)

"The CME arrived midnight Alaska time and we had amazing red auroras," says Murray.
In parts of Alaska, the light show lasted for hours. "A big campfire   and a beautiful all-night aurora dance kept me warm and entertained in   Alaska's chilly Interior near Nenana until 4:30 am," reports Todd   Salat, who witnessed his own amazing display (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=130617).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 10, 2016, 09:10:06 AM
Just WOW!!! That is all...*WOW*!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 10, 2016, 09:16:46 AM
The link at the end of the post has more *wow* pictures as I am sure you already know

I thought it was way cool
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 10, 2016, 09:39:01 AM
I like that she called it a 'dance'. It is. It's a splendid, awesome dance.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 10, 2016, 09:41:36 AM
Absolutely it is ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 10, 2016, 12:19:19 PM
Such ethereal beauty! I love auroras!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 10, 2016, 04:37:59 PM
I can well understand why people stay out in those freezing temps all night long - and it's COLD! - to watch them and photograph or record them. They're THEE BEST light-show that ever was. Almost 'psychedelic'! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 10, 2016, 09:13:13 PM
For those of you that have more money then you know what to do with

   which methinks is something that is not common here

try this...

http://www.auroraholidays.net/ (http://www.auroraholidays.net/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 10, 2016, 09:26:39 PM
:tearlaugh: Do you know anyone like that? I don't.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 10, 2016, 09:31:56 PM
Hey, I want one of those proper high quality Finnish cabins to live in!

I've seen some crazy vacations - and yes only with people who have more $$ than they know what to do with. I don't know about the one where you get to stay in a submerged room with plexiglass walls and a very large aquarium all around you. I'd be a bit nervous about going to sleep. You know?! Yes, it's got sharks, etc.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 11, 2016, 01:24:15 AM
Hey, I want one of those proper high quality Finnish cabins to live in!

I've seen some crazy vacations - and yes only with people who have more $$ than they know what to do with. I don't know about the one where you get to stay in a submerged room with plexiglass walls and a very large aquarium all around you. I'd be a bit nervous about going to sleep. You know?! Yes, it's got sharks, etc.
I think I'd be more scared of the giant squid!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 12, 2016, 01:09:58 PM
THE BIGGEST FULL MOON IN ALMOST 70 YEARS: On Monday, Nov. 14th, there's going to be a full Moon--the biggest and brightest in almost 70 years. The best time to look in North America is before sunrise on Monday morning, while in Europe the best time is after sunset on the same day.

"The last time we had such a close full Moon was January 26, 1948," says Geoff Chester of the US Naval Observatory, "and it won't happen again until November 25, 2034."

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Piotr-Majewski-2011-11-11_Moon_by_numbers_web_1478867427.jpg)

Full moons vary in size because the Moon's orbit is not a circle, it's   an ellipse: diagram (http://spaceweather.com/images2015/03mar15/diagram.gif). One side of the Moon's orbit, called "perigee," is 50,000 km closer to Earth than the other side, "apogee." This Monday's "supermoon" becomes full   about 2 hours away from perigee, a coincidence that makes it as much as 14% bigger and 30% brighter than lesser   moons we have seen in the past.
But will we be able to tell the difference ... just by looking?  A   30% difference in brightness can easily be masked by clouds or the    glare of urban lights.  Also, there are no rulers floating in   the sky to measure lunar diameters. Hanging high overhead with no   reference points to provide a sense of scale, one full Moon looks much   like any other.
"I think that the hype over the term 'supermoon' is a bit overblown,"   says Chester.  "In my book every full Moon has something to offer!"
To get the most out of Monday's apparition, try to catch the Moon just as it is rising or setting. This will activate the Moon Illusion (http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/space/blogs/why-nobody-can-explain-the-moon-illusion) and make the perigee Moon of Nov. 14th look super, indeed.



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 12, 2016, 01:13:45 PM
ROCKET PHOTOBOMBS AURORA OUTBURST: Last night in Sweden, aurora tour guide Oliver Wright led a group of 8 under the starry skies of Abisko National Park hoping for a glimpse of the aurora borealis. "Suddenly," says Wright, "one of the guests shouted what's that? "I grabbed my binoculars and saw this amazing crescent-shaped thing moving slowly across the sky."  It was not the aurora borealis:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Oliver-Wright-D09A0293_1478906177.jpg)


"I had never seen anything like it," says Wright, "so I called Chad Blakley of   Lights over Lapland, and he confirmed that his live webcam saw it too (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=130644)." A four-frame animation (http://gifmaker.cc/PlayFrameAnimation.php?folder=20161111112AQX0Bxv76PGdc8vW3ijQl) shows it moving slowly across the sky for more than 20 minutes.
What was it?  Mystery solved: Earlier in the day, an Atlas V rocket blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California carrying the Worldview 4 (http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/11/11/commercial-satellite-launched-to-image-the-earth-in-high-resolution/) satellite to orbit.  Later, the   rocket's Centaur upper stage vented its excess fuel, creating the   ghostly cloud over Sweden.
 
For Wright and his guests, the show was far from over. "A huge aurora started to develop around the Moon and became a   magnificent corona above our heads," he says. This is a 1/2 second exposure:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Oliver-Wright-D09A0263_1478906177.jpg)


"It was moving super fast--the fastest corona I've seen in 3 years of guiding," says Wright. "In the end we had some super   happy guests and a super happy guide!"

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Oliver-Wright-D09A0280_1478906177.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2016, 02:41:41 PM


JUST A REMINDER........

THE BIGGEST FULL MOON IN ALMOST 70 YEARS: On Monday, Nov. 14th, there's going to be a full Moon--the biggest and brightest in almost 70 years. The best time to look in North America is before sunrise on Monday morning, while in Europe the best time is after sunset on the same day.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2016, 03:27:46 PM
Waohhhhhh wonderful auroras captures!

For the Moon, except if the weather is changing, i have no hope. We had a sea of clouds all the day. :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2016, 04:13:29 PM
If you can't watch it live Aelin...try watching it  at SLOOH (http://live.slooh.com/stadium/live/mega-beaver-moon)....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 13, 2016, 04:33:01 PM
Thank you for the link!
But the video gives a countdown 2 days 27mn 20 seconds :thud: So it's the November 15th???
Forget, the "day" is hours :psycho:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 13, 2016, 04:37:31 PM
 :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 03, 2016, 12:16:47 PM
WATCH OUT FOR THE DA VINCI GLOW: If you go outside tonight to witness the meeting of Venus and the crescent Moon, pay special attention to the Moon.  Cradled between the arms of the slender crescent is a display of light and shadow that puzzled sky watchers for thousands of years--until Leonardo da Vinci figured it out. It's the "Da Vinci glow,"  also known as Earthshine:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Richard-Sears-crescentmoondec1-007_1480650811.jpg)

Richard Sears of Merced, California, took the picture last night. "I was getting ready for the Venus-Moon conjunction," he says.  "The Earthshine was gorgeous."

For much of human history, people marveled at the faint image of the full Moon inside the arms of the crescent. Where did it come from? No one knew until the 16th century when Leonardo figured it out.  He realized that dark lunar terrain was being illuminated by sunlight reflected from Earth.

Visualizing this in the 1500s required a wild kind of imagination. No one had ever been to the Moon and looked "up" at Earth. Most people didn't even know that Earth orbited the sun. Copernicus' sun-centered theory of the solar system wasn't published until 1543, twenty-four years after Leonardo died.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2016/02dec16/dinasso.jpg?PHPSESSID=6dertrl0cu5kbsmeg4ljvskq14)

Wild imagination, however, was one thing Leonardo had in abundance. His notebooks are filled with sketches of flying machines, army tanks, scuba gear and other fantastic devices centuries ahead of their time.

In Leonardo's Codex Leicester, circa 1510, there is a page entitled "Of the Moon: No Solid Body is Lighter than Air." He states his belief that the "ghostly glow" is due to sunlight bouncing off Earth's oceans and, in turn, hitting the Moon.  500 years later, we know that Earth's clouds (not oceans) do most of the reflecting; but that is a quibble. Leonardo understood the basics well enough.

Go outside tonight and look to the sky. The Da Vinci Glow is waiting....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 03, 2016, 12:17:08 PM
SATURDAY NIGHT LIGHTS:

Venus and the Moon are doing it again--putting on a show in the sunset sky. Look for them in the southwest just after sundown. If possible, go outside before the sky fades completely black. For reasons     no scientist can explain, these two heavenly bodies are especially beautiful   when surrounded by twilight blue.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 03, 2016, 01:35:12 PM
I've known about Earth-shine for most of my life, having seen it when I was 8, and asking about it. I was directed to the school library and found a book explaining it.


The name Da Vinci Glow was not something I ever learned about that, and I think it is a better name for it. Da Vinci is my Idol.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2016, 09:27:37 AM
GEMINID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is entering a stream of gravelly debris from "rock comet" 3200 Phaethon, source of the annual Geminid meteor shower. This is causing a drizzle of meteors ahead of the shower's peak on Dec. 13-14. Just last night, Brian Emfinger watched a Geminid fireball burn up above Pinnacle Mountain near Little Rock, Arkansas:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Brian-Emfinger--IMG_6579_1481292617.jpg)

"Despite bright moonlight and the city lights of nearby Little Rock, this fireball was easy to see," says Emfinger.
 At the moment, Geminid rates are scarcely more than a few per hour. Sightings will increase in the nights ahead as Earth plunges   deeper     into the rock comet's debris zone. By the time peak night arrives, rates could be as high as 20 or 30 per hour--less than usual because of glare from the full Moon, but still a nice display. For observers in both hemispheres, the best time to look is during the hours between local midnight and sunrise on Wednesday, Dec. 14th. [sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2016/08dec16/skymap.png?PHPSESSID=7ubft4nemljdnaefijj0817vk2)]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2016, 09:28:02 AM
SOLAR WIND CAUSING MAGNETIC UNREST: This weekend, solar wind is blowing around Earth faster than 600 km/s -- more than twice as fast as usual. This is causing magnetic unrest and intermittent auroras around the Arctic Circle.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 11, 2016, 09:53:34 AM
Twice as fast as usual? That doesn't sound good.

Would that perhaps provoke web-related issues with servers?

That is a nice bright fireball! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 11, 2016, 11:51:22 AM
Somewhere in one of the threads in SpaceWeather I did read that yes, there may be instances of blackouts in various places.  I'm glad SW finally got on FB...it's more fun to follow there LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 13, 2016, 09:32:49 PM

A comet is making a close approach to the Sun beginning in the middle of this month and lasting into late January. It is making it's closest approach to the Sun in several years. This comet's orbitasl period is about 5 years. It's magnitude will make it at least a bright binocular observable object as it drops below magnitude 10. (Higher magnitudes are dimmer while lower ones are brighter.) Here is the name of the comet:
45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova


You may view an article concerning it here:
http://cometography.com/pcomets/045p.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 13, 2016, 09:49:36 PM
Another cool place to visit....I checked my links and didn't see it...but that doesn't mean I don't have the link somewhere other than where it's supposed to be :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 13, 2016, 09:53:14 PM
Ooooo - Didn't know about this one... I'll have to nose around a bit. Looks like some interesting stuff!

I love space related topics - always have. Even my 5th grade teacher said I should make a career out of it because I had a head full of space....

Still not quite sure how to take that...... :ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 13, 2016, 10:14:02 PM
:iminnocent: :cool:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 13, 2016, 10:23:19 PM
Ooooo - Didn't know about this one... I'll have to nose around a bit. Looks like some interesting stuff!

I love space related topics - always have. Even my 5th grade teacher said I should make a career out of it because I had a head full of space....

Still not quite sure how to take that...... :ummm:
Almost blew tea through me nostrils on that one! :tearlaugh:


Currently I'm on the lookout for more current astronomical news. Will post what I find if it seems of great interest.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 13, 2016, 10:29:54 PM
Ooooo - Didn't know about this one... I'll have to nose around a bit. Looks like some interesting stuff!

I love space related topics - always have. Even my 5th grade teacher said I should make a career out of it because I had a head full of space....

Still not quite sure how to take that...... :ummm:

:tearlaugh: Thanks for the giggles, Rod.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 14, 2016, 04:50:19 AM

I love space related topics - always have. Even my 5th grade teacher said I should make a career out of it because I had a head full of space....

Still not quite sure how to take that...... :ummm:

Better than being told ye have a headful of oatmeal
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2016, 10:25:57 AM
And exactly who told you that "J".... :java: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 14, 2016, 07:11:49 PM
Probably one of my previous teachers ... or was that Professor Grossclout from the Xanth series by Piers Anthony

 :tearlaugh:

Or was it me saying it to my students :ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 14, 2016, 07:31:48 PM
Better than being told ye have a headful of oatmeal

Indeed.... I prefer the oatmeal to reside a little lower in the organ stack.......  :choco:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 14, 2016, 07:37:35 PM
Indeed.... I prefer the oatmeal to reside a little lower in the organ stack.......  :choco:

Me three
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2016, 08:43:38 PM
And thankfully I never could stand the stuff :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 14, 2016, 09:13:45 PM
Cooked to a creamy consistency, with blueberries or strawberries, a touch of brown sugar, a bit of milk, and maybe just a touch of maple syrup...... On a cold winter's morning... I'm talking tongue-gasm, here...

 :feelgood:

And of course, finish off with a nice, hot  :java: I could almost like winter. Almost.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 14, 2016, 09:15:41 PM
It always reminded me of chunky vomit :java:   Just saying.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 14, 2016, 09:36:46 PM
EEEEYYYYYUUUUUUUWWWWWW

 :IMtired:

 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 15, 2016, 04:53:05 AM
Leave to him to ruin a good snack
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 15, 2016, 10:28:09 AM
You're more then welcome :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 15, 2016, 05:29:37 PM
:@u:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 15, 2016, 07:28:06 PM
 :nanana: as well....

I think I'll have some oatmeal for supper!  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 15, 2016, 07:34:55 PM
Purple oatmeal from a Galaxy far, far away. (que therion music)

IT CAME FROM OUTER MONGOLIA...! That's our new Space Station. Ya? 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 15, 2016, 07:50:38 PM
:nanana: as well....

I think I'll have some oatmeal for supper!  :tearlaugh:

If I see any drunks wandering through I'll have them barf some up for ya :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 15, 2016, 07:51:26 PM
Purple oatmeal from a Galaxy far, far away. (que therion music)

IT CAME FROM OUTER MONGOLIA...! That's our new Space Station. Ya? 

 :shiv2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 15, 2016, 08:06:19 PM
Purple oatmeal from a Galaxy far, far away. (que therion music)

IT CAME FROM OUTER MONGOLIA...! That's our new Space Station. Ya?

Only when I put blueberries in it, my dear......  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 15, 2016, 08:09:08 PM
If I see any drunks wandering through I'll have them barf some up for ya :java:

 :o_go_on: :IMtired:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 21, 2016, 04:44:19 PM
URSID METEOR SHOWER:

Earth is passing through a filament of debris from comet 8P/Tuttle, source of the annual Ursid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Dec. 22nd with 5 to 10 meteors per hour flying out of the constellation Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper). The display is usually mild, but outbursts of Ursids occasionally surprise observers with rates many times normal. Monitor the realtime meteor gallery for sightings.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 21, 2016, 04:45:58 PM
HIGH NOON INSIDE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE: With a geomagnetic storm underway, long Arctic nights filled with auroras can be indescribably beautiful. But the short days have something to offer, too.  Witness this photo, taken by Chris Hodgson at "high noon" on Dec. 21st more than 250 kilometers inside the Arctic Circle:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Chris-Hodgson-IMG_1641_2_3_1482336619.jpg)

"The sun never made it above the horizon," says Hodgson, "but we could see its twilight glow painting the icy landscape with colors I had never   seen before. This lasted for about 4 hours before darkness resumed."
 
 Hodgson, a tour guide for Lights over Lapland (http://lightsoverlapland.com/webcams/), took the picture from the shore of Lake Torneträsk near Björkliden, Sweden. More images of polar noon may be found here (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=131629) and here (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=131617).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 21, 2016, 04:46:32 PM
SOLSTICE GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A moderate G2-class geomagnetic storm is underway on Dec. 21st as Earth moves into a stream of solar wind blowing out of a huge hole in the sun's atmosphere.  High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.  The hours around local midnight are usually the best times to watch.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 21, 2016, 04:48:11 PM
LONG NIGHTS, BRIGHT AURORAS:

Talk about perfect timing.  On Dec. 21st, the northern winter solstice, a solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field, filling the long hours of polar darkness with bright auroras. Marketa S. Murray photographed this magnificent outburst over the countryside near Fairbanks, Alaska:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Marketa-S-Murray-IMG_8734-Edit_1482293338.jpg)

"It's a winter wonderland up here," says Murray. "We got 8 inches of fresh snow, clear skies, and the auroras are amazing."
This is just the beginning. The solar wind stream is broad and Earth   is expected to remain inside it for days. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of continued polar magnetic storms on Dec. 21-22. These are the   longest nights of the year in the northern hemisphere, so Arctic sky   watchers will have plenty of darkness for aurora sightings (http://spaceweathergallery.com/aurora_gallery.html).                           
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 21, 2016, 04:57:16 PM
That's a pretty display!! Very powerful looking too!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 21, 2016, 05:46:32 PM
To view the meteor shower  you only need to look toward the North Star which happens to be the end star in the asterism known as the Little Dipper, and that in turn is the main part of Ursa Minor.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on December 21, 2016, 10:29:46 PM
Well, that and make these $%^@#^&^&% #$% clouds go somewhere else.....  :sadder:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 21, 2016, 10:47:16 PM
I know...we have a 'grey blanket' here. Not that I can see the Northern Sky anyway here, because I'm facing west and there's a lot of trees to the north and east of me. Ah well.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 21, 2016, 10:57:06 PM
Well, here's something for your satisfaction :smiley:


https://youtu.be/s6zR2T9vn2c
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 21, 2016, 11:11:36 PM
Scientists know what the cause of the aurora is, but they cannot explain how they do what they do. Kind of makes one believe more in natural magic. I think it would be a travesty if they were ever able to discover the secrets of the aurora.


Let there be some mystery in nature! It enriches our lives!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 21, 2016, 11:19:29 PM
There are thousands of mysteries in Nature. I don't think we'll be running out anytime soon.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 22, 2016, 12:40:53 AM
Yep, and all of them have their own type of beauty!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 26, 2017, 05:12:44 AM
Having problems buying the unique gift for your loved one on Valentines, Look no further:

FAR-OUT VALENTINE'S GIFT: To raise money for their cosmic ray ballooning program, the students of Earth to Sky Calculus have flown a payload-full of Valentine's pendants to the edge of space--and you can have one for $89.95. Buy one this week and we will include a space rose free of charge.

(http://earthtosky.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/startdust1_strip.jpg)

Each glittering pendant comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry   in flight and certifying that it has been to the stratosphere and back   again.
More far-out Valentine's gifts may be found in the Earth to Sky   store (http://earthtosky.net/shop?orderby=date). All proceeds support cosmic ray balloon flights and STEM education.                           
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 26, 2017, 05:14:20 AM
SUNSPOT GENESIS: Barely visible only 24 hours ago, a new sunspot group big enough to swallow Earth is bubbling up through the solar surface. Watch the rapid genesis of this new active region in a movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/25jan17/sunspot_anim3.gif?PHPSESSID=pet9qugfcoksj2m5eg0v2cn9l2)

In recent months sunspot numbers have plummeted as the solar cycle crashes (http://news.spaceweather.com/sunspot-cycle-at-lowest-level-in-5-years/) toward a new and deep Solar Minimum expected in 2019-2020. So what is this sunspot doing here? It's a reminder that the sun can produce spots at all phases of the solar cycle. Individual sunspots are completely unpredictable and may appear without notice at any time. Even during the great Maunder Minimum (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maunder_Minimum) of the 17th century, a handful of sunspots were typically observed each year. This is important because sunspots produce solar flares. As a result, occasionally Solar Minimum  explodes (https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2005/15sep_solarminexplodes) with solar flare activity.
So far,    baby sunspot AR2629 poses no threat for strong solar flares; its magnetic field   is too stable for such explosions. However, this could change if its development proceeds apace. Stay tuned for updates.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 26, 2017, 05:15:28 AM
CORONAL HOLE FACES EARTH: A hole in the sun's atmosphere is directly facing Earth, and it is spewing a stream of solar wind in our direction. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure during the early hours of Jan. 24th:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/24jan17/ch_strip.jpg)

This is a "coronal hole" (CH)--a region in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape to escape. The emerging stream of gas should reach Earth on  Jan. 27th or 28th and influence our planet for 2 to 3 days. Arctic sky watchers, mark your calendars.  Auroras are in   the offing later this week.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 26, 2017, 03:55:32 PM
They showed the size comparison of the hole the size of earth...Earth would be swallowed by it three times over.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 31, 2017, 08:36:39 PM
Can just now see a lovely conjunction between the Moon and Venus in the western sky. Pretty!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on January 31, 2017, 09:15:01 PM
There are thousands of mysteries in Nature. I don't think we'll be running out anytime soon.

And I hope most of them remain mysteries.... They have far more appeal when they do...  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 31, 2017, 09:43:48 PM
And I hope most of them remain mysteries.... They have far more appeal when they do...  :java:

Waves.... Hi Rod!

I think a lot of them will - especially the ones 'out there'.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 01, 2017, 07:59:47 AM
Hi RodS....and I agree with you 100%

Ummm....Exactly where did you get that coffee? 

If you got it at the Coffee Shoppe.....  It was made by Kianna...which is why there is always plenty left....

Fafnir has his staff keep the coffee they make in the back room...just for me and a select group of coffee drinkers.....and you are now one of the selcted...  :java: Ahhhhhh
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 01, 2017, 08:11:41 PM
Why thank'ee kindly good sir! Now I can be sure I'm  :java: in safety and good company - kinda makes me feel all  :feelgood: inside. Just thinking about Kianna making the coffee makes me  :cry2: and I'm sure if I got a taste of it my reaction would be something like  :achoo: .
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 01, 2017, 08:13:27 PM
Waves.... Hi Rod!

I think a lot of them will - especially the ones 'out there'.

I like the 'out there' ones the best  :thumb_up: It gets the imagination working, and makes great story material...  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 02, 2017, 12:17:43 AM
I would be happy to understand even a third of what is Here, much less out there. Not that 'out there' isn't all you said, but there are so many undiscovered reasons for some of the weirdness on this planet and things our ancestors did. There's some very trippy stuff scattered around the globe that isn't quite as explicable as we have been taught to believe.  Either way, you get some great ideas from all of it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 02, 2017, 10:59:44 PM
I would be happy to understand even a third of what is Here, much less out there. Not that 'out there' isn't all you said, but there are so many undiscovered reasons for some of the weirdness on this planet and things our ancestors did. There's some very trippy stuff scattered around the globe that isn't quite as explicable as we have been taught to believe.  Either way, you get some great ideas from all of it.

Very true - plenty of VERY strange (and fascinating) things on this planet that defy explanation...

A few years ago I was watching a show - I think it was on the History Channel - about some of the ancient structures that have been discovered in Central / South America. The usual Inca-Aztec stuff... How they built some of the cities and structures; how they managed to cut rocks with precision we're hard-pressed to rival today even with all our technology. But what got the goose-bumps going was a structure they showed that no one could explain. It was a long, straight stone ramp that rose at a gentle angle, and ended at the edge of a cliff. In the EXACT center of the ramp was a slot running the entire length of the ramp. The slot did not vary in depth or width at all along it's entire length. And the ramp faced into the prevailing wind. The thought that I had at that moment was "That is a launch ramp!"   :OMFG: Makes one wonder, especially after all those little golden airplane-shaped items they've found.

Now, I'm intrigued again... I'll have to do some Googling this weekend...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 02, 2017, 11:34:30 PM
There wasn't some kind of dump at the bottom of it perhaps? The slab wasn't heaved upward perhaps?

There are grooves in stone at Machu-Pichu and also in other places that are very hard to explain. There were two stone doors that went to inside one of their large buildings and I think they weighed 2 tons each. You could push them open with your finger when they were hung on their 'hinges'.

Look at the cup and ball joints on the lintels at Stonehenge. How were the stones lintel and shaft stones  for the Great Pyramid cut so perfectly. They're cut in sections that when placed together are perfectly smooth. How'd they get the sarcophagus in the King's Chamber up there? It's too large to fit through the gallery entrance and I believe is made of an entirely different stone from the rest - very nice granite. You supposedly came out 'changed' from spending the night in that sarcophagus...you saw and heard things you don't normally hear or see/experience. They're all amazing things. And so many questions......
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2017, 07:43:21 PM
Now this is pretty cool....On August 21st we will have "The Great American Total Solar Eclipse" (http://www.space.com/33797-total-solar-eclipse-2017-guide.html)

Plus other major events...Check out the Space Calendar (http://www.space.com/32286-space-calendar.html) from Space.com (http://www.space.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 03, 2017, 09:01:35 PM
I saw that on NASA... And Kansas City is directly in the center of the track! The Inspire WILL be in the air when it happens!  :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 04, 2017, 09:31:39 AM
I love the NASA site also.....and yes...this will be AWESOME.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 08, 2017, 09:33:17 PM
LUNAR ECLIPSE THIS FRIDAY NIGHT: The full Moon will lose some of its usual luster on Friday night, Feb. 10th, as an eerie shadow creeps across the lunar disk.  It's a penumbral lunar eclipse, visible from parts of every continent except Australia.

A penumbral eclipse happens when the Moon passes through the pale outskirts of Earth's shadow. It is much less dramatic than a total lunar eclipse. In fact, when observers are not alerted beforehand, they sometimes do not realize an eclipse is underway. Nevertheless, the shadow of Earth can be plainly visible to the naked eye.

The best time to look is Friday night around 07:44 p.m. Eastern Time (00:44 UT Saturday).  That's the time of maximum coverage when Earth's shadow creates a clear gradient of light and shadow across the lunar disk. Check out this global visibility map to see if you are in the eclipse zone:

(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2017/08feb17/visibilitymap.jpg?PHPSESSID=qefibginlg9p3kb4frnm0kifi7)

According to folklore, a full Moon in February is called the "Snow Moon."  For northerners, it often feels like the brightest Moon of the year as moonlight glistens off the white landscape. For a while on Friday night, the Snow Moon won't seem quite so bright.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 11, 2017, 10:45:31 PM
Ah well there was another rather strange sign and portent in the sky last evening and I think this evening as well......

http://news.spaceweather.com/2017/02/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 12, 2017, 11:57:15 AM
I saw some of the online photos being sent into various sites including Space.com...they look pretty darn cool.  Most are amateur but with a keen eye LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 12, 2017, 11:59:34 AM
Here is another cool place to visit.... Sky and Telescope (http://www.skyandtelescope.com/astronomy-news/comet-45p-closing-in-for-weekend-flyby/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 23, 2017, 11:32:03 AM
Well here you go, if you like brown dwarfs:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/11/161115110909.htm
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 23, 2017, 11:44:32 AM
I love everything Spacy......Hmmmm.....Maybe I should have put that a different way :tearlaugh:

Thanks though...that was a good read...and of course...I couldn't stop there LOL...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 23, 2017, 11:48:32 AM
:tearlaugh: Girls too? Spacey, ditzy girls - hahahaha.

We love space. Yes. 'Tis an endlessly fascinating and mysterious place out there. You're welcome and let's just hope it doesn't come trundling through here!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 23, 2017, 11:58:10 AM
Yes....some Spacey Girls are fun to have around....for 5 or 10 minutes....LOLOL....

Here you go....I return the Favor Discovery of 7 Earth Sized Planets (http://www.space.com/35803-trappist-1-planets-alien-life.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 23, 2017, 12:38:51 PM
Yes....some Spacey Girls are fun to have around....for 5 or 10 minutes....LOLOL....

Here you go....I return the Favor Discovery of 7 Earth Sized Planets (http://www.space.com/35803-trappist-1-planets-alien-life.html)


Uh, you can keep the spacey girls. Lol.

That star is only about the size of Jupiter? Not that that is small, but for a sun, it is. Well, I guess if we're around long enough we shall see what they discover there!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 23, 2017, 02:19:17 PM
The star is between red and brown dwarves. The reason of its size. But we can say fortunately for planets when we see their orbits!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 23, 2017, 07:43:47 PM
Yes....some Spacey Girls are fun to have around....for 5 or 10 minutes....LOLOL....

Here you go....I return the Favor Discovery of 7 Earth Sized Planets (http://www.space.com/35803-trappist-1-planets-alien-life.html)


I actually got goose bumps when I saw that announcement...... Seven! And at least 3 in the habitable zone! What are the odds......  :abacus:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 24, 2017, 12:41:27 PM
I know what you mean....it's pretty amazing for sure.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 25, 2017, 05:31:18 PM
ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE: Something strange is about to happen to sunbeams in the southern hemisphere. On Sunday, Feb. 26th, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, covering as much as 99% of the solar disk. It's an annular solar eclipse, shown here in an animation from

www.ShadowandSubstance.com:

Directly under the Arctic Circle! Marianne's Arctic Xpress in Tromsø offers fjord, whale and wildlife tours by day, aurora tours by night. Book Now for out of this world day and night adventures.
       
Annular eclipses occur when the Moon passes dead center in front of the sun, but does not completely cover it. At maximum eclipse, an intense "ring of fire" surrounds the mountainous limb of the Moon.

The narrow path of annularity snakes across five countries: Chile and Argentina in South America; Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia in Africa. People in those countries can see the ring of fire for almost a minute and a half. Outside that path, the eclipse will be partial.  This means the sun will turn into a crescent—a slender one near the path of annularity and a fatter one away from it. Caution: Always use safe solar filters to observe the sun.

Observers in the eclipse zone are encouraged to look down as well--for instance, at the sun-dappled ground beneath leafy trees.  The sight of a thousand crescent-shaped sunbeams swaying back and forth on a grassy lawn or sidewalk is unforgettable.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 26, 2017, 10:40:39 AM
Location and weather.....Two factors that will prevent this being seen by the majority I'm thinking....but cool none the less....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 28, 2017, 05:28:33 AM
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Sunday, Feb. 26th, the Moon passed in front of the sun, off-center, transforming the solar disk into a crescent across much of Earth's southern hemisphere.  Oleg Toumilovitch sends this picture from Johannesburg, South Africa:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Oleg-Toumilovitch-20170226_solar_eclipse_O_Toumilovitch_1488139865.jpg)


"I caught the last moments of the eclipse just before sunset," says Toumilovitch.
While hundreds of millions of people witnessed a crescent sun, a much   smaller number saw the "ring of fire."  In a narrow path stretching   across the southern reaches of South America and parts of Africa, the   Moon passed directly in front of the sun, covering 99% of the   solar disk. This allowed a fiery annulus of solar plasma to circumscribe   the mountainous limb of the Moon.
 
Petr Horalek photographed the deep annular eclipse from Facundo, Argentina:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Petr-Horalek-2017_02_26_Facundo_ZS_Postupka_1500px_1488161467.png)

 
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
A full-sized image (http://spaceweather.com/images2017/27feb17/patagonia.png?PHPSESSID=s7kgi1ip8gk3578f6kg9517j45) clearly shows the ring-shaped sun.

"What a wonderful experience," says Horalek. "In Patagonia, we witnessed   the deep   and incredibly short annular solar eclipse (duration about 47 sec.) in a   blue sky with absolutely no cloud! The eclipse was so deep that the   environment grew darker and all   the shadows were drab. The place we chose was just a few dozens of   meters   from pleasant campsite, on the shore of small river close to Facundo   village in Chubut, Argentina."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 28, 2017, 05:29:04 AM
SUNSET PLANETS: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west.  The skinny crescent Moon is shining alongside Venus in the twilight sky.  Got a small telescope?  Point it at Venus. The planet has phases, and it is a crescent, too!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 28, 2017, 05:30:19 AM
SOLAR WIND, INCOMING: A canyon-shaped hole in the sun's atmosphere is spewing a stream of solar wind toward Earth. Polar geomagnetic storms could begin as early as Feb. 28th when the leading edge of the stream reaches our planet. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of G1-class storms on March 1st when Earth is fully enveloped by the fast-moving solar wind.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/27feb17/ch_strip.jpg)

The   source of the solar wind is a coronal hole (CH)--a region in the sun's   atmosphere where the magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to   escape.  NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure, above, on Feb. 27th. Researchers call this a "negative-polarity" coronal hole because it contains south-pointing (that is, "negative") magnetic fields that tend to be very effective in causing geomagnetic storms when they reach Earth. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for bright auroras in the nights ahead.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 28, 2017, 07:07:07 AM
SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE SOLAR ECLIPSE: On Sunday, Feb. 26th, the Moon passed in front of the sun, off-center, transforming the solar disk into a crescent across much of Earth's southern hemisphere.  Oleg Toumilovitch sends this picture from Johannesburg, South Africa:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Oleg-Toumilovitch-20170226_solar_eclipse_O_Toumilovitch_1488139865.jpg)
Colors are amazing!

"I caught the last moments of the eclipse just before sunset," says Toumilovitch.
While hundreds of millions of people witnessed a crescent sun, a much   smaller number saw the "ring of fire."  In a narrow path stretching   across the southern reaches of South America and parts of Africa, the   Moon passed directly in front of the sun, covering 99% of the   solar disk. This allowed a fiery annulus of solar plasma to circumscribe   the mountainous limb of the Moon.
 
Petr Horalek photographed the deep annular eclipse from Facundo, Argentina:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Petr-Horalek-2017_02_26_Facundo_ZS_Postupka_1500px_1488161467.png)

 
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
(http://spaceweather.com/site_images/spacer.gif)
A full-sized image (http://spaceweather.com/images2017/27feb17/patagonia.png?PHPSESSID=s7kgi1ip8gk3578f6kg9517j45) clearly shows the ring-shaped sun.

"What a wonderful experience," says Horalek. "In Patagonia, we witnessed   the deep   and incredibly short annular solar eclipse (duration about 47 sec.) in a   blue sky with absolutely no cloud! The eclipse was so deep that the   environment grew darker and all   the shadows were drab. The place we chose was just a few dozens of   meters   from pleasant campsite, on the shore of small river close to Facundo   village in Chubut, Argentina."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 28, 2017, 07:55:26 AM
SUNSET PLANETS: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west.  The skinny crescent Moon is shining alongside Venus in the twilight sky.  Got a small telescope?  Point it at Venus. The planet has phases, and it is a crescent, too!


This is why Venus was called 'the Daughter of the Moon' originally...until they started changing things...because it too has crescent phases.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 20, 2017, 09:59:29 PM
On a different subject, but definitely related to astronomy, I share this with all my friends that are interested here.



About the Debate Concerning the Coriolis Effect


I have had many arguments with people that think the Coriolis Effect is a myth, and they try to prove it does not exist. The fact is that it really does exist.


"What is the Coriolis Effect?" you may ask. It is the tendency of vortices to spin either clockwise or counterclockwise depending on which hemisphere of a spinning world they occur in. This effect is not always readily obvious on Earth where it has been observed more than on any other planet or moon. Some moons only spin once for each circuit of their orbits around their parent(?) planet. For the Moon of Earth the orbital period it has for one circuit around the Earth is the length of its day (approximately 28 Earth days) Earth itself has a day that is almost 24 hours in length.


If you are above the North pole Earth's spin will be seen to be in a counterclockwise direction. Large storms on the Earth will spin in a counterclockwise direction in the northern hemisphere, while similar storms in the southern hemisphere will spin in a clockwise direction. We see this with Hurricanes in the North and Cyclones in the South. This is due to the Coriolis Effect.


Now there are other forces that can and often do cause vortices to spin opposite the direction the Coriolis Effect would dictate. These forces are strong enough to defeat the effect. That does not prove the nonexistence of this effect though. Removing all possibility of outside forces changing the results always shows proof that the effect is real.


The video I am sharing is of a dual experiment using two people on opposite sides of the Earth; one is in Australia (south of the equator), while the other is in the Continental United States (north of the equator). They each set up identical pools of water and leave them undisturbed for 24 hours. Then they start the draining process. A little ways into that they put food coloring in the water at the four points of the compass, then watch to see which direction the draining pool is spinning. Indeed the one in the north spins counterclockwise, and the one in the south spins clockwise. Coriolis Effect confirmed!


They do not leave it at that though. They then explain with graphic representations of how and why this works. I have to say that this also proves the Earth is a sphere, and not flat as Flat Earthers are always trying to claim is the truth. It blows their arguments out of the water, because if as they believe the Earth is flat, the Coriolis Effect could never happen.


Watch this video so you can see for yourself what is happening simultaneously on opposite sides of the planet's equator.
https://youtu.be/mXaad0rsV38 (https://youtu.be/mXaad0rsV38)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 20, 2017, 11:26:17 PM
Never had a doubt about it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 12:42:40 PM
Im sure you wouldn't be surprised to see how many do, Rayvn. There's a lot of poorly educated folks out there that think they are an authority on the subject, and you cannot explain anything to them about how what they think cannot be true. As an amateur astronomer, I keep up with things like this, and the Flat Earther Trolls are always trying to refute legitimate reports on real science. The bad thing about their propaganda is how they mislead others into believing their :bs: !
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 21, 2017, 01:05:18 PM
Sooooo, I suppose all the images of Earth and the other planets from the ISS and the explorers of nice round spheres (with some oblation) are merely 'artistic renditions'? What is wrong with some people?

:odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 01:17:19 PM
And they think the true Earth map is the one that is in the logo of the United Nations! They think the Earth acually looks like that. Point flaws out in their thinking and they will either turn a blind eye to it or try to come up with a way it can work. One they are still trying to explain and make fit into their version of the Universe is the flight distance discrepancy you would get as your flight traverses space that is in the south. Their version of Earth makes miles at those distances fron the North Pole as much as ten or more times what they are at that pole. They cannot seem to wrap their heads around why this would be a glaring contradiction to all they believe!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 21, 2017, 03:50:54 PM
Alrighty then!  :odd:

Thick as a brick. Why do you even argue with them? You'll never convince them otherwise. Trust me, you won't. You might as well talk to the wall, really. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 21, 2017, 03:51:57 PM
Why? Are you not agree with Shaquille O'neal and his flat Earth? You know well that Earth has borders, like in Civilization games of course :seeyou:  :crazy: :rolling:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Madbat on March 21, 2017, 04:23:56 PM
Oh never argue with a flat earther. You only wind up frustrating yourself. I know one personally. I feel like bashing my head against a wall when I try to reason with these people.
  :dispute:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 04:48:52 PM
To answer Aelin's comment I pose this question: Shaquille O'neal is a Flat Earther? First time I've learned of this!


To answer Rayvn's question: I find it fun to troll the trolls in threads that are dedicated to real science, and I am not the only one that does. I and my scientist friends post real science and real results as well as real facts. We tell the Flat Earthers to show irrefutable evidence for their claims, and to date we have seen nothing they could present that we cannot disprove. When the Flat Earthers get frustrated because they cannot find a way to make our truth seem false, it becomes a thread filled with comedy no comedy writer could think up. One guy pointed straight to a video that was actually showing how ridiculous their ideas are, claiming it was actually proving his ideas correct. He did not even know that the video was a debunk of those ideas! My friends and I got some big laughs at his expense; especially when we showed him the proof the video was actually showing that debunked those ideas! Can't recall exactly what he posted after that, but he certainly was not happy about it.


Thing is he and folks like him think it is their job to seek out threads that are showing proof of the real science results, and try to get folks to see things their way. We would be irresponsible to our science not to respond. Trying to insert bogus ideas into a thread that is meant to report true findings in science is a tactic of undermining what the thread is for. We just respond to get the thread back on track. Usually the Flat Earther's don't have the will to stick with their agenda in such threads, and they will lose interest in posting further. Also if we can keep them posting long enough we soon see them contradicting what they said in earlier posts to try and patch their ideas up. Surely you can see the comedy in that.





Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 05:04:35 PM
I have a cousin that is one, but he never got out of the seventh grade in school, and only barely made it that far. Then he want to act like he knows more than all the scientists in the world. The only time I engage him in such a conversation is when we are among other more educated family members. This becomes a source of real funny moments, because everybody in the family knows I know what I'm talking about. They like to see me totally own my opponent, and my opponent not realizing what just happened. You'd be surprised to find out what other hairbrained ideas these people believe.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 21, 2017, 05:12:53 PM
To answer Aelin's comment I pose this question: Shaquille O'neal is a Flat Earther? First time I've learned of this!
Yes it seems he is. I learnt this yesterday.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Madbat on March 21, 2017, 05:27:16 PM
<rant>No, I would not be surprised at all. My room mate/landlords family are all born again christian whacko's who eat this kind of stuff up. There is no getting through to them. One fine fellow I used to go to church with said threatening gay people with damnation was showing the love of god. These people are complete idiots. They'll use a cell phone and deny that relativity is a real thing. One toild me that dinosaur fossils were buried because god flipped the land over after the flood to test peoples faith. How in heck do you even reason with that level of lunacy?


and to answer your question, yes, Shaquille O'neil is a flat earther. Another dumb one that I argued with a lot (over his own bible no less) is Kevin Sorbo.  These people are completely dense, hate filled and selfish as hell.</rant>
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 05:59:26 PM
What the Flat Earthers don't get, and especially those that are Christians is that the Bible itself declares the fact that the Earth is a sphere. What they take out of context is places that they found in the Bible that seem to refute that. But they are uneducated even where it concerns the Bible, and why would they not be, if they are uneducated in other ways as well? The answer is habits of a person normally touch every part of their lives. Basically not being educated in one field of study most often is accompanied by being uneducated in all fields of study. I would bet those you are talking about Madbat cannot spell, only know basic math, and are grammatically incorrect in their speech and writing. It is also quite likely they don't know much history if they know any. That's my cousin to a T!


I have been able (with help) to actually turn one of them toward the truth. We did this by providing links to real information, and by performing experiments to show how proof is found showing what we say to be true. This guy was smart enough to actually listen and understand what we said and did. I would of course imagine that he had a big argument with the person that convinced him to believe the Flat Earth "theory", which in reality is not even close to being a viable theory. He's been hanging with us in certain threads recently, and asks questions, which we answer to the best of our abilities. It is good when a person is willing to look at other ideas that are different from their own, and will ask questions about things they don't understand. That's how you learn; not by blindly following someone else that may or may not know any more than you do. You need to look at things with a critical eye, and see things for yourself.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Madbat on March 21, 2017, 06:14:55 PM
I find that people, even uneducated ones, either want the truth, or they don't. I'm not well educated. I have a general high school diploma, and failed grade 11 remedial math, yet I did learn how to think. There are a small handful of christians that can and do think. They generaly don't have a problem with science, and realize that the important part of the book is the part that says "Do not punch your neighbor in the face." If you get the sermon on the mount, you pretty much got everything necessary. No mythology is necessary. The bunch I know are all born again word of faith types. They are absolutely anti education. But then, they hate the part of their own book that says 'judge not, lest you be judged'.


On a different topic, when is the James Webb due to launch?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 07:01:39 PM
The James Webb launch date is something I'll need to look up, but I believe it will be sometime late this year or in 2018. Let me get back to you on that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 21, 2017, 07:04:47 PM
Haven't seen anything but '2018' on that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 21, 2017, 07:06:38 PM
I guess if you can wake at least one up then it's worth the effort.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 21, 2017, 07:30:02 PM
On the James Webb Launch Date issue my search has come up as October of 2018.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 23, 2017, 08:10:39 AM
A little something about Venus, which is about to transition into the Morning Star:

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170317.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 23, 2017, 08:18:27 AM
Oh and here's a pretty cool picture of your JWST:

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap170318.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 23, 2017, 11:23:48 AM
Thanks for both of those articles, Rayvn.


Looking at the JWST image, it does appear as though the area it is in is haunted, but the ghosts are actually living human beings. They look like that due to long exposured photography being used to identify any tiny contaminate.


That is going to be one really beautiful sight for any astronauts that get to work around it in space. I'm sure they will want to snap photos of it in space.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 23, 2017, 12:27:08 PM
Thanks for both of those articles, Rayvn.


Looking at the JWST image, it does appear as though the area it is in is haunted, but the ghosts are actually living human beings. They look like that due to long exposured photography being used to identify any tiny contaminate.


That is going to be one really beautiful sight for any astronauts that get to work around it in space. I'm sure they will want to snap photos of it in space.

You're welcome :smiley:

I did read the bit under the image about the 'ghosts' and contamination. They do look rather eerie standing up there, don't they?

That is some telescope and almost a piece of art, it's so pretty.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Madbat on March 23, 2017, 03:03:47 PM
Warning! This telescope is protected by space ghosts!

 :yeow:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 23, 2017, 03:20:36 PM
Yes it is quite a beauty!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 23, 2017, 01:52:47 PM
SOLAR WIND STORM: A solar wind storm is underway around Earth as our planet enters a high-speed stream of gas flowing from a large hole in the sun's atmosphere. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the source of the wind on April 23rd:




(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/23apr17/ch_strip.jpg)


This is a coronal hole (CH)--a place in the sun's atmosphere where the magnetic field peels back and allows solar wind to escape. Solar wind flowing from this hole is moving faster than 700 km/s--a veritable gale.  Moreover, the wind is threaded with "negative polarity" magnetic fields. Such fields do a good job connecting to Earth's magnetosphere and energizing geomagnetic storms.
NOAA forecasters estimate a 80% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on April 23rd subsiding to 'only' 60% to 65% on April 24th and 25th as Earth moves through this potent stream of solar wind. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 23, 2017, 01:59:22 PM
Good god! That thing is MASSIVE!  :blownaway:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 23, 2017, 02:14:11 PM
I'd say that was a Grand case of Solar Flatulence! Batten down the hatches mates! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 23, 2017, 02:18:28 PM
 :tearlaugh:  :eeeew:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 23, 2017, 03:36:46 PM
So the aurora's are the Earth trying not to smell it? :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 23, 2017, 05:01:00 PM
That is amazing and you can watch the Vid that captured the whole thing happening on Slooh (https://www.youtube.com/user/sloohonairvideos)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 23, 2017, 05:04:36 PM
Or Here...Spaceweather YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvwX8KOtkLE)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 07, 2017, 03:38:23 PM
JUPITER-MOON CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southeast. You'll see Jupiter and the waxing gibbous Moon rising together in the constellation Virgo, only couple of degrees apart. If possible, try to catch the tight pair before the sky fades completely black. The sight of these two bright celestial bodies framed by twilight blue is beautiful indeed. Sky maps and photos


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/07may17/skymap.gif?PHPSESSID=94sj433jcq6r1nh2niklde39b3)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on May 07, 2017, 03:53:07 PM
When I closed flaps tonight, I was wondering what was near of the Moon between clouds. Now I have the answer.  :ty01:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 12, 2017, 06:26:26 PM
SPACESHIP TRANSITS THE FLOWER MOON: According to folklore, this week's full Moon is the Flower Moon. Northern spring flowers are abundant in May, and the Moon illuminates them beautifully after sunset. Last night in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, amateur astronomer Efrain Morales Rivera was photographing the bright orb when a winged spaceship flitted overhead:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Efrain-Morales-Rivera-ISS_Moon-2017-05-10-0525ut-EMr_1494464203.jpg)


"It was the International Space Station (ISS)," explains Rivera, "crossing the rays of the Crater Tycho."
Backlit by the Moon, the outlines of the ISS are clearly visible. The wings are solar arrays,  containing a total of 262,400 solar cells. Altogether, the four sets of arrays can generate 84 to 120 kilowatts of electricity -- enough to provide power to more than 40 homes.

Some of that electricity is being used to grow ... you guessed it ... flowers. The first petals of orange zinnias opened in early 2016, and the flowers are now regular participants in space gardening (https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/first-flower-grown-in-space-stations-veggie-facility) research. This week's Moon is the Flower Moon on the ISS, too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 12, 2017, 06:40:46 PM
Did you read this story:

COSMIC RAYS INTENSIFY OVER CALIFORNIA: Spaceweather.com/Earth to Sky Calculus balloon flights to the stratosphere over California show a continued increase in cosmic radiation: +13% compared to levels in 2015 when we began our monitoring program.
Cosmic rays are high-energy photons and subatomic particles accelerated in our direction by distant supernovas and other violent events in the Milky Way. Usually, cosmic rays are held at bay by the sun's magnetic field, which envelops and protects all the planets in the Solar System. But the sun's magnetic shield is weakening in 2017 as the solar cycle shifts from Solar Maximum to Solar Minimum. More and more cosmic rays are reaching our planet.
How does this affect us? Cosmic rays penetrate commercial airlines, dosing passengers and flight crews enough that pilots are classified as occupational radiation workers. Some research shows that cosmic rays can seed clouds and trigger lightning, potentially altering weather and climate. Furthermore, there are studies linking cosmic rays with cardiac arrhythmias in the general population.
The sensors we send to the stratosphere measure X-rays and gamma-rays, which are produced by the crash of primary cosmic rays into Earth's atmosphere. The energy range of the sensors, 10 keV to 20 MeV, is similar to that of medical X-ray machines and airport security scanners.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 12, 2017, 06:54:59 PM
We did
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 12, 2017, 07:20:26 PM
I was reading it as you were posting about the moon LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 27, 2017, 04:18:39 PM
This will be most interesting if they detect the polarization there...........

https://pantheism.com/is-the-cold-spot-another-universe/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 27, 2017, 04:31:53 PM
I agree...and with so many variants of what it might be....who knows.... multiple universes might end up as the winner....

Multiple universes have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy, religion, philosophy, transpersonal psychology, and literature, particularly in science fiction and fantasy. In these contexts, parallel universes are also called "alternate universes", "quantum universes", "interpenetrating dimensions", "parallel dimensions", "parallel worlds", "alternate realities", "alternate timelines", and "dimensional planes".

The physics community continues to debate the multiverse hypotheses. Prominent physicists disagree about whether any kind of multiverse exists.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 27, 2017, 04:55:48 PM
I know!! It's like a big crap-shoot, isn't it? At least as far as we oh so intelligent humans can perceive - or not.

Albert said "God does not play dice." However, Albert has been proven to be wrong a time or two.

Philosophically speaking, there has to be a reality "as perceived by..." every single entity that ever existed in any time. Even though some few of them experienced the same events, they all saw that event from a different pov, moment in time and space. From a different mind-set and a different set of experience filters.

And now it's time to sing:

https://youtu.be/SlS0kJyUVjA

Before I make myself crazy (er).

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 27, 2017, 05:06:08 PM
I agree....we are mere humans and are the youngsters on this planet...though we think we know it all LOL...

And as for the Drive to Crazy....I've got my roadmap handy if you wish to use it....  :Hi5:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 27, 2017, 05:11:11 PM
Cool song....I remember it but never knew who sang it.....

Now...I'm off to find some shallow water  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 27, 2017, 05:44:16 PM
I agree....we are mere humans and are the youngsters on this planet...though we think we know it all LOL...

And as for the Drive to Crazy....I've got my roadmap handy if you wish to use it....  :Hi5:



 :driver: Oh, I got my very own road-map...and the territory is not the map - or is it the other way around? Does it matter? Thanks for the offer though!

No, we don't know squat. That's why I had a bit of a laugh over a statement of something being a matter of fact versus a matter of opinion elsewhere. Look at how many things we thought we knew for certain, that we now know was someone's utter bs and conjecture over what seemed the most logical (to them) that became "accepted fact". Which is now "un-fact".

Everything's an opinion until....when?

I sing that song to myself tongue in cheek, mostly.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 27, 2017, 05:58:37 PM
Until it's proven beyond a doubt.....then it's called fact.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 27, 2017, 07:12:18 PM
Until it's proven beyond a doubt.....then it's called fact.


Of course, but it has to be proven to be universally true to be an absolute fact - doesn't it?  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 27, 2017, 08:11:39 PM
I actually remember that song from my past as well, didn't make much sense then but it sure does now ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 27, 2017, 08:53:05 PM
Of course, but it has to be proven to be universally true to be an absolute fact - doesn't it?  :tearlaugh:
As you are saying it, indeed it does! One thing is for certain about the Universe: because of the great distances involved with just what we can see or detect, not much we think we know about it can be proven absolutely. It is why the Big Bang Theory is still just a theory. It seems to be the most plausible explanation for what we have observed, but there are other explanations and interpretations of the data collected that are just as valid, though the mainstream scientists will often refuse to give them any credence, because it goes against what they are saying. Thing is for The BIg Bang Theory to remain valid, they are constantly have to add more equations into the mix. Then you get the problem with one new equation throwing everything else off so that the new model that comes of it does not fit what we see. The most likely truth is that the universe is much less complicated than the current accepted theory makes it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 28, 2017, 09:18:13 AM
CME HITS, SPARKS AURORAS: A CME hit Earth's magnetic field on May 27th. At first, for several hours, the seemingly weak impact barely disturbed our planet's magnetic environment. Then the storms began. As Earth passed through the CME's wake, energetic particles poured through a crack in Earth's magnetosphere, sparking strong G3-class geomagnetic storms and bright auroras. Chris Cook recorded the display from Cape Cod, Massachusetts:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Chris-Cook-aurora-052717-1-sw_1495946639.jpg)



"Tonight's surprise aurora was captured around 11:15pm EDT overlooking the calm waters of Cape Cod Bay," says Cook. "Numerous pillars reached to a height of 25°. It was nice to see the Northern Lights again!"


In addition to Massachusetts, auroras auroras have been sighted in New York, Wyoming, Pennsylvania, Montana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan and multiple points in Canada.
The show's not over.  Earth is still inside the CME's wake, and G1- to G3-class storms are underway on May 28th. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 28, 2017, 09:20:55 AM
THE 1% LUNAR CRESCENT: Chris Schur of Payson, Arizona, has been planning this shot for months. "The opportunity came Friday morning, with the rising sun halfway up the sky," he says. "I pointed my telescope 15 degrees east of the sun and there it was!" Behold, the 1% crescent Moon:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Chris-Schur-OnePercentMoon-052617Schur-1600_1495822443.jpg)



"This is by far the thinnest crescent moon I have ever imaged," says Schur. "Here the moon is .80 days old - 19.2 hours according to the Virtual Moon Atlas. The illumination is 1.0%."


"And yes - I did view the crescent visually," he says. "It was really tough! I could see only a portion of the crescent at one time in a low power ocular, but it was there against a light blue sky."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 28, 2017, 10:49:50 AM
Awesome rare shot, Jerrith! Thanks for posting this 1% Crescent Moon photo.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 28, 2017, 11:30:39 AM
funny enough I was cleanin my hard drive an found these
now I post in order (I hope)
do not know they right
but suspect they are pretty close to right


now if someone from the big places saw us
we ants to be stood on


doubt we even have enough resources to make trip pay  :shiv3:


I do love these images. We are so insignificant as to be laughable.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 28, 2017, 11:32:48 AM
Lovely images both of the Aurora and the 1.0% Crescent...baby Moon.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 29, 2017, 02:06:40 PM
Cool stuff you have there heddheld.....and "J"....don't ya just love those images....When I first saw them I went WOW.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2017, 10:24:07 AM
There's a rather interesting article here about "self interacting dark-matter" and WIMPS.......

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg23231035-100-dark-matter-that-talks-to-itself-could-explain-galaxy-mystery/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2017, 10:25:34 AM
Just curious:

What do you think about "Do stars communicate with each other?"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 21, 2017, 03:07:49 PM
Well, now if that isn't food for thought I don't know what is ... fascinating intro will have to follow the other links in the article for the whole story ... but first time to make lunch for tomorrow and dinner for tonight :sigh:

Days like this makes me wish we had a house mouse to handle some of the tedious, but then that would be disrespectful to her especially if one got arrogant and never, either assisted or showed proper appreciation.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 21, 2017, 03:09:00 PM
Just curious:

What do you think about "Do stars communicate with each other?"

They definitely interact with each other in a variety of ways that we are not fully capable of wrapping our heads around.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2017, 03:11:08 PM
Cepheid variable stars communicate their age and weight and true brightness thru their period of variability. However, it is unlikely that other stars are the receivers of the information. There has never been any proof offered that stars are intelligent living beings. While much of their existence infers something like life (birth, conversion of fuel for energy, and death) there has been nothing to show intelligent life-like behavior.

The variable stars mentioned above communicate with humans only because a very intelligent human woman (Henrietta Levitt) was able to decipher their language of variability to human understanding, not because the stars "meant" to communicate it.

A flower continuously communicates how tall it is to anyone with a tape measure. But most of the intelligence is in the receiver who brought the tapemeasure.

Still, I would like to believe that beings as majestic as stars could be intelligent, but right now, no mechanism or means of intelligent communication has been worked out or observed.

Stars, by definition, emit a lot of electromagnetic radiation. Light, radio wave, ultra violet, even some x-rays. Their surface modulates these radiations thru granulation and sunspots and flares. Their surfaces vary in brightness AND size. The Cepheids mentioned above pulsate in their actual size. Perhaps one day humans will be intelligent enough to find intelligent language in these fluctuations.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2017, 03:21:55 PM
They definitely interact with each other in a variety of ways that we are not fully capable of wrapping our heads around.


I believe that as well. Actually, I believe that stars and planets are simply different orders of being. They have lives, families, they're born in a 'womb' and then they leave it and go off on their adventures/lives. They may even have siblings. Siblings who may end up devouring them one day. At the right angle from the telescope, Galactic Center looks like a cluster of brain cells and there are tendrils of likely EM 'lightning' stretching between Alpha Centauri and things around it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2017, 03:31:35 PM
Cepheid variable stars communicate their age and weight and true brightness thru their period of variability. However, it is unlikely that other stars are the receivers of the information. There has never been any proof offered that stars are intelligent living beings. While much of their existence infers something like life (birth, conversion of fuel for energy, and death) there has been nothing to show intelligent life-like behavior.

The variable stars mentioned above communicate with humans only because a very intelligent human woman (Henrietta Levitt) was able to decipher their language of variability to human understanding, not because the stars "meant" to communicate it.

A flower continuously communicates how tall it is to anyone with a tape measure. But most of the intelligence is in the receiver who brought the tapemeasure.

Still, I would like to believe that beings as majestic as stars could be intelligent, but right now, no mechanism or means of intelligent communication has been worked out or observed.

Stars, by definition, emit a lot of electromagnetic radiation. Light, radio wave, ultra violet, even some x-rays. Their surface modulates these radiations thru granulation and sunspots and flares. Their surfaces vary in brightness AND size. The Cepheids mentioned above pulsate in their actual size. Perhaps one day humans will be intelligent enough to find intelligent language in these fluctuations.



It sounds as if you are repeating someone else's considered opinion, TL. The fact is for many years the mass of humanity has not had a mechanism or means of intelligent communication with much of anything. Hell, we can't even communicate with each other many times. Yet, since what? the 70's or 80's, humans have taught several creatures to communicate with us. With US. And we found out they're some of them quite intelligent...far moreso than we suspected. We don't normally learn how to talk to them - normally.

What if they're a higher order of being than we are and THEY demand that we learn to speak to them? I mean...what if? We don't know a lot of things about our own world and it's right under our feet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2017, 03:35:34 PM
Yup....it's something I had in my archives from 2014...I had asked the same question at one point in time and this is what UW (University of Wisconsin) techs came back with....

But anything is possible...since we know close to nothing about anything out there....

We THINK we do...but so many times when we have a VOILA moment....some new info about the find pops up and changes everything.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 21, 2017, 06:58:10 PM
Yup....it's something I had in my archives from 2014...I had asked the same question at one point in time and this is what UW (University of Wisconsin) techs came back with....

But anything is possible...since we know close to nothing about anything out there....

We THINK we do...but so many times when we have a VOILA moment....some new info about the find pops up and changes everything.....



Love the VOILA moments :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 22, 2017, 02:48:19 PM
JELLYFISH SPRITES OVER EUROPE: On June 20th, a thunderstorm in Austria unleashed a spectacular display of lightning. Observers on the ground witnessed blinding flashes of crackling light. The most amazing aspect of the outburst, however, was to be found high above the clouds. 80 km high, to be exact, in the realm of the sprites:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/martin-popek-meduza1-1-z-1_1498054814_lg.jpg)



Martin Popek photographed the display from his private observatory in Nýdek, Czechia, more than 500 km away from the storm. Such distances are ideal for seeing above the tops of towering thunderclouds: diagram.
"Jellyfish sprite events like these are produced by very impulsive cloud-to-ground lightning flashes draining positive charge from the stratiform rain region in large thunderstorms," explains lightning scientist Oscar van der Velde of the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain. Somehow, in a process that researchers only partially understand, the resulting electric fields draw jellyfish forms out of the cloudtops.
The tops of the sprites were surrounded by a saucer-like halo of red light, notes van der Velde. "The halo is evidence of intense electric fields at 80-90 km shaking up the electrons (colliding with nitrogen to produce light) for such a short time that sprite streamers cannot form. At lower altitudes the field exists longer, allowing the jellyfish sprite streamers to grow from electron avalanches."


Although sprites have been seen for at least a century, most scientists did not believe they existed until after 1989 when sprites were photographed by cameras onboard the space shuttle. Now "sprite chasers" routinely photograph sprites from their own homes. "I used up a Watec 910HX security camera with UFOCapture software to catch my sprites," says Popek. Give it a try!

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 02:52:49 PM
Sprites are awesome! Think of the power there  :blownaway:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 03:02:56 PM
I saw that today in my Newsletter from them.....And I agree Ray...they are fabulous.....

And I've got to find the link that showed them photographed from the Space Station...Those were superb shots also....but wait...we may have them in here already...I'll have to go look.

And yes...VIOLA moments are great....and thankfully, I actually made a folder for Space Questions Asked.  I get into whims sometimes when I read an article and "Just want to know" what others have to say....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 22, 2017, 03:05:36 PM
If only we could harness all that natural energy! Tesla knew about the existence of such when he tried to gift the world with free energy.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 03:10:55 PM
Yes he did.....he was clearly way ahead of his time....Sometimes one wonders if he was even from this world LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 03:26:20 PM
I saw that today in my Newsletter from them.....And I agree Ray...they are fabulous.....

And I've got to find the link that showed them photographed from the Space Station...Those were superb shots also....but wait...we may have them in here already...I'll have to go look.

They may be - vaguely remember something about them.


Quote
And yes...VIOLA moments are great....and thankfully, I actually made a folder for Space Questions Asked.  I get into whims sometimes when I read an article and "Just want to know" what others have to say....

So....here's one for you :tearlaugh:



https://youtu.be/Xe11Pp1g39I
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 03:33:49 PM
Yes he did.....he was clearly way ahead of his time....Sometimes one wonders if he was even from this world LOL


It seems to me that Howard Phillips Lovecraft was fairly well convinced Tesla was indeed from 'somewhere else' in his story "Nyarlathotep" which he wrote some time after seeing Tesla and some of this stuff at the 1893 World's Fair. He called him 'the Black Man' and his 'infernal machines'. As he continued writing stories that involved that entitie, Nyarlathotep became stranger looking and more diabolical in the stories. Tesla did always wear black suits and his hair was black. It seems HPL found him un-nerving. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 03:38:26 PM
Oh My My My.....I LOVED That....How he got all those sounds so wonderfully is beyond me.  And I bet he was thrilled to play it on that instrument...  $45 Million  YIKES....

And Now I'm going to enjoy it once more....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 03:42:40 PM

It seems to me that Howard Phillips Lovecraft was fairly well convinced Tesla was indeed from 'somewhere else' in his story "Nyarlathotep" which he wrote some time after seeing Tesla and some of this stuff at the 1893 World's Fair. He called him 'the Black Man' and his 'infernal machines'. As he continued writing stories that involved that entitie, Nyarlathotep became stranger looking and more diabolical in the stories. Tesla did always wear black suits and his hair was black. It seems HPL found him un-nerving. 

They just had a story on Tesla on the science channel and this was brought up.....

But my gosh...the number of patents (http://web.mit.edu/most/Public/Tesla1/alpha_tesla.html) he submitted was amazing....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 03:47:06 PM
And just listened to the Viola again and still amazed how wonderful it sounds....THANK YOU.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 04:02:13 PM
Oh My My My.....I LOVED That....How he got all those sounds so wonderfully is beyond me.  And I bet he was thrilled to play it on that instrument...  $45 Million  YIKES....

And Now I'm going to enjoy it once more....



Isn't it splendid? I'm sure he was on cloud nine to be able to play that. Glad you liked it, TL :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 04:05:59 PM
They just had a story on Tesla on the science channel and this was brought up.....

But my gosh...the number of patents (http://web.mit.edu/most/Public/Tesla1/alpha_tesla.html) he submitted was amazing....


Was it? That was something a friend and I came up with about 3-4 years ago. We started doing a little research and the World's Fair was brought up. Then sure enough, I find out HPL's grandfather took him to the Fair. So, it is true then :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 04:07:24 PM
I love the very beginning where he blew on it....didn't want any obstructions while playing I guess LOL....But yes...I enjoyed it.  And once again...THANK YOU....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 22, 2017, 04:10:36 PM
Was it? That was something a friend and I came up with about 3-4 years ago. We started doing a little research and the World's Fair was brought up. Then sure enough, I find out HPL's grandfather took him to the Fair. So, it is true then :smile:

They brought up a number of references as to what folks thought of Tesla...and they did bring up the Worlds Fair also.....

I'll see if they are still airing it on "On Demand" and see if Youtube has any clips of it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 04:12:36 PM
I love the very beginning where he blew on it....didn't want any obstructions while playing I guess LOL....But yes...I enjoyed it.  And once again...THANK YOU....

You're welcome. At the end, he looked like he was in heaven. He really did.

You wouldn't want anything on that thing that wasn't supposed to be there. Not for $45 million dollars.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 22, 2017, 06:17:08 PM
Smoking display of talent on that violin ... am starting to think that is my favorite instrument, even though I did learn guitar in my youth ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 22, 2017, 06:55:52 PM
Smoking display of talent on that violin ... am starting to think that is my favorite instrument, even though I did learn guitar in my youth ...

That is a viola. It is not a violin. A viola is larger/longer than a violin. The longer length allows for longer strings, which make for a deeper more resonant tone than a violin.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 22, 2017, 07:05:52 PM
Sorry ... send the bill to Luffie for the oversight
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 23, 2017, 01:00:25 PM
Hummmm.....And I'm getting the bill WHY?  I don't see where I mentioned Violin  :shiv2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on June 28, 2017, 10:45:42 PM

Looks like we are going to have a grand solar eclipse.  The eclipse according to this video will happen on 21 August 2017. 

https://youtu.be/Q-vVEFLAQFw

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 29, 2017, 01:34:33 PM
I can't wait....and Thousands of Libraries across the States are giving out free Eclipse Visors to protect the eyes.....AWESOME.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 09, 2017, 11:03:15 AM
NOCTILUCENT GRAVITY WAVES:  Shining electric-blue in the night sky, noctilucent clouds (NLCs) look alien. That's because they are. The clouds are seeded by meteor smoke from outer space. Wisps of summertime water vapor rise from the surface of our planet and wrap themselves around the debris of meteors disintegrating in Earth's upper atmosphere, in turn forming icy NLCs. On July 1st and 4th, photographer Adrien Mauduit in Alberta, Canada, captured a remarkable display:


https://youtu.be/N2Ro159R400


"In this gorgeous 4K video, you can see the different fine structures that appear in NLCs: Waves, billows, knots, bands, and veritable storms revealed themselves in a manner I will never forget!" says Mauduit. "You might think they look like the waves of the ocean or the bottom of a pool; indeed that's exactly what this wondrous natural spectacle looks like."

In fact, they are gravity waves--that is, waves of pressure and temperature rippling away from powerful thunderstorms in Earth's lower atmosphere. Gravity does not vary inside the waves. They get their name from the fact that gravity acts as a restoring force that tries to restore equilibrium to up-and-down moving air. Gravity waves can propagate all the way from Earth's surface up to the mesosphere, where they imprint themselves on the the forms of noctilucent clouds.


Mauduit's video of these waves is among the best we've ever seen. He is currently monitoring NLCs from the remote town of High Level, Canada, in support of Project PoSSUM--a NASA-funded citizen science project. Participants receive suborbital astronaut training while they study NLCs from the un-pressurized cabin of a high-flying research aircraft. Mauduit's cameras were on the ground supplementing the ones on the plane.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 09, 2017, 11:11:41 AM
Absolutely wonderful.....And Project PoSSUM (http://projectpossum.org/) is a awesome place to visit online. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on July 09, 2017, 11:33:51 AM
If you did not read what the video is showing, you'd almost certainly think it was the ocean! Excellent video!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 12, 2017, 12:28:41 PM
If you did not read what the video is showing, you'd almost certainly think it was the ocean! Excellent video!

Yes, it does look very much like the sea/ocean. But then too, didn't you in your head keep sitting there going "What does that remind me of?!" And I don't mean the waters. Waters are obvious. This takes some thought but you should get it. Especially where it looks kind of ropey and dense (about 1:05 to 1:20)

I find it quite interesting that they're composed of metor/asteroid dust. It may answer a certain question I've had about several  mythic somethings that has to do with rain and the sky being a 'sea'...and some other stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 14, 2017, 11:52:39 AM
If you want to see some cool images from Juno on the Giant Red Spot on Jupiter...Go to JunoCam (https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/processing/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 14, 2017, 05:57:45 PM
STRONG SOLAR FLARE AND CME: After days of suspenseful quiet, huge sunspot AR2665 finally erupted on July 14th (0209 UT), producing a powerful and long-lasting M2-class solar flare. Extreme ultraviolet telescopes onboard NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/14jul17/f_094_335_193_m21024.jpg?PHPSESSID=sp9iak3rp6v2cu65cq1aaqko45)



Remarkably, the explosion persisted for more than two hours, producing a sustained fusillade of X-rays and energetic protons that ionized the upper layers of Earth's atmosphere. Shortwave radio blackouts were subsequently observed over the Pacific Ocean and especially around the Arctic Circle. This map from NOAA shows the affected geographic regions.


Of even greater interest is the coronal mass ejection (CME). The explosion hurled a bright CME away from the blast site, and it appears to be heading for Earth:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/14jul17/cme_c3_anim.gif?PHPSESSID=sp9iak3rp6v2cu65cq1aaqko45)


This expanding cloud will likely reach our planet on July 16th, possibly sparking geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras when it arrives. Stay tuned for improved predictions as NOAA analysts model the trajectory and potency of the incoming CME
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 14, 2017, 06:57:43 PM
Two hours! Wow.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 14, 2017, 07:32:48 PM
My thoughts exactly
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 14, 2017, 07:42:48 PM
That's a LONG time for one of those to be going!

Great, it looks like there's another one building around the corner from it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 23, 2017, 03:46:44 PM
MASSIVE EXPLOSION ON THE FARSIDE OF THE SUN:
Earlier today, July 23rd, a spectacular CME emerged from the farside of the sun. Coronagraphs onboard the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) tracked the fast-moving cloud as it billowed into space:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/23jul17/cme_c3_anim.gif)





NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft, which has a partial view of the sun's farside, identified the source of the blast as active sunspot AR2665, familiar to readers of Spaceweather.com who watched the behemoth cross the Earthside of the sun earlier this month. STEREO-A observed an intense flash of extreme UV radiation from the sunspot's magnetic canopy.


The intensity of the flash suggests (but does not prove) that the underlying flare might have been the most intense kind: X-class.


If this explosion had occurred 2 weeks ago when the huge sunspot was facing Earth, we would be predicting strong geomagnetic storms in the days ahead. Instead, the CME is racing away from our planet ... and directly toward Mars. Compared to Earth, the Red Planet is currently on the opposite side of the sun, and apparently in the crosshairs of this CME. Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity might be observing the effects of a solar storm later this week.


Coincidentally, today's farside explosion occurred on the 5th anniversary of another significant farside event: The Solar Superstorm of July 23, 2012.  That superstorm, which has been compared to the historic Carrington Event of 1859, could have caused widespread power blackouts if it had not missed our planet.


Sunspot AR2665 will be back on the Earthside of the sun starting little more than a week from now. If the sunspot remains active, it could bring a new round of geomagnetic storms and auroras to our planet in early August
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 23, 2017, 03:47:17 PM
MASSIVE EXPLOSION ON THE FARSIDE OF THE SUN:  (http://spaceweather.com/)

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Peter-Desypris-WL-2X_3C_1499613407_lg.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 23, 2017, 03:58:57 PM
The Carrington Event did a little more than make pretty night skies. It overcharged many Telephone & Telegraph lines that had just been strung up not so long before. They snapped and fell to the ground causing a lot of brush fires, some of which threatened people's homes, barns and livestock. All along the railroad lines through towns and stations.

That was a huge sucker! I hope AR2665 chills out by next week! Not holding my breath though.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 23, 2017, 04:04:17 PM
Neither am I.   But it's still amazing out there .....  Did you see the pic of the Sprite...that was soooooo awesome...

(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/22jul17/sprite_strip.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 23, 2017, 04:08:16 PM
No, I didn't see that. WOW! That's 'wicked' looking! It also reminds me of some petroglyphs I've seen.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 23, 2017, 04:10:15 PM
I want to see one just ONCE....JUST ONCE....and I'll be a happy camper  .....  :dancingknight: :dk2: :grenade:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 23, 2017, 04:34:04 PM
I know. It would be awesome to see one! They're quite elusive though...from down here.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on July 25, 2017, 02:34:11 AM
Don't Forget it is That Time of the Year. 


Perseids meteor shower 2017:


http://www.express.co.uk/news/science/829611/Perseids-meteor-shower-2017-date-time-location-where-to-watch


http://cosmicpursuits.com/1759/the-sky-this-month-july-2017/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 26, 2017, 10:54:41 AM
Just added the Comic Pursuits link to my "Watch List".....Never been to this one before....thanks.

Every now and then my Yahell News will send me over to a story on the Express....

Thanks for these.   And yes....I've been following the Meteor Listings closely.  Seems whenever they are viewable by us here....it's cloudy or raining LOL....

PS.....Only 26 days left to the Total Solar Eclipse.....and I've got my UV glasses all ready for viewing through....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 26, 2017, 06:07:53 PM
ANIMATED SOLAR ECLIPSE MAPS: The Great American Solar Eclipse is less than one month away. How much of the sun will be covered over your home town? A great way to find out: Animated eclipse maps (http://shadowandsubstance.com/2017/2017e.html) created by science-artist Larry Koehn. On his web site, there are individual maps for all 50 US states as well as little-known eclipse zones in Canada and Europe.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 26, 2017, 06:14:35 PM
GIGANTIC JETS OVER HAWAII: Every night, the Gemini cloudcam atop Mauna Kea in Hawaii monitor storms approaching some of the world's largest telescopes. It often captures bright bolts of lightning lancing down to the ground below the towering dormant volcano. On July 24th it captured something lancing up:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Frankie-Lucena-gj2_enh_800dpi_enh_1501059159.jpg)



"This amazing lightning-like phenomenon is known as a Gigantic Jet," says Frankie Lucena of Puerto Rico, who processed the video. "They are related to sprites, but more powerful and easier to see with the naked eye." 
Cloudcam video caught at least three of these jets springing from the tops of a powerful growing thunderstorm. The tallest of them reached all the way to the ionosphere some 80 km overhead.


"Gigantic Jets are much more rare than sprites," says Oscar van der Velde, a member of the Lightning Research Group at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. "While sprites were discovered in 1989 and have since been photographed by the thousands, it was not until 2001-2002 that Gigantic Jets were first recorded from Puerto Rico and Taiwan." Only a few dozen Gigantic Jets have ever been seen, mostly over open ocean.


Sometimes called "space lightning," Gigantic Jets and their cousins the sprites are true space weather phenomena. They inhabit the upper atmosphere alongside auroras, meteors and noctilucent clouds. Some researchers believe they are linked to cosmic rays: subatomic particles from deep space striking the top of Earth's atmosphere produce secondary electrons that could, in turn, provide the spark for these upward bolts.


The link to cosmic rays is particularly interesting at this time. For the past two years, space weather balloons have observed a steady increase in deep space radiation penetrating our atmosphere. This increase is largely due to the decline in the solar cycle. Flagging solar wind pressure and weakening sunspot magnetic fields allow more cosmic rays into the inner solar system--a trend which is expected to continue for for years to come. These changes could add up to more Gigantic Jets in the future. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 26, 2017, 06:27:31 PM
Cool items "J"....Got that Map a bit ago.....but forgot the link so glad you put it up LOL...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 26, 2017, 06:40:26 PM
Kianna will present your bill in the morning :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 27, 2017, 12:11:20 PM
Ummmmm  No Bill.....tis a freebie....   If it wasn't....I wouldn't get it......You should know that by now :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 27, 2017, 02:26:51 PM
Here is a great site if you LOVE space launches, chats with the folks up on the ISS, and most of it is LIVE.....and yes....it's called   NASA TV (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on July 27, 2017, 02:39:16 PM
Looking at it now.  Miss it when going into space was big news and all three networks would carry a space launch.  I like this channel so far.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 27, 2017, 03:31:48 PM
It has some very cool things going on.  I believe they have a launch tomorrow of three new ISS crew members.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 28, 2017, 12:16:02 PM
Just got done watching the Liftoff of the three new Russian crew members heading for the space station via Nasa TV.  It was AWESOME.  They had a live cam inside the capsule showing the crew members during the lift off and flight and when the third stage broke away you could see the jolt it produced.  Very cool stuff..
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 28, 2017, 12:19:36 PM
For those who missed it....

https://youtu.be/YDGlV_lATao
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2017, 08:48:47 AM
PREDICTING THE ECLIPSE: During a total eclipse, one of the most mesmerizing sights is the sun's ghostly corona. Gossamer streamers of gas in the sun's outer atmosphere suddenly become visible when the disk of the Moon blocks the glaring body of the sun. NASA-supported researchers at Predictive Science Inc. have just issued a computer model showing how the corona should look to the human eye on Aug.21st, the date of the Great American Solar Eclipse:


(http://www.predsci.com/corona/aug2017eclipse/results/pb/images/pb_Log_Unsharp_ec1706c_101_terrestrial.jpg)



The sun's outer atmosphere is not a featureless layer of gas," says Pete Riley, a solar physicist at the company. "It is sculpted into beautiful, dynamic shapes by the sun's magnetic field." Riley and colleagues including Zoran Mikic and Cooper Downs figured out how to calculate and predict those shapes.

"Every day, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory measures magnetism at the surface of the sun," explains Mikic, who led the modeling effort. "We take the data and extrapolate it into the atmosphere using a computer running magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) codes."

(http://www.predsci.com/corona/aug2017eclipse/results/fl/images/fl_ec1706c_101_terrestrial.jpg)

The result is a physics-based prediction of what people and cameras could see within the path of totality. "We are eager to find out how well our model results match reality," says Riley. "Ultimately, this may yield new insight into the complex physical processes that heat the solar corona and accelerate the solar wind."

Riley invites readers to return to their web site after the eclipse for a comparison of the predictions with actual observations. "Enjoy the eclipse!" he says.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2017, 08:51:03 AM
WHY GO TO THE PATH OF TOTALITY? On Aug. 21, 2017, every square inch of the USA will experience a solar eclipse. In most places, the eclipse will be partial--that is, the Moon will cross the sun off-center leaving a crescent shaped portion of the solar disk exposed. Is it really worth the trip to the path of totality when you can stay home and see the partial eclipse? Pulitzer prize winner Annie Dillard, who witnessed both types of eclipse in 1979, compared them as follows:

"A partial eclipse is very interesting. It bears almost no relation to a total eclipse. Seeing a partial eclipse bears the same relation to seeing a total eclipse as kissing a man does to marrying him, or as flying in an airplane does to falling out of an airplane."
Indeed, during the minutes of totality, the whole world changes.  Saying that day turns into night barely scratches the surface of it. The shadow of the Moon lances down to Earth from a quarter million miles away. On one end is you; on the other end is a million square miles of dusty lunar terrain. You're connected, and you can feel the cold.


(https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1708/KastamonuTutulmaX.jpg)





Darkness inside the path of totality has an alien quality. Because the shadow is only 70 miles wide, you can see daylight at the edges even while you stand in the dark core. This distant scattered light produces a slight reddish glow and unusual shadow effects. Many birds stop singing, daytime flower blossoms begin to close as if for the night, and bees return to their hives.
"What you see in an eclipse is entirely different from what you know," says Dillard, whose brilliant essay "Total Eclipse" is a must-read for anyone deciding whether to stay home ... or have their minds blown.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2017, 09:49:34 AM
This should be interesting. Not crazy about it being in Leo. I like how she describes the dark. Who would have known it was so different to see the totality? Thanks for adding that bit.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 17, 2017, 11:43:49 AM
Neat tidbit indeed.   Got my Glasses for all....but not sure if we'll see much.  Right now they are predicting 98% cloud cover for our area....but these ARE weather forecasters I'm talking about.....they'll change it within the next hour :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on August 17, 2017, 07:32:07 PM
My house sits about 3 blocks within the southern edge of totality.... I'll get about 22 seconds in which to try and get a photo. I could drive a bit farther north, but I'm not sure I want to brave the traffic and crowds.  :shiv3: What I'm planning on doing is having at least 1 drone (2 if I can manage it) up about 300 feet to try and capture video of the transition as the moon-shadow (Cat Stevens, anyone?) passes over the landscape below.

My wife and I have both had recent cataract surgery, so I'm a little bit antsy about looking directly at it, even with the solar glasses... My next-door neighbor said she bought a bunch of them, and has a pair for Jo and me. But if they don't say 'ISO12312-12' on them, I doubt if I'll even try. I'll use the pinhole technique until totality, then bang off a couple photos (with the camera settings preset), and hope for the best!  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2017, 09:14:21 PM
Ah, you and Jo have your operations all done now? I hope! I'm getting excited for you, Rod. All your friends have waited with you for this time to come. :peek:

It sounds like you have a plan there for catching at least some part of it. We hope you'll share :smiley: But ov course you will. Right?

Glad to hear from you hon! You take care of you and your idea with the eclipse is the right thing. Don't want to damage your 'new vision'.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on August 17, 2017, 09:30:33 PM
Yep - we're all done! For a good long time, I hope.. I have Friday and Monday off, and it's the first time in months I've had a break from work that doesn't feature getting poked, prodded, cut, stuck, punctured, or having things inserted into places things shouldn't be inserted into.   :shiv3: I'm elated!  :yippee:

I'll definitely be sharing anything I get that's halfway decent! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 17, 2017, 09:44:18 PM
:thumb_up: I bet you ARE elated. You can just relax! You deserve it for at least one weekend.

Great! Looking forward to see what you get on your little buddies!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2017, 09:37:20 AM
That is awesome Rod about the eyes.......

And yes....be careful with the glasses.  I ordered a 15 pack from Amazon a month ago.....and got to checking them out....and they were fakes.   Amazons vendor had a second source manufacturer them.....and they do not meet requirements....

But being Amazon...they said they would refund me my money, and send me a 10 pack of approved ones that were twice the cost of the fakes at no charge.  At first they said delivery was set for Monday Morning (the day of the Eclipse) (to which I wrote back and said "Keep Them") They promised they would be here this week.  I got them yesterday and they are coded correctly.  And I got enough for all.   They didn't have a 10 pack prior to this.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 18, 2017, 10:05:14 AM
It is nice to hear that one the "fake product" was weeded out and that you got the correct ones and delivered in time and that they were indeed the proper ones.

Just serves as a warning folks not all vendors are ethical in their business dealings, kind of scary isn't it, wonder how many people have bought them and believe they can safely view the eclipse and now will have various degrees of damage permanently done to their eyes.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2017, 10:09:06 AM
Both Amazon and Walmart had to pull a ton of them from their stores.  Not sure how Walmart is handling it.

And even sadder yet....many libraries were giving out FREE visors only to find that they were fake.  No refunds on free.....but they fessed up to it and put bulletins out everywhere....thus the new warning shown on TV and other media.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 18, 2017, 10:15:54 AM
Glad to hear that they are working on getting this resolved, quickly
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2017, 01:43:18 PM
This is pretty interesting:

Touring The Heart of the Milky Way (https://cosmicpursuits.com/1794/touring-the-heart-of-the-milky-way-part-2/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 18, 2017, 02:34:20 PM
Cool something to do between building new bookcases
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 23, 2017, 11:48:35 AM
A really big asteroid is about to pass Earth

Named for Florence Nightingale, asteroid 3122 Florence (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/asteroid-1981-et3-3122-florence-pass-earth-2017-binoculars) is the biggest near-Earth object to pass this close since this category of objects was discovered over a century ago! It might be visible in binoculars.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 23, 2017, 04:14:39 PM
That's exactly what happened.  The company that was SUPPOSE to make them source part of them out to China since they couldn't meet the demand and viola....Junk glasses.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 31, 2017, 12:38:51 PM
Barely 30 years ago, many researchers did not believe that upper atmospheric lightning existed—until 1989 when researchers from the University of Minnesota captured them on video tape. Now there is a menagerie of accepted forms: sprites, elves, gigantic jets, gnomes. These "transient luminous events" (TLEs) appear above thunderclouds, reaching toward space rather than lancing down to the ground like regular lightning.

On Aug.14th, Thomas Ashcraft may have spotted a new kind of sprite


(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2017/30aug17/ashcraft_strip.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 03, 2017, 06:12:00 PM
SUNSPOT GENESIS: Two big sunspot groups are now facing Earth. Behemoth AR2674 has been growing for days, while newcomer AR2673 has suddenly quadrupled in size, with multiple dark cores breaching the surface of the sun in just the past 24 hours. The rapid development of these regions could herald Earth-directed flares in the days ahead.


(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2017/03sep17/sunspots_anim.gif)




The rapid pace of change in these sunspot groups could destabilize their magnetic fields, resulting in Earth-directed solar flares. AR2674 has a 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for moderately strong M-flares. AR2673 is a wild card; it is changing so rapidly we don't know its magnetic classification or potential for explosions. Amateur astronomers with safe solar telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 03, 2017, 06:16:22 PM
LOL.....Great minds......I was just reading that in the Space Weather Newsletter....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 03, 2017, 06:35:54 PM
Mmmm - always hope our EM shield is turned the 'right way' when these things rise up.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 03, 2017, 06:36:53 PM
Barely 30 years ago, many researchers did not believe that upper atmospheric lightning existed—until 1989 when researchers from the University of Minnesota captured them on video tape. Now there is a menagerie of accepted forms: sprites, elves, gigantic jets, gnomes. These "transient luminous events" (TLEs) appear above thunderclouds, reaching toward space rather than lancing down to the ground like regular lightning.

On Aug.14th, Thomas Ashcraft may have spotted a new kind of sprite


(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2017/30aug17/ashcraft_strip.jpg)

A red jet???
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 03, 2017, 06:37:58 PM
Heh...just staring at that picture now surrounded  by the white quote frame, it looks like "Night on Bald Mountain" going on up there!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 03, 2017, 07:24:27 PM
Heh...just staring at that picture now surrounded  by the white quote frame, it looks like "Night on Bald Mountain" going on up there!

Love that song and anytime I hear it I always see the animation from Fantasia in my mind
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 03, 2017, 07:29:19 PM
So do I :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 05, 2017, 05:36:21 PM
A SOLAR STORM IS COMING: Yesterday, during a flurry of M-class solar flares, sunspot AR2673 hurled a CME toward Earth. NOAA forecasters say the cloud is likely to arrive late on Sept. 6th, causing moderately-strong (G2-class) geomagnetic storms with isolated periods of strong (G3-class) storming on Sept. 6th and 7th.


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Philippe-TOSI-AR-2673-5septcoul_1504628376.jpg)


Above: The source of the incoming solar storm is huge sunspot AR2673, shown here in a Sept. 5th photo taken by amateur astronomer Philippe Tosi of Nîmes, France. An image of Earth was inserted for scale.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 05, 2017, 06:56:11 PM
Something happened up north last night.


https://youtu.be/vqRSVNmXEw4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 06, 2017, 07:15:16 PM
X Flares from the Sun directed toward Earth. 


https://youtu.be/SnY_DJsNlH4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 06, 2017, 08:43:13 PM
Holy cow, those spots are HUGE!

That's kind of cool that we may get to see auroras down here...maybe!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 06, 2017, 09:58:04 PM
This is something interesting to consider,


Human Body-Coronal Holes-Atoms-Health-Electromagnetism-Frequencies-Second Sun


https://youtu.be/cKMJT6hGPP4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 06, 2017, 10:44:22 PM
I wouldn't doubt that stuff a bit due to my personal beliefs - that everything is connected like the web of a spider - and that since we are composed of the same elements as the stars, why wouldn't we be affected by them? We are constantly being bombarded with things we can't see. Why shouldn't they affect us? We ARE antennas affected by vibrations: which include sounds, lights and colors. Those three things are all vibratory 'entities'. Thanks!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 06, 2017, 11:41:48 PM
I have always believe there is an interconnection with all things in our environment and that we are the stewards to make sure there is a balance is achieved.  But due to human weakness we are not doing this but exploiting the resources of the world.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 07, 2017, 12:01:30 AM
We've proven to be lousy stewards/caretakers, haven't we?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 08, 2017, 02:53:47 AM

Magentic Storm has reached Earth from Massive Solar Flair. 



https://youtu.be/B4wPXkSX8F8
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 08, 2017, 05:23:24 AM
Storms from the sun, earthquakes on one side and a major hurricane coming straight down the center.

That ancient Chinese curse of may you live in interesting times is coming true in spades to say the least.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 08, 2017, 07:24:05 PM
This strange phenomenon could be cause by a large celestial body coming near Earth. 


https://youtu.be/vhvAO3uaSSQ
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 09, 2017, 07:17:40 AM
Asteroid 2012 TC4 to Safely Pass Earth This October


Small asteroid will pass by close to earth.



Oct. 12, the space rock will pass no closer than 4,200 miles by earth.


https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news197.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 09, 2017, 08:37:07 AM
This strange phenomenon could be cause by a large celestial body coming near Earth. 


https://youtu.be/vhvAO3uaSSQ

Very very true...Tis possible and then some...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2017, 03:50:32 PM
SPACECRAFT CRASHING INTO SATURN:


Almost 20 years after it left Earth, NASA's Cassini spacecraft is about to end its mission to Saturn by plunging into the atmosphere of the ringed planet. A new video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLTiv_XWHnOZpKPaDTVy36z0U8GxoiIkZa&v=xrGAQCq9BMU) from NASA recaps the spacecraft's discoveries and previews the incredible photos Cassini might take--just before it turns into a fireball. Impact date: Sept.15th
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2017, 03:51:54 PM
MAJOR SOLAR FLARE AND RADIATION STORM: Departing sunspot AR2673 erupted again on Sept.10th (1606 UT), producing a major X8-class solar flare.  Protons accelerated toward Earth by the explosion are swarming around our planet now, causing a moderately strong solar radiation storm.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/10sep17/20170910_175644_1024_0131.jpg?PHPSESSID=9qauh07bracudnaos723secmf7)

A pulse of ultraviolet and X-radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, triggering a shortwave radio blackout over the Americas (blackout map #1). That blackout is now subsiding. However, an even stronger blackout of shortwave radio communications around the poles is still underway (blackout map #2). Stay tuned for updates about this significant event.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2017, 03:54:20 PM
GOODBYE SUNSPOT, SEE YOU IN 2 WEEKS: Sunspot AR2673 materialized with shocking speed on Sept. 3rd. Three days later it unleashed the strongest solar flare in more than a decade, an X9.3-class eruption that hurled a CME directly at Earth. Now this memorable sunspot is about to disappear. Maximilian Teodorescu of Magurele, Romania, photographed it approaching the sun's western limb:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Maximilian-Teodorescu-ar-2673-06-16-ut-color_1504888549.jpg)


"AR2673 is preparing for departure," says Teodorescu. "As it goes towards the limb its shape is distorted like the hot air distorts far away objects during the summer days."
Later today, the sunspot will go around the bend, commencing a 2-week journey across the backside of the sun. Will it still be as potent when it reappears 14 days from now?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 11, 2017, 03:32:38 PM
Earth engulfed in MASSIVE Proton Storm - Planet swarmed w/high speed radiation!


https://youtu.be/XYl6zUhaax0
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2017, 03:45:36 PM
Amazing stuff there M-C.....Love that kind of amazing stuff....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 22, 2017, 04:11:03 PM
Large Fireball Seen Over Northern Europe.


https://youtu.be/BDu3uKrcEl0


Onlookers Mystified" - Ocean disappears once again from Brazil coast - *South America Roll*


https://youtu.be/5tB8_jBDuJs
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 23, 2017, 09:38:19 AM
Amazing vids.....Thanks for putting them up
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 27, 2017, 02:33:32 PM
SOHO: DUAL objects race towards Sun / "Extra Solar" object detected in DEEP space!


https://youtu.be/r9DYN-kcEXk
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 27, 2017, 02:46:51 PM
Interesting indeed....Thanks
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 27, 2017, 04:16:43 PM
I can't help but wonder what he thinks they are if not 'sun diving comets'. They do do that sort of thing.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 27, 2017, 04:26:42 PM
I was wondering the same thing. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 27, 2017, 06:28:40 PM
That other thing up at the top...who knows what that is! But those definitely looked like sun divers to me.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 28, 2017, 04:38:18 PM
This was pretty cool from Space Weather.com

Solar System Planets..... (https://www.space.com/16080-solar-system-planets.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20170927-sdc)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 28, 2017, 04:51:14 PM
This was pretty cool from Space Weather.com

Solar System Planets..... (https://www.space.com/16080-solar-system-planets.html?utm_source=sdc-newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20170927-sdc)

"Planet Nine" is the large object out at the edge of our solar system that I was telling M-C about when he asked what might be affecting things. They're supposed to be able to catch sight of it this next month. We'll see!

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 28, 2017, 04:54:38 PM
Yup....which is why I put it up...though it does have some items I was unaware of about the other planets.  Some cool info indeed....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 29, 2017, 12:16:58 AM

2 Major Rockfalls/Yosemite - Comet debris leaves crater in Scotland - River water vanishes!


https://youtu.be/R7ZSLv0tATs



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 29, 2017, 02:39:34 AM
2 Major Rockfalls/Yosemite - Comet debris leaves crater in Scotland - River water vanishes!




Good grief! Where did all that water go? That flooding in Turkey is intense!

I hope the tremblors in the caldera aren't causing all those rock slides.

I happened to watch this right after I watched the Bali video.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on September 29, 2017, 07:13:33 AM
Strange things are happening, but they could have happened before many millenniums ago which could be a part of an earth cycle we know nothing about.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 29, 2017, 10:40:23 AM
Very true on that point M-C.   We are not as bright as we claim to be in most cases.  I love reading some of the science articles that start out "We were ABSOLUTELY SURE this is how it happened but now......." and then they continue on as to why they've changed their mind on the ABSOLUTELY SURE part.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 29, 2017, 07:25:23 PM
This is rather interesting. It would seem they have the data to back this up:

https://youtu.be/msg7XO5YQFI
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 30, 2017, 08:22:13 AM
LOL.....You beat me to it.....But yes....I thought that was very interesting also.....And it makes sense. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 30, 2017, 01:58:09 PM
LOL.....You beat me to it.....But yes....I thought that was very interesting also.....And it makes sense. 

Yes, it does make sense. I also have to wonder if perhaps our ancestors who decided the Sun was 'God' for a time were actually able to see the flaring activity through more auroral activity than we see, because of our gross light-pollution. I say that because supposedly there was an ancient compendium of solar cycles that revealed many things about the Sun and what it does and how often.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 01, 2017, 02:49:10 PM
I just watched a Show last night called  "Space's Secrets 306....The latest discoveries reveal the mysterious and ever-changing nature of our sun....and it confirmed what you posted above....100%....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 01, 2017, 04:57:43 PM
I just watched a Show last night called  "Space's Secrets 306....The latest discoveries reveal the mysterious and ever-changing nature of our sun....and it confirmed what you posted above....100%....

Did it? I'm glad to see some of the Thunderbolts group get some scientific recognition finally. They have some different ideas about things. I don't agree with all of them but some I can't help but wonder if they don't have the right of those. They ARE interesting ideas, and theories to contemplate!

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 01, 2017, 05:19:07 PM
For most of the program it was showing things we pretty much see talked about a lot...Sunspots, Solar Flares, Etc....but 3/4's of the way through the show they started on the relationship between the Sun and Weather.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 01, 2017, 05:21:47 PM
And darn it all....Here I am telling "J" he's losing his mind and I forgot to mention the best part of the show.  They actually showed the inside of the Space Weather.com headquarters....and WOW is all I can say.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 01, 2017, 05:39:34 PM
:iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 01, 2017, 07:43:12 PM
I'm sure it's pretty awesome looking in there!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 04, 2017, 05:17:18 PM
Meteor/Fireball crashes into White Mountains starting huge wildfire!


https://youtu.be/R6v2Ik-xK-k
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 05:34:27 PM
Did you watch the one after it? Am I hallucinating or is there a meteorite at the end just before the whatever it is disappears? How can he not have mentioned that?


https://youtu.be/uiSPbx14UDs
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 05:36:04 PM
That is rather 'big' that we've got meteors starting forest fires. We don't need help, thanks!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 04, 2017, 06:28:23 PM
This is probably what that light is......  Space.Com (https://www.space.com/38333-asteroid-2017-sx17-buzzes-earth-in-flyby.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 06:37:39 PM
Oh, only an asteroid about the size of a freeking bus? :yeow:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 06:38:11 PM
I think that's worth mentioning. Don't you?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 06:40:12 PM
I know...our Alien allies were watching out for us out there and ready to shoot it into lots of little pieces. Whee!

I'm being goofy, of course.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 04, 2017, 06:48:01 PM
LOL....Yup....that surprised me also....But I keep track of them on the Space Weather "Close Objects" guide.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2017, 07:42:26 PM
Good thing! Looks like there's another on the way soon - even closer. Oct. 12th.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2017, 08:39:54 PM
MAJOR SPACE WEATHER EVENT ON MARS: More than 150 years after it happened, scientists are still taking about the Carrington Event—a solar storm in Sept. 1859 that sparked Northern Lights as far south as Cuba and sprayed the entire surface of Earth with high energy radiation.

On our planet, such global events are rare. On Mars, they happen surprisingly often—in fact, there was one just a few weeks ago.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/04oct17/martianspaceweather_strip.jpg)


The storm began on Sept. 10, 2017--a day the sun was supposed to be quiet: The solar cycle is currently at low ebb, near Solar Minimum, and strong flares are rare. Nevertheless, sunspot AR2673 erupted, producing a powerful X8-class solar flare that accelerated a potent spray of charged particles into space.
In a matter of hours, a "ground level event" (GLE) was underway on Mars. GLEs occur when energetic particles normally held at bay by a planet's atmosphere or magnetic field penetrate all the way to the ground. Mars rover Curiosity detected the radiation spike as it crawled just south of the Martian equator.
"Radiation levels suddenly doubled and they remained high for nearly two days," says Don Hassler of the Southwest Research Institute, principal investigator for Curiosity's Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD). "This is the largest event we have seen since Curiosity landed in 2012."


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/04oct17/gle.png?PHPSESSID=610ltp0ea8sq8e7hqlakhg5634)


Earth was in the line of fire, too, but our planet's magnetic field and thick atmosphere mitigated the effect of the storm. The terrestrial GLE on Sept. 10th was restricted to polar regions and amounted to a meager 6% increase–a tiny fraction of what happened on Mars.
Mars got walloped because, simply put, it is more vulnerable to space weather. The Red Planet has no global magnetic field to protect it, and an atmosphere only 1% as thick as Earth's. Energetic particles from the Sept. 10th explosion peppered the entire dayside surface of Mars while auroras fringed the upper atmosphere all around the globe.
NASA's MAVEN spacecraft saw the auroras using its ultraviolet imager. "If a human had been present, with eyes sensitive to visible light, they would have probably seen Mars lit up in green light (557.7nm) much like auroras on Earth," says Sonal Jain of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado.
"Sonal had the excitement of being blown away when the raw data come in," says his colleague Nick Schneider, also of LASP. "The auroras were 25 times brighter than the previous record." Both scientists work with MAVEN data and specialize in Martian auroras.
"These global events are really interesting," says Schneider. "On Earth It takes a truly extreme solar storm to cause global havoc thanks to the strength of our magnetic field. Mars' lack of a global magnetic field means that planet-wide events are far more common. Indeed, since MAVEN went into Mars-orbit 3 years ago, we've seen a bunch of auroral displays that were probably global, even though this has been a really wimpy solar cycle."
Hassler agrees. "Curiosity has seen 5 ground level events since 2012. They are not uncommon," he says, "and they will probably grow stronger in the years ahead as we move through Solar Minimum and return to a more active phase of the solar cycle."
Planners of future human missions to Mars will have to take into account the frequency of these "Martian Carrington Events," increasingly revealed by rovers and orbiters of the Red Planet. Meanwhile, researchers are still poring over data from the latest, hoping to learn more. "Analysis of these observations, both at Mars and Earth, is just beginning," says Hassler, "so stay tuned."




Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 04, 2017, 08:40:23 PM
MORNING CONJUNCTION OF PLANETS:

Set your alarm for dawn. Venus and Mars are converging for a close encounter, appearing low in the eastern sky just before the rising sun. At closest approach on Thursday morning, Oct 5th, the bright Goddess of Love and the dimmer God of War will lie no more than 0.25 degrees apart. Take a look! It's a nice way to begin the day. Sky maps: Oct. 4th, 5th, 6th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 05, 2017, 11:24:31 AM
Saw that notice...very cool....to bad I have nothing but cloudy skies  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2017, 11:49:23 AM
Maybe we'll luck out tomorrow and be able to see them at least somewhat close together. Maybe!


I've always kind of laughed up my sleeve at colonizing Mars - unless you do it underground. Except we don't know what's underground. That planet is in such a vulnerable place in the Solar System. All you have to do is look at it's poor head and realize what did that or possibly did it. Nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 05, 2017, 12:08:05 PM
Maybe we'll luck out tomorrow and be able to see them at least somewhat close together. Maybe!


I've always kind of laughed up my sleeve at colonizing Mars - unless you do it underground. Except we don't know what's underground. That planet is in such a vulnerable place in the Solar System. All you have to do is look at it's poor head and realize what did that or possibly did it. Nice place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there.

Hope so...would love to see that.....

And I was thinking the same thing as you when I read that article.  We can't even keep STEEL and CEMENT buildings from crumbling in storms...what would they create for that.  Unless they burrowed into the mountains and made that home.    :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2017, 12:16:27 PM
I don't think you can create anything that would withstand that or a chunk from the Asteroid belt even grazing the planet. Even if you did build in the mountains, and got hit.... But, then again that could just as well happen here. It would be the better place to build overall though. Maybe. They may already be full of caverns and caves. If anyone knows, they're keeping it a secret. 

:shh2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 05, 2017, 12:26:34 PM
True.  I see where Space-X is going to put all of their resources into a Mars Dragon Space Craft.  I'll see if I can find that link.  It's interesting to say the least.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2017, 03:26:29 PM
hang around for another 100 years an a holiday on mars will be a maybe !!


that's a maybe MacDonald's or maybe a Disneyworld  :(ROFLMAO:


any of you know the name of a sci fi story where a soft drink co. (no TMs please lol )
sprayed there logo on the moon ??


would love to show my boys that one

I think that is "The Man Who Sold the Moon" by Robert Heinlein, Hedd.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 05, 2017, 07:29:34 PM

Meteor CLUSTERS being spotted in sky! - 3 scorch SW China / 2 California!
4,230 views


https://youtu.be/x1sWpqlnxzw
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2017, 10:23:33 PM
thanks


shoulda guessed ............read most if not all his books
cat who walked through walls  was the one I made kids read
and Dune and  :jacko:


all they gave me was speed racer and pokemon  :(ROFLMAO:

:tearlaugh: Yeah....Pokémon :thud:

You're welcome. I read "The Fall of Moondust" and "Rendezvous with Rama" (the first). I guess he wrote other Rama's but I didn't read them. Also read "Stranger in a Strange Land". I can't remember if I read any of his others but I probably did a long time ago. I think it was about 50 years ago when I was reading his stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2017, 10:29:17 PM
Meteor CLUSTERS being spotted in sky! - 3 scorch SW China / 2 California!
4,230 views



Seems indeed like we must be going through 'some'thing.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 10, 2017, 01:52:28 PM
Want to see meteors passing by.....

Go to VIRTUAL TELESCOPE (https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 13, 2017, 12:21:04 PM
Crazy! - Recent geomagnetic storm SO strong in triggered meteor Sky Cams in BC!


https://youtu.be/MoAlNibRGoI
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 13, 2017, 12:59:09 PM
That must have been quite spectacular!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 13, 2017, 05:47:02 PM
I bet it would have been something to see.


Here is something else that is interesting.


Another "Large Sphere" leaps from the surface of the Sun - Nice!


https://youtu.be/vY_T_xH_I4w
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 13, 2017, 05:51:21 PM
This just came up a few minute ago.


Spectacular Sunrise - Cabo San Lucas - Massive Beams Span Sky!


Something that I think is interesting.


https://youtu.be/EJqbdkFaWeY
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 13, 2017, 06:05:05 PM
OMG, someone teach him how to say 'crepuscular' . It was cool though.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 13, 2017, 06:07:30 PM
Okay, he sort of made up for it with "Mississippi Queen" :tearlaugh:

That's a BIG ball/hole....thing!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 13, 2017, 06:35:53 PM
OMG, someone teach him how to say 'crepuscular' . It was cool though.


I don't think I could say that word either. It is neat the way the sun rays goes across the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 13, 2017, 07:03:56 PM
It's pronounced just like it looks -
crep-us-cu-lar

I think he was saying crep-suc-u-lar (??)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 14, 2017, 04:32:18 PM
Planet 5x Jupiter size & Dwarf Star in HYDRA - Witness saw 90 different times WITHOUT telescope!


https://youtu.be/vUOzQUB3jWg
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 14, 2017, 07:36:42 PM
I think I've been seeing that as well. I thought it was Mars for the longest time, but then figured out it wasn't. Mars is over by Venus and the Sun. What I've been seeing is in the right place, too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 17, 2017, 12:42:35 PM
I still say Albert Einstein was an alien living amongst us.  He theorised this over 100 years ago....

GRAVITATIONAL WAVES (http://earthsky.org/space/ligo-virgo-gravitational-waves-neutron-stars-merger?mc_cid=65dd379ce5&mc_eid=a16ecba194)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2017, 06:43:23 PM
METEORS FROM HALLEY'S COMET:

Earth is entering a stream of debris from Halley's Comet, source of the annual Orionid meteor shower. Last night, NASA's network of all-sky meteor cameras detected 23 Orionid fireballs over the USA--a result of comet dust hitting the atmosphere at speeds exceeding 65 km/s (145,000 mph). Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Oct. 21-22 with as many as 25 meteors per hour.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 20, 2017, 07:00:44 PM
Best times for viewing Orinoid (http://earthsky.org/tonight/orionid-meteors-are-debris-from-famous-comet-halley)  Go out about a 1/2 hour earlier to get the eyes adjusted.  I'm hoping our cloud cover won't mess it up for me.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 20, 2017, 07:18:15 PM
And it is advised that we look away from Orion to see the meteors. "Just because they appear to come from around Betelgeuse that does not mean that's where you're going to see them. Best time is about any time after 1:00 when Orion is in the south sky". The moon will not be up at this time - so no moonlight to contend with. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 20, 2017, 07:37:04 PM
Great advice indeed.....   Hope I get a glimpse of them tonight.   No chance tomorrow night or Sunday according to the weather reports....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 20, 2017, 07:46:12 PM
Here: Tonight is kind of 50/50 chance I think. Tomorrow night worse, and then better on Sunday night.

Yes, they are debris from Halley's Comet. I think comets Encke and Biela are parts of Halley's too. They're short period comets. Encke's period is about three years.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2017, 01:34:33 PM
Saw a couple in between clouds and then that was it.  3:30AM in the morning and Lorna and I are standing on top of the hill in our PJ's....and yes...it started to sprinkle.....so a fast retreat was called for.....two minutes later....a downpour.....good timing on our part  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 25, 2017, 03:57:16 PM
I discovered that I can see the stars better with my glasses off than on. I can only see ones like Rigel and Sirius and only faintly with them on. I take them off and there they are - all of them.

There's so much light around here :thud:  I think I saw a couple of really small ones but I'm not sure - dumb as that sounds. I'd pulled my glasses down on my nose and it could have been light flashing across the tops of the glasses or frames. Then again, they started out bright and then fritzed away like a meteor does. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 25, 2017, 05:32:11 PM
Yup...glasses are strange...I wear trifocals but I can see distance fairly well...not great....but enough where I can drive without the glasses every now and then....  And stargazing requires I take them off since the telescope and glasses don't work well together LOLOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 25, 2017, 07:55:10 PM
Possible "Extra Solar" object entering inner solar system - 96P/Machholz




https://youtu.be/RVMeNv-UEII
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 26, 2017, 10:33:37 AM
I remember SpaceWeather had something about MacDaddy a while ago.   But no mention of it coming from another Solar System...But they did make reference to Wiki so maybe I didn't go and peek LOL....  Neat stuff though.....thanks for putting it up M-C
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 26, 2017, 02:20:03 PM
More details on the comet

UNUSUAL COMET DIVES TOWARD THE SUN: Today, spacecraft are monitoring a close encounter between the sun and Comet 96P/Machholz. This is no ordinary comet. 96P/Machholz has a strange chemical composition that has prompted astronomers to wonder if it comes from another star system. Moreover, it is linked to a complicated network of debris streams criss-crossing the Solar System, suggesting that 96P/Machholz may have exploded in the distant past. The comet will receive a new blast of heat in the days ahead as it swoops past the sun deep inside the orbit of Mercury. Will it fragment further?


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/26oct17/c3_anim_crop3.gif?PHPSESSID=qc4l5t6fbq0ih9t2j1455karm3)


Comet 96P does this every 5.24 years. It is a short period comet that experiences frequent blasts of solar heat. During a similar flyby in 2002, SOHO observed two tiny fragments ahead of the main nucleus. This means the comet may be actively evolving, and it could shed more pieces during this week's dive.
This is no ordinary comet. Its orbit connects it with a bewildering menagerie of other things in the solar system: Comet 96P is linked to as many as three meteor showers (the Daytime Arietids, Southern Delta Aquarids, and Quadrantids), two families of sungrazing comets, and an asteroid (2003 EH1). Millennia ago, the whole ensemble was probably part of the same parent object that exploded or fell apart.
Does this comet even belong to our own solar system? A scientific study published in 2008 found that 96P/Machholz has "extremely anomalous molecular abundances." Chemically speaking, it's not like other comets that have been studied in the same way. Perhaps it comes from another star system, flung into space and later captured by our own sun's gravity.
96P/Machholz will remain visible in SOHO coronagraphs from now until Oct. 30th

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 26, 2017, 02:42:50 PM
That is a cool update.  I really like the time lapse gif to give a clear picture of what is going on.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 28, 2017, 11:56:47 AM
Strange things seen as Saturn was in observation.


Ultra high speed object appears to 'ignite' a portal in the sky - "One for the X-Files"!




https://youtu.be/AdlEPSRLkjM
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 28, 2017, 01:19:24 PM
As I said once before....We are the babies in the universe.  I think what we think as spectacular are common place in the realms of space.....But that is way cool....  Thanks M-C
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 30, 2017, 09:37:42 PM
Update: NEW Earth/Moon Asteroid - SFU (Solar Flux Units) climbing!


https://youtu.be/KJMBXe3x1_0





Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 01, 2017, 08:10:30 AM

‘Monster’ planet just discovered that was thought IMPOSSIBLE to exist!


https://youtu.be/bd8_RZVcSj4 (https://youtu.be/bd8_RZVcSj4)


November 1, 2017: A giant planet – the existence of which previously thought extremely unlikely – discovered around a small star by an international collaboration of astronomers, with University of Warwick taking a leading role.
NGTS-1b is the largest planet compared to the size of its companion star ever discovered in universe – contradicts theories that a planet of this size could not be formed by such a small star
Discovered using the state-of-the-art Next-Generation Transit Survey observing facility, designed to search for transiting planets on bright stars.
NGTS-1b is 600 light years away from us – it is a gas giant the size of Jupiter which orbits a star only half the size of our Sun at an extremely fast pace. Hard to believe how fast!
https://arxiv.org/pdf/1710.11099v1.pdf (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1710.11099v1.pdf)
#MrMBB333
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 05, 2017, 03:24:55 PM
SOLAR SECTOR BOUNDARY CROSSING:

On Nov. 6th, Earth will cross a fold in the heliospheric current sheet--a vast wavy structure in interplanetary space separating regions of opposite magnetic polarity. This is called a "solar sector boundary crossing," and it could trigger geomagnetic activity around Earth's poles. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras when the crossing occurs.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 05, 2017, 03:26:31 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED (G1-CLASS): Earth's crossing of the heliospheric current sheet on Nov. 6th sets the stage for even more action on Nov. 7th. That's when a high-speed solar wind stream is expected to reach our planet. Its source is a large northern hole in the sun's atmosphere:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/04nov17/ch_strip2.jpg)


This is a "coronal hole"--a region where the sun's magnetic field peels back and allows solar wind to escape. NOAA forecasters say there is a 45% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Nov. 7th when the emerging wind reaches Earth. There is a similar chance of storms on Nov. 8th.
This is going to be a high-latitude event. Arctic sky watchers will almost certainly see auroras mixed with moonlight on Nov. 7th and 8th. Faint auroras may be seen as well from the northernmost tier of US states--e.g., Maine, the northern tip of Michigan, and Washington



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 05, 2017, 03:40:06 PM
Could become interesting in some areas.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2017, 04:03:38 PM
It's just Sol-ar flatulence :winks:

Seriously though, it could be interesting as you say.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2017, 04:05:38 PM
Oooo, would love to actually see the moonlight auroras. I wonder if it would make them significantly paler. Or maybe pearly?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 05, 2017, 05:10:19 PM
The answer to my question above seems to be 'It depends'. Depends on where the moon is in relation to them. It can light them up more or make them shimery - depending on the shape of the auroral clouds. Or even make them pale shades of themselves.

In case you wondered too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 12, 2017, 04:45:35 PM
SET YOUR ALARM FOR DAWN: On Monday morning, Nov. 13th, Venus and Jupiter will converge in the pre-dawn sky only 1/3rd of a degree apart. Look low and to the east about 30 minutes before sunrise. It's definitely worth waking up for! Sky maps: Nov. 12, (http://spaceweather.com/images2017/12nov17/skymap_12nov17.gif?PHPSESSID=pahd4vlfg94s0vt8efcg66is81) 13, (http://spaceweather.com/images2017/13nov17/skymap_13nov17.gif?PHPSESSID=pahd4vlfg94s0vt8efcg66is81) 14. (http://spaceweather.com/images2017/14nov17/skymap_14nov17.gif?PHPSESSID=pahd4vlfg94s0vt8efcg66is81)

David Blanchard took this picture of Venus and Jupiter converging over Flagstaff, Arizona, just before sunrise on Nov.12th:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/David-Blanchard-20171112_0558_DBP_4663_1510506501.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 12, 2017, 04:58:46 PM
Back on October 15th - a Sunday morning, I saw the Sun coming up (it was still fairly far down from the horizon), and above that was Venus, and above that, the crescent moon. Wish I had a camera. They weren't exactly lined up straight but close enough. I did make a picture of it, for what it's worth.

This should be similarly spectacular!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 13, 2017, 06:59:08 AM
Darn...I've got a 'fleet' of black clouds that looks like a whale and the Battle Star Galactica ships out in space. Hopefully, they'll move but at 3 degrees difference........ pffttt. We'll see, or not. This would be the third time I've seen this conjunction if I do.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 13, 2017, 07:24:10 AM
Saw it finally, through the bare branches of a tree, after the skinniest cloud in the lot finally moved. Lol. A little blown out by the sunlight coming by then.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 15, 2017, 05:22:45 PM
Fireballs have been spotted in sky all over the world.


*Scary Skies* | Loud Booms - Balls of Fire - Bizarre Clouds!


https://youtu.be/rd24PRepDoY (https://youtu.be/rd24PRepDoY)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 15, 2017, 05:32:32 PM
Haven't see any myself but have seen the news reports about the meteors.  Especially on the Weather Channel.  They've been showing about 5 different ones form various parts of the US.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 17, 2017, 06:36:58 PM
ARCTIC METEOR TURNS NIGHT INTO DAY:


On the evening of Nov. 16th, aurora tour guide Tony Bateman of northern Finland was indoors, warming up between auroras, when his surroundings began to vibrate. "There was a huge bang and the cottage shook violently," he reports. "At first I thought it was an earthquake. Or maybe a tree fell on the cottage roof! I walked outside and inspected the trees. Everything looked okay." A quick replay of his aurora webcam solved the mystery. "It was an incredible meteor," he says.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDhoHpSJEQE (https://www.youtube.com/embed/iDhoHpSJEQE)

"It gave me goosebumps to see the night sky turn blue as the meteor exploded," he says. "Auroras and a fireball--what a night!"

This week Earth has been moving through a stream of debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower. Taurids are rich in fireballs. However, the trajectory of this meteor suggests it was no Taurid.

It appears to have been a sporadic--that is, a random meteor from no particular comet. Every day, Earth is peppered with sporadic meteors from a diffuse swarm filling the inner solar system. NASA statistics show that sporadic fireballs as bright as Venus appear somewhere on Earth more than 100 times daily. Fireballs as bright as a quarter Moon occur once every ten days, and fireballs as bright as a full Moon once every few months or so. The Arctic fireball of Nov. 16th belongs in the rarest of those three categories--a lucky catch, indeed.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 17, 2017, 07:30:39 PM
That was pretty neat....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 17, 2017, 09:48:57 PM
Wild image surfaces on the NASA SOHO LASCO C3 Sun Spacecraft - LaGrange 1




https://youtu.be/8CCIdKXGb70
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 18, 2017, 09:14:43 AM
That certainly was wild.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 18, 2017, 06:29:30 PM

November 18, 2017: A big asteroid (2017 VT14) has just recently been discovered and it has Earth in its sights for a December "close encounter". It is currently a "Condition Code 9"!
Also, in this video we look at how the energy from the 6.3 China earthquake strangely traveled through the earth. We take a close look at some seismograph anomalies.




*Football Field* sized Asteroid caught sneaking into Solar System making a close encounter w/Earth!




https://youtu.be/IKJ4EohMlSQ
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 18, 2017, 07:00:15 PM
Thanks for the update...been following this story for a bit.....So many different views on it....like how was it missed...(being asked by the Government who doesn't want to spend the money watching the skies)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 18, 2017, 07:31:13 PM
Aren't Apollo class asteroids from around the area of the Sun? Perhaps it snuck in behind the Sun?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 18, 2017, 07:48:01 PM
Could very well be Ray....and yes....you're right about Apollo class asteroids (http://abyss.uoregon.edu/~js/glossary/near_earth_asteroids.html)

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 20, 2017, 05:07:39 AM
NEW planet discovered orbiting Red Dwarf moving towards Earth - Alien life probable!



November 20, 2017: A temperate Earth-sized planet has been discovered only 11 light-years from the Solar System by a team using ESO’s unique planet-hunting HARPS instrument. The new world has the designation Ross 128 b and is now the second-closest temperate planet to be detected after Proxima b. It is also the closest planet to be discovered orbiting an inactive red dwarf star, which may increase the likelihood that this planet could potentially sustain life. Ross 128 b will be a prime target for ESO’s Extremely Large Telescope, which will be able to search for biomarkers in the planet's atmosphere.

http://www.eso.org/public/usa/news/eso1736/



https://youtu.be/fjpSde3jtUM (https://youtu.be/fjpSde3jtUM)



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 12:10:18 PM
We are having a hard enough time trying to figure out how to get to back to the moon and then onto Mars.....

Is this the planet whose complete day cycle is only 5 hours long?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 20, 2017, 12:35:09 PM
A five hour period from Sun up to Sun up? No planet in our Solar System has that rate of rotation.


At 11 light years distance, none of our instruments are likely to detect the rate of rotation of a planet. At least not a terrestrial world.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 01:03:09 PM
Gosh darn it all....I was wrong....

Ross 128 b is a closely orbiting planet, with a year (rotation period) lasting about 9.9 days

Hear yee Hear Yee....Read all about it..... HERE (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_128_b)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 20, 2017, 04:17:43 PM
So...about 10 days equal a year? Either that's VERY closely orbiting or it's traveling rather fast!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 20, 2017, 04:24:51 PM
A five hour period from Sun up to Sun up? No planet in our Solar System has that rate of rotation.


At 11 light years distance, none of our instruments are likely to detect the rate of rotation of a planet. At least not a terrestrial world.

But...this planet and it's sun are not from our solar system. We don't know how Red Dwarf systems really are, because ours is yellow. Up until now, I'm guessing everything we think we know about them is a surmise - an 'educated guess'. It is a solar system unto itself, potentially - the Red Dwarf being it's star. :yes:

The Martian day is about 40 minutes longer than ours. A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus. Jupiter's day is roughly half of what ours is. That's all the ones I remember at the moment.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 20, 2017, 04:35:17 PM
Yes each planets are different. Like solar systems.
Yet I'm always surprise when I see than 99% of planets out of our solar system are supposedly closest of their stars than Venus - and many closest than Mercury. No matter the kind of star. Are they sure than instrumentals have good datas?
I don't think we are a so real exception in the universe, are we?

And scientists have instrumentals able to look in the far universe, but not easily Pluto, or moons of Saturn, Jupiter... It's a bit weird.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 06:07:28 PM
Here is something new to view:

INTERSTELLAR ASTEROID "LIKE NOTHING SEEN BEFORE" (http://spaceweather.com/): In Oct. 2017, the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawai'i picked up a faint point of light moving across the sky. At first it appeared to be an ordinary asteroid--but astronomers quickly realized it was something entirely different. The hurtling object, since named "'Oumuamua (http://spaceweather.com/)," came from interstellar space. At the time of its discovery, 'Oumuamua had just swung around the sun. Telescopes around the world swiveled to observe it before it could leave the Solar System. Findings from those rapid observations were published in today's issue of Nature, and they reveal a very strange object indeed:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2017/20nov17/interstellarasteroid_strip.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 20, 2017, 06:10:20 PM
INTERSTELLAR ASTEROID "LIKE NOTHING SEEN BEFORE": In Oct. 2017, the Pan-STARRS 1 telescope in Hawai'i picked up a faint point of light moving across the sky. At first it appeared to be an ordinary asteroid--but astronomers quickly realized it was something entirely different. The hurtling object, since named "'Oumuamua," came from interstellar space. At the time of its discovery, 'Oumuamua had just swung around the sun. Telescopes around the world swiveled to observe it before it could leave the Solar System. Findings from those rapid observations were published in today's issue of Nature, and they reveal a very strange object indeed:


(https://cdn.eso.org/images/screen/eso1737a.jpg)


According to a European Southern Observatory (ESO) press release, 'Oumuamua is "like nothing seen before." It is red, made of dense rock or metal, and is shaped roughly like a giant cigar at least 400 meters long.
These are the findings of a team of astronomers led by Karen Meech (Institute for Astronomy, Hawai`i, USA) who combined images from the ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile with other large telescopes. 'Oumuamua varies dramatically in brightness by a factor of ten as it spins on its axis every 7.3 hours. "This unusually large variation in brightness means that the object is highly elongated: about ten times as long as it is wide, with a complex, convoluted shape," says Meech.
The asteroid's dark red color is probably caused by cosmic rays irradiating its surface for millions of years in deep space. Cosmic rays have a similar coloring effect on asteroids and comets native to our outer Solar System.


https://youtu.be/O6PpbO7vIjU (https://youtu.be/O6PpbO7vIjU)


Extrapolating 'Oumuamua's trajectory back in time, it seems to come from the direction of the star Vega. However, Vega itself moves and was not in the area when 'Oumuamua was last there ~300,000 years ago. 'Oumuamua may well have been wandering through the Milky Way, unattached to any star system, for hundreds of millions of years before its chance encounter with the Solar System.
Researchers estimate that interstellar asteroids similar to 'Oumuamua pass through the inner Solar System about once per year, but they are faint and so have been missed until now.Only recently have survey telescopes such as Pan-STARRS become powerful enough to discover them.

"We are continuing to observe this unique object," says team member Olivier Hainaut from the ESO in Garching, Germany. "And now that we have found the first interstellar rock, we are getting ready for the next ones!" Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 20, 2017, 06:12:52 PM
I see GMTA again
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 06:14:04 PM
Yup....You're getting slow in your old age :java: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 20, 2017, 06:15:30 PM
:nanana:

That was because I was getting the video to load properly

:@u:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 06:17:52 PM
:nanana:

That was because I was getting the video to load properly

:@u:

I just have folks follow the link...everything works properly then     :pervy: :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 20, 2017, 06:26:58 PM
The cowards way out :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 06:33:31 PM
But fast......and correct  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 20, 2017, 06:34:43 PM
Hmmmm, that reminds me of the great weapon mentioned in the Mahabharata - the Iron Thunderbolt that crashed into the earth and caused all sorts of death and destruction...and was evidently radioactive as well causing what reads like radioactive burns.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 20, 2017, 07:06:06 PM
Hummmmm.....Now that you mention it......  With all that is going on nowadays perhaps we need something  to worry about that we have NO control over.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 21, 2017, 08:19:48 AM
Hmm! Plenty of things we have no control over already. Thing is worrying about it won't change a thing. If it's gonna happen, we cannot stop it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 21, 2017, 08:34:20 AM
But...this planet and it's sun are not from our solar system. We don't know how Red Dwarf systems really are, because ours is yellow. Up until now, I'm guessing everything we think we know about them is a surmise - an 'educated guess'. It is a solar system unto itself, potentially - the Red Dwarf being it's star. :yes:

The Martian day is about 40 minutes longer than ours. A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus. Jupiter's day is roughly half of what ours is. That's all the ones I remember at the moment.
Proxima Centauri, another red dwarf star, is the closest star to Sol, being about 4 light years away. It has been discovered that a terrestrial planet is orbiting in its temperate zone. Being as close as it is, we should be able very soon to observe it and determine its properties and whether or not it is a life bearing world. The next instrument slated to be  up and running in the near future is supposed to be able to detect many aspects of extra-solar planets, including the signature of life itself as determined by observing Earth from space. In other words, we now know what to look for, and will have an instrument in space that can do exactly that type of looking.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 21, 2017, 09:53:49 AM
It's all very exciting, isn't it? To explore 'out there' and discover new things, new worlds and by the by look for another planet to move to...just in case.

Is it really just in case some giant Flaming Ball of Death might come along, or that 'giant spear' from the outer limits? I don't think so. I don't think so...because that's happened before - many times. We're still here. The Earth is still here. The Earth is a pretty hardy old girl that's weathered many things.

Why don't we put some of this technology and funding into fixing the Earth instead of jacking it up more than we have? Are we gonna just throw it in the trash and get a new one, when we're done with it?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 21, 2017, 10:43:09 AM
The whole point of finding other worlds to settle on is to spread ourselves across multiple worlds so that extinction events of the order that wiped the dinosaurs out won't do the same to the whole of the human species. We are as far as anybody knows the only species ever to arise on Earth that has developed the capability to leave Earth and colonize other planets. Even Mars could be terraformed to make life there at least livable. With enough mass added, it could even be comparable to the gravity of Earth. Being as far from the sun as Mars is, the temperatures might not be what they are on Earth, but at least it is manageable. So bringing a large comet or two to collide with Mars would likely create some oceans, and help thicken the atmosphere enough to support life.


For me it is about not having all our eggs in one basket, so to speak. If that basket were to fall hard enough, all the eggs might be broken open and the life within extinguished.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 21, 2017, 12:24:23 PM
I see.

We don't have a terribly great record with colonizing new places on Earth. I have to wonder if we'd be any different in space.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 21, 2017, 09:00:15 PM
You're right about our record concerning colonizing on Earth; however, nearby worlds such as Mars are not occupied by any known native species. That said, life is highly likely to be discovered there, if it hasn't already.


What I advocate for is construction of habitats in space to provide other places to live aside from on Earth. We have the technology already, but governments here have been dragging their feet on that front. It will take civilian business funding to get that ball rolling. There are plenty of resources flying around in this Solar System to provide the materials for such ventures, including water ice on comets and other bodies to harvest from. Plant and animal life could be transported to these habitats from Earth, and the human occupants would be tasked with managing and caring for them.


I say it is time to take greater advantage of those resources. Get the human race spread throughout the Solar System, and trading goods and services with each other. Lots of space available for such endeavors, and plenty of riches to be had.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 21, 2017, 10:12:28 PM
Ah, the magic words...plenty of riches to be had.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 22, 2017, 07:20:05 PM
That is what would attract the big corporations to investing in such endeavors. And in this case, it could definitely be good for humanity as well as animals and plants.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 22, 2017, 08:19:59 PM
Rare fireball dominates Japan sky - SUPER bright and nearly vertical - Spectacular !


https://youtu.be/Gb7SPQaYoS8



November 22, 2017: A rare, dominating fireball exploded over the island of Japan turning night to day from the east to the west as it entered the atmosphere in a nosedive angle, coming in nearly straight perpendicular! Spectacular event.


https://watchers.news/2017/11/22/bright-fireball-streaks-through-the-night-sky-over-japan/



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 23, 2017, 07:04:08 PM
SPOTLESS SUN SPARKS PINK AURORAS: On Nov. 22nd, the face of the sun was unblemished by sunspots, and NOAA classified solar activity as "very low."  Nevertheless, the skies above Tromso Norway exploded with a remarkable outburst of pink auroras. "Suddenly, the whole valley turned white (with a hint of pink)," says Frank Meissner, who witnessed and photographed the display. "It was over after about 20 seconds."


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Frank-Meissner-IMG_3238_1511436906.jpg)


How bright was it? "The brightness of the auroras may be compared to the car lights in the background of my photo," points out Meissner.
In nearby Kvaløya, aurora tour guide Marianne Bergli witnessed a surge of pink that was, if anything, even more dramatic:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Marianne-Bergli-5217B7B3-8C87-4B16-8693-F1ECFADDBD3B_1511429933.jpg)


"Ironically, our guests stopped taking pictures," says Bergli. "They were awestruck and frozen to the spot by the incredible pink and green lights overhead."
This outburst was powered by a stream of solar wind flowing from a hole in the sun's atmosphere. Such holes are common during Solar Minimum, and they require no sunspots to form. That's why auroras continue throughout the 11-year solar cycle.

The pink color of the outburst tells us something interesting about the solar wind on Nov. 22nd: it seems to have been unusually penetrating. Most auroras are green–a verdant glow caused by energetic particles from space hitting oxygen atoms 100 km to 300 km above Earth's surface. Pink appears when the energetic particles descend lower than usual, striking nitrogen molecules at the 100 km level and below.
In recent winters, big displays of pink and white auroras have coincided with spotless suns often enough to make observers wonder if there is a connection.  If so, more outbursts are in the offing as the sun continues its plunge toward a deep Solar Minimum. Stay tuned for pink!


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 23, 2017, 08:18:13 PM
Wow! I've never seen pink ones THAT bright and dark pink!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 23, 2017, 08:24:35 PM
Took me by surprise to say the very least
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 23, 2017, 08:26:23 PM
Rather! I sure wasn't expecting that either! It's pretty awesome looking.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 24, 2017, 01:48:48 PM
WOW
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 27, 2017, 12:41:44 AM
"Cosmic Clouds" appear HIGH above Earth at the edge of Space!



November 26, 2017: Visible on clear nights high above the earth, not blocking light from the stars. Almost look similar to Magellan Clouds. They've been visible many different nights during the month of November, some nights more profound than others, as earth plows through a debris field.
Keck Cosmic Cams
#MrMBB333


https://youtu.be/pta7TgGjTm8
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 27, 2017, 04:05:33 AM

Something strange happened in the Arctic Circle - Impossible


November 26, 2017: What is being referred to as a "Local Geomagnetic Storm"...say whaaaaatttt??? Lights in the sky appeared and mathematically should not have. ??


https://youtu.be/cYBTwwu94Hw




A gallery of Auroras that were photographed.


http://spaceweathergallery.com/aurora_gallery.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on December 04, 2017, 07:01:07 AM
Onlookers gasp at jaw-dropping sky spectacle! - "Wonders of Earth"


https://youtu.be/68YeMwXWTVo





DEC 4, 2017: Spectacular Sun halo display, with a 22° halo, parhelic circle, sundogs and a tangent arc as well as 44° parhelia (sundogs) and 46° halo, spotted in Vemdalen, Sweden.


Full video at link kindly provided below...enjoy!
https://www.theweathernetwork.com/us/videos/gallery/spectacular-halo-display-optical-phenomena-sun-dog-spotted-in-sweden/sharevideo/5665486809001
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 04, 2017, 10:42:22 AM
That was pretty friggin awesome....and gets a double WOW....Thanks for sharing.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 09, 2018, 12:27:09 PM
You have to see these. They're amazing!

https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/processing?source=all&ob_from=&ob_to=&phases%5B%5D=PERIJOVE+10&users%5B%5D=4657&perpage=100
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 10, 2018, 02:50:39 PM
Absolutely Fantastic.   Haven't been to many space sights lately LOLOL....Gotta catch up I'm thinking....

Thanks for the awesome link Ray.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 10, 2018, 02:54:31 PM
Absolutely Fantastic.   Haven't been to many space sights lately LOLOL....Gotta catch up I'm thinking....

Thanks for the awesome link Ray.....



You're welcome, TL! Some pretty spectacular sights there :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 10, 2018, 02:58:21 PM
Indeed....and I've got the page bookmarked so I can finish up the viewing LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on January 10, 2018, 04:18:53 PM
I just bookmarked that page as well.... Amazing images coming out of space lately!


BTW.... I think one of our satellites got a closer photo of that weird asteroid that blew through the solar system last month....

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 10, 2018, 04:55:52 PM
LOLOLOL.....  I'm thinking the way our world is going lately....they got the hell out of Dodge....QUICKLY......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on January 10, 2018, 05:39:05 PM
Yes, that was probably the 'First Order' of business! 

Sorry.... Couldn't resist...... :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 10, 2018, 05:41:00 PM
It was pretty cool....so no problems.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 06:44:55 PM
THE CARBON MONOXIDE COMET: Astronomers are marveling at the wild blue color and even wilder dynamics of Comet PanSTARRS (C/2016 R2), now approaching the sun beyond the orbit of Mars. Every day, it seems, another cloud of dusty gas billows down the comet's tail as gaseous jets swivel around the comet's core. This is what the comet looked like on Jan. 10th:

Read More HERE (http://spaceweather.com/)

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/11jan18/bluecomet2_strip.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 06:52:32 PM
 :hubbahubba: That is one 'hot' comet! WOW! Beautiful.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 07:00:06 PM
I thought so also.....I'm hunting around the Space sites to see if someone has a vid instead of a still.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 07:22:05 PM
I'd even go so far as to say it's 'sexy'! I'm really gobsmacked at how pretty it is!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 07:24:05 PM
Here's a picture of it from APOD but it's not as nice as the Spaceweather one.

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180112.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 07:29:19 PM
That is pretty cool also....but yup...I like the SpaceWeather one...

Was on my nightly call with Mom.  Sometimes they get interesting.  LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 07:31:42 PM
That is pretty cool also....but yup...I like the SpaceWeather one...

Was on my nightly call with Mom.  Sometimes they get interesting.  LOLOL


I'm sure they do! As long as it's amusing interesting...right?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 07:38:30 PM
Always.....Tonight she wanted to know the difference between "Teed Off" and "Pissed Off" and where did "Teed Off" come from.....  Why she wanted to know....I have no clue....and I didn't ask for fear of the answer I'd get LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 12, 2018, 07:59:28 PM
Wise decision there
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 08:04:46 PM
"Teed off" means one is angry or annoyed. I don't think it extends to "Pissed off" which is more angry and annoyed. I think it comes from golf - what happens to the ball when you whack it - what happens to your temper when you whack it - you know.... Like getting mad and going straight up and turning left.

 :incoming:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 08:36:20 PM
Yup....Teed Off has to do with Golf but became a "NICER" version of Pissed Off according to Wiki....LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 08:54:21 PM
Oh...according to Wiki...okay. Sorry, there's no substitute for "I AM PISSED OFF!!" far as I'm concerned - unless there's an additional word - adjective inserted in there.

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 12, 2018, 08:58:41 PM
I totally agree LOLOL

Teed off in the figurative sense of "angry, annoyed" is first recorded 1953, probably as a euphemism for p(iss)ed off.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 12, 2018, 09:16:35 PM
Some guy throws his golf towel down on the ground, stomps his foot and says "I am sooo teed off! I can't stand it!" Yeah, right. Somehow, it lacks something.

 :(ROFLMAO:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 13, 2018, 08:47:37 AM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:   Yup.....It takes the fun out of anger.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 24, 2018, 09:19:27 PM
BLUE MOON LUNAR ECLIPSE:


On Wednesday, Jan. 31st, there's going to be a "Blue Moon"–the second full Moon in a calendar month. People who go outside to look may see a different hue: bright orange. This Blue Moon is going to be eclipsed, swallowed by copper-colored shadow of Earth for more than an hour. The eclipse will be visible from Asia, Australia, and most of North America:


(http://shadowandsubstance.com/20180131/EclipsetimesPST.png)


The bright orange color of the eclipse may be chalked up to volcanic activity–or rather, lack thereof. Atmospheric scientist Richard Keen from the University of Colorado explains:
"During a lunar eclipse, most of the light illuminating the Moon passes through Earth's stratosphere where it is reddened by scattering," he says. "If the stratosphere is loaded with dust from volcanic eruptions, the eclipse will be dark. The cataclysmic explosion of Tambora in 1815, for instance, turned the Moon into a dark, starless hole in sky during two subsequent eclipses."
But Earth is experiencing a bit of a volcanic lull. We haven't had a major volcanic blast since 1991 when Mt Pinatubo awoke from a 500 year slumber and sprayed ten billion cubic meters of ash, rock and debris into Earth's atmosphere. Recent eruptions have been puny by comparison and have failed to make a dent on the stratosphere. To Keen, the interregnum means one thing: "This eclipse is going to be bright and beautiful."


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/22jan18/opticaldepth_strip.jpg)


Keen studies lunar eclipses because of what they can tell us about Earth's energy balance. A transparent stratosphere "lets the sunshine in" and actually helps warm the Earth below. "The lunar eclipse record (https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/publications/annual_meetings/2017/slides/7-Keen.pdf) indicates a clear stratosphere has contributed about 0.2 degrees to warming since the 1980s."
"Mt. Pinatubo finished a 110-year episode of frequent major eruptions that began with Krakatau in 1883," he says. "Since then, lunar eclipses have been relatively bright, and the Jan. 31st eclipse should be no exception."
In the USA, the best time to look is during the hours before sunrise.  Western states are favored: (http://spaceweather.com/images2018/22jan18/visibilitymap.jpg?PHPSESSID=r745gr6lqlpb04hdnqi901jip6) The Moon makes first contact with the core of Earth's shadow at 3:48 am Pacific Time, kicking off the partial eclipse. Totality begins at 4:52 am PST as Earth's shadow engulfs the lunar disk for more than an hour. "Maximum orange" is expected around 5:30 am PST. Easternmost parts of the USA will miss totality altogether.
"I welcome any and all reports on the brightness of this eclipse for use in my volcano-climate studies," says Keen.  While actual brightness measurements (in magnitudes) made near mid-totality are most useful, I can also make use of  Danjon-scale ratings. (http://spaceweather.com/images2018/23jan18/DanjonQuiz2018.pdf) Please be sure to note the time, method, and instruments used in your reports." Observations may be submitted here.



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 26, 2018, 11:17:08 AM
We'll see how my clouds play out this time.  Wasn't so lucky last year with many of the Meteor shows and the eclipse....

But thanks for the reminder. 

We had a Bar in Newport Called "The Blue Moon"   When I stayed with my Grandmother during the summer...she'd send me down to Bar to drag my Father home so he would be able to get up for work the next day. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 26, 2018, 05:59:00 PM
LONG-DEAD NASA SPACECRAFT WAKES UP:


Amateur astronomer Scott Tilley has a hobby: He hunts spy satellites. Using an S-band radio antenna in Roberts Creek, British Columbia, he regularly scans the skies for radio signals from classified objects orbiting Earth. Since he started 5 years ago, Tilley has bagged dozens of secret or unlisted satellites. "It's a lot of fun," he confesses.

Earlier this month, Tilley was hunting for Zuma--a secretive United States government satellite lost in a launch mishap on Jan. 8th--when a J-shaped curve appeared on his computer screen. "It was the signature of a lost satellite," he says, "but it was not Zuma."

In a stroke of good luck that has dizzied space scientists, Tilley found IMAGE, a NASA spacecraft that "died" more than 10 years ago.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/26jan18/image_strip.jpg)


Short for "Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration," IMAGE was launched in 2000 on a flagship mission to monitor space weather. Mapping the ebb and flow of plasma around Earth, IMAGE was able to watch our planet's magnetosphere respond almost like a living organism to blasts of solar activity, while its ultraviolet cameras took gorgeous pictures of Earth's global auroras.
"It had capabilities that no other spacecraft could match--before or since," says. Patricia Reiff, a member of the original IMAGE science team at Rice University.

IMAGE was in the 5th year of its extended mission on Dec. 18, 2005, when the spacecraft suddenly went silent. No one knows why, although suspicions have focused on a power controller for the spacecraft's transponder, which might have temporarily failed.
The one hope was a reboot: When IMAGE's solar-powered batteries drained to zero during a eclipse by the Earth, onboard systems could restart and begin transmitting again. "If revival occurs, the mission should be able to continue as before with no limitations," noted NASA's IMAGE Failure Review Board in their 2006 report.
A deep eclipse in 2007, however, failed to produce the desired result. "After that, we stopped listening," says Reiff.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/26jan18/signals_strip.jpg)

That is, until Scott Tilley started looking for Zuma. "When I saw the radio signature, I ran a program called STRF to identify it," he says. Developed by Cees Bassa, a professional astronomer at the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, STRF treats Earth-orbiting satellites much like binary pulsars--deducing their orbital elements from the Doppler shifts of their radio signals. "The program immediately matched the orbit of the satellite I saw to IMAGE. It was that easy," says Tilley.
Sometime between 2007 and 2018--no one knows when--IMAGE woke up and started talking. Now, NASA has to find a way to answer.

"The good news is, NASA is working on a recovery plan," says Reiff. "UC Berkeley still has a ground station that was used for realtime tracking and control. They are scrambling to find the old software and see it they can get the bird to respond. Apparently there are data side lobes on the transmission, so that is a good sign."
Researchers would love to have IMAGE back. The spacecraft has a unique Big Picture view of Earth's magnetosphere and "its global-scale auroral imager would be fantastic for nowcasting space weather," says Reiff. "Fingers crossed!!"
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for updates.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 27, 2018, 11:19:20 AM
That's a pretty amazing story.  When I first read it I was thinking how cool it would be if IMAGE and the homebase could once again communicate....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 30, 2018, 12:45:42 PM
LUNAR ECLIPSE OBSERVING TIPS: The full Moon is about to pass through the shadow of Earth, turning the normally gray lunar disk a lovely shade of coppery-orange. When should you look? For people in the USA, the answer is Wednesday morning, Jan. 31st, just before sunrise. This graphic prepared by Larry Koehn of ShadowandSubstance.com depicts key moments of the eclipse in the Pacific Time Zone:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/29jan18/EclipsetimesPST_strip.png)

Other time zones are available, too: UT, EST, CST, MST, PST, HST.

The timing of the eclipse favors western US states. The Moon will spend more than an hour inside the core of Earth's shadow--and people on the Pacific side of the country will see all of it. On the Atlantic coast, people will see only a partial eclipse or no eclipse at all.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/29jan18/usa_map_strip.png)

Elsewhere in the world, the eclipse will be fully visible across the Pacific Ocean, Asia, and Australia. The eclipse will not be visible in Africa, South America, or western Europe: global map.

Did you know that climate scientists pay special attention to lunar eclipses? Dark eclipses are a sign of volcanic aerosols in the stratosphere--particles that can reflect sunlight and cool the planet. Bright eclipses, on the other hand, are a sign that the stratosphere is clear. A clear stratosphere "lets the sunshine in" to warm the planet below.

"I welcome any and all reports on the brightness of this eclipse for use in my volcano-climate studies," says Emeritus Prof. Richard Keen of the University of Colorado. "While actual brightness measurements (in magnitudes) made near mid-totality are most useful, I can also make use of Danjon-scale ratings. Please be sure to note the time, method, and instruments used in your reports." Observations may be submitted here.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2018, 07:48:41 AM
Here's a little something - a story from scientists with data to prove it. We suspected it was big and bad but this is even beyond what we thought it might be (myself and a few friends):

https://m.phys.org/news/2018-02-ice-age-human-witnessed-larger.html


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 03, 2018, 07:57:10 AM
Yikes is one word that comes to mind
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2018, 08:17:34 AM
Yikes is one word that comes to mind


Indeed! Can you even imagine a 62 mile wide comet coming at us from out there?

I can't help but think of this passage in a story called "Erra and Ishum" from Babylonian times:

The speaker is the god Marduk.

A long time ago, when I was angry and rose up
I rose up from my dwelling, and the control of
heaven and earth was undone.

The very heavens I made to tremble, the positions
of the stars of heaven changed, and I did not
return them to their places.

Even Erkalla (the Underworld) quaked, the furrow's yield
diminished, and forever after it was hard to
extract (a yield).

Even the control of heaven and earth was undone,
the springs diminished, the flood water receded
I went back, and looked and looked; it was very
grievous.

The remaining offspring of living things was
tiny, and I did not return them to their
former state.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 03, 2018, 08:23:54 AM

Indeed! Can you even imagine a 62 mile wide comet coming at us from out there?


Here is perspective on that ... from my doorstep to NASA property (gate 3) is 67 miles one way and that is driving in a fairly straight line.

That is one hell of a rock.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 03, 2018, 09:13:51 AM
No doubt about it. We have a street here in Denver called Colfax that is one of the longest or the longest continuous street in the country. It's 50 miles long and I know how long that is. We'll just throw in the city of Golden and that would cover Denver from end to end. Splat.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 03, 2018, 09:21:05 AM
Sounds about right, I live pretty much in the middle of the state, so bye bye to half the state of Florida
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2018, 10:44:29 AM
That was a very interesting read.....Thanks Ray.....  Going to click on some of the links once I get my chores done in here.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 05, 2018, 08:05:37 PM
Remember Lucy? Lucy in the Sky who is a diamond?

You can read all about 'her' here (just in case you forgot):

http://spacetoday.org/DeepSpace/Stars/WhiteDwarfs/LucyDiamondStarWhiteDwarf.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 05, 2018, 08:30:07 PM
Well thank you for this.....and I do remember Lucy.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 05, 2018, 09:03:27 PM
I don't think I remembered that 'she' was a white dwarf. Since she is part of Centauri, then wouldn't that make her one of the older stars (formerly)? Well, I guess you'd have to believe as I do that that black hole that is the center of our galaxy is where the 'big bang' or whatever you want to call it came through - Galactic Central.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 07, 2018, 10:51:31 AM
Yes....she is one of the older stars....   As for the Black Holes....They say every galaxy has a black hole in the center of it.  Well, those on the left side say that.   Those on the right side are still in doubt LOL....

Gotta love space.....I sure do.... 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 09, 2018, 01:21:30 PM
Update on S2, the star plunging past the Milky Way’s black hole (http://earthsky.org/space/star-s2-s0-2-single-milky-way-monster-black-hole?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=18bdee9ae9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-18bdee9ae9-394845485)

Astronomers report no companion found for S2, the star orbiting near our Milky Way’s central black hole. It’s an “all-clear” for an exciting test of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. Click HERE (http://earthsky.org/space/star-s2-s0-2-single-milky-way-monster-black-hole?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=18bdee9ae9-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-18bdee9ae9-394845485) for full story

(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/03/S2-black-hole-orbit.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 09, 2018, 02:04:55 PM
That will be interesting to see what happens! Thanks, TL!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 09, 2018, 02:43:25 PM
Anytime they mention anything about Einstein....I get excited.....and I'm with you....Can't wait to see what they come up with....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 09, 2018, 06:11:32 PM
Exquisite, can wait to see or is that read the outcome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 09, 2018, 07:04:07 PM
" 't " sounds a little more enthusiastic J.


 :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 09, 2018, 07:06:01 PM
It gets sucked in totally and six-eight hours later blows a quasar and says "Excuse me!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 11, 2018, 02:59:25 PM
EQUINOX CRACKS IN EARTH'S MAGNETIC FIELD: The vernal equinox is less than 10 days away. That means one thing: Cracks are opening in Earth's magnetic field. Researchers have long known that during weeks around equinoxes fissures form in Earth's magnetosphere. Solar wind can pour through the gaps to fuel bright displays of Arctic lights. One such episode occurred on March 9th. "The sky exploded with auroras," reports Kristin Berg, who sends this picture from Tromsø, Norway:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Kristin-Berg-Ersfjordbotn-KristinBerg-090318-4383_1520675206.jpg)


During the display, a stream of solar wind was barely grazing Earth's magnetic field. At this time of year, that's all it takes. Even a gentle gust of solar wind can breach our planet's magnetic defenses.
This is called the the "Russell-McPherron effect," named after the researchers who first explained it. The cracks are opened by the solar wind itself.  South-pointing magnetic fields inside the solar wind oppose Earth's north-pointing magnetic field. The two, N vs. S, partially cancel one another, weakening our planet's magnetic defenses. This cancellation can happen at any time of year, but it happens with greatest effect around the equinoxes. Indeed, a 75-year study shows that March is the most geomagnetically active month of the year, followed closely by September-October--a direct result of "equinox cracks."
NASA and European spacecraft have been detecting these cracks for years. Small ones are about the size of California, and many are wider than the entire planet. While the cracks are open, magnetic fields on Earth are connected to those on the sun. Theoretically, it would be possible to pick a magnetic field line on terra firma and follow it all the way back to the solar surface. There's no danger to people on Earth, however, because our atmosphere protects us, intercepting the rain of particles. The afterglow of this shielding action is called the "aurora borealis."

Stay tuned for more Arctic lights as spring approaches.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 11, 2018, 03:13:50 PM
Beautiful aurora! Interesting stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 11, 2018, 08:44:49 PM
Very cool indeed.   I must have missed this one.....which is always possible of late LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 11, 2018, 08:52:42 PM
Just got the notice this afternoon so maybe you did not miss it and all that happened was I got there first :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 11, 2018, 09:03:30 PM
Just got the notice this afternoon so maybe you did not miss it and all that happened was I got there first :iminnocent:

Could very well be in my Mail.  Phil got a new cell phone and I had to set the whole thing up for him and transfer his photos from one phone to the other.   And get rid of all the Apps he won't need on the phone...at least the ones that let you delete them....some you just shut off.  Anyway....was a busy afternoon.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 11, 2018, 09:11:20 PM
Indeed we are just getting the unneeded crap deleted and the ridiculous turned off on both of my phones.

Slowly ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 13, 2018, 07:17:12 PM
VENUS AND MERCURY: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. If you have a clear view of the horizon, you'll see Venus and Mercury beaming through the sunset. It's a beautiful view--and it's about to get even better. On March 18th the slender crescent Moon will join the bright planets for a must-see conjunction. Mark your calendar.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 13, 2018, 07:19:01 PM
A GASH IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: A canyon-like hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere, and it is spewing a broad stream of solar wind toward Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory is monitoring the structure:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/13mar18/ch2.jpg?PHPSESSID=v2ovonse9amq1pp179p7rpd3c6)


This is a "coronal hole"--a region where the sun's magnetic field opens up and allows solar wind to escape. Coronal holes appear, in various shapes and forms, several times each month. This one is unusually wide, stretching more than 800,000 km across the face of the sun.
NOAA forecasters say there is a 55% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms when the solar wind stream arrives on March 14th or 15th. G1-class storms are relatively minor and have little effect on satellites and global power grids. However, they can disorient animals that migrate using magnetic cues at high latitudes and usually spark bright auroras around the Arctic Circle.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 13, 2018, 07:40:22 PM
As we say...Space is amazing...and the sun the most spectacular....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 17, 2018, 10:54:58 PM
Some amazing shots of Mars:


https://youtu.be/siIoqdPG3U4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 18, 2018, 10:32:00 AM
They are most certainly
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2018, 10:54:55 AM
Very very cool indeed.  Love Youtube.  Got so much on there that real TV is not even needed LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 18, 2018, 11:04:36 AM
It's as if you could walk across the entire planet and never see anything that looks like everything else you've seen. It's so varied and fascinating!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2018, 12:47:01 PM
Exactly....and your Recliner is the command center.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 18, 2018, 01:23:02 PM
That's the best part, isn't it? :yes:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2018, 03:27:51 PM
Indeed it is.....

Had to go and check the tire......It's low again...though not flat....so I said the heck with it....I went and put the spare on and will drop off the tire in the morning to Pumps.  This way I'm sure it will get done when I want it done....not when they want to come and do it........Didn't realize I had a locking lug so it took me longer to find the special tool for it then it did to switch the tires.  Won't tell you where I found it.....You'd smack me off the side of the head  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

I'll tell you one thing....I didn't realize those damn SUV tires were soooooo heavy.  Good darn thing I stay in shape  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 18, 2018, 03:33:27 PM
LOL...what? Where it should be?  :tearlaugh:

Yeah! Those suckers are heavy-heavy! Good for you. They did the balancing I take it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 18, 2018, 03:38:31 PM
Now here is the real kicker ... went to ye ole book store and you should have seen the number of Steven Hawkings books out in the front and visible.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2018, 03:51:00 PM
LOL...what? Where it should be?  :tearlaugh:

Yeah! Those suckers are heavy-heavy! Good for you. They did the balancing I take it.

Exactly.....Right where it should be....never thought to look there though  LOLOLOL.... Even the manual mentioned that's where it would be.....  Must be one of those days.

I take the tire down tomorrow morning and yes...they will balance it for me.  I'll give them credit though...they DID ask if I wanted them to come and pick the tire up today though they won't work on it till tomorrow.....  I said no.....I want to make sure I get MY tire back...and not someone else's....He laughed so I take it that has happened before....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 18, 2018, 03:56:17 PM
Now here is the real kicker ... went to ye ole book store and you should have seen the number of Steven Hawkings books out in the front and visible.

Not surprised at all.  I've been watching "How It's Made" on the Science Channel and they have been flashing a Memorial to Stephen Hawkings before every commercial...and his books are mentioned there each time....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 18, 2018, 06:38:22 PM
Exactly.....Right where it should be....never thought to look there though  LOLOLOL.... Even the manual mentioned that's where it would be.....  Must be one of those days.

I take the tire down tomorrow morning and yes...they will balance it for me.  I'll give them credit though...they DID ask if I wanted them to come and pick the tire up today though they won't work on it till tomorrow.....  I said no.....I want to make sure I get MY tire back...and not someone else's....He laughed so I take it that has happened before....



Lol...how did know that? :tearlaugh:

So, you're going to wait while they do it. Good idea!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 19, 2018, 05:36:08 PM
Voyager 1 is still 'ticking' after 37 years! :knightcheer2:



If you tried to start a car that's been sitting in a garage for decades, you might not expect the engine to respond. But a set of thrusters aboard the Voyager 1 spacecraft successfully fired up Wednesday after 37 years without use.

Voyager 1, NASA's farthest and fastest spacecraft, is the only human-made object in interstellar space, the environment between the stars. The spacecraft, which has been flying for 40 years, relies on small devices called thrusters to orient itself so it can communicate with Earth. These thrusters fire in tiny pulses, or "puffs," lasting mere milliseconds, to subtly rotate the spacecraft so that its antenna points at our planet. Now, the Voyager team is able to use a set of four backup thrusters, dormant since 1980.

"With these thrusters that are still functional after 37 years without use, we will be able to extend the life of the Voyager 1 spacecraft by two to three years," said Suzanne Dodd, project manager for Voyager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California.

Since 2014, engineers have noticed that the thrusters Voyager 1 has been using to orient the spacecraft, called "attitude control thrusters," have been degrading. Over time, the thrusters require more puffs to give off the same amount of energy. At 13 billion miles from Earth, there's no mechanic shop nearby to get a tune-up.

The Voyager team assembled a group of propulsion experts at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California, to study the problem. Chris Jones, Robert Shotwell, Carl Guernsey and Todd Barber analyzed options and predicted how the spacecraft would respond in different scenarios. They agreed on an unusual solution: Try giving the job of orientation to a set of thrusters that had been asleep for 37 years.

"The Voyager flight team dug up decades-old data and examined the software that was coded in an outdated assembler language, to make sure we could safely test the thrusters," said Jones, chief engineer at JPL.

In the early days of the mission, Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter, Saturn, and important moons of each. To accurately fly by and point the spacecraft's instruments at a smorgasbord of targets, engineers used "trajectory correction maneuver," or TCM, thrusters that are identical in size and functionality to the attitude control thrusters, and are located on the back side of the spacecraft. But because Voyager 1's last planetary encounter was Saturn, the Voyager team hadn't needed to use the TCM thrusters since November 8, 1980. Back then, the TCM thrusters were used in a more continuous firing mode; they had never been used in the brief bursts necessary to orient the spacecraft.

All of Voyager's thrusters were developed by Aerojet Rocketdyne. The same kind of thruster, called the MR-103, flew on other NASA spacecraft as well, such as Cassini and Dawn.

On Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, Voyager engineers fired up the four TCM thrusters for the first time in 37 years and tested their ability to orient the spacecraft using 10-millisecond pulses. The team waited eagerly as the test results traveled through space, taking 19 hours and 35 minutes to reach an antenna in Goldstone, California, that is part of NASA's Deep Space Network.

Lo and behold, on Wednesday, Nov. 29, they learned the TCM thrusters worked perfectly -- and just as well as the attitude control thrusters.

"The Voyager team got more excited each time with each milestone in the thruster test. The mood was one of relief, joy and incredulity after witnessing these well-rested thrusters pick up the baton as if no time had passed at all," said Barber, a JPL propulsion engineer.

The plan going forward is to switch to the TCM thrusters in January. To make the change, Voyager has to turn on one heater per thruster, which requires power -- a limited resource for the aging mission. When there is no longer enough power to operate the heaters, the team will switch back to the attitude control thrusters.

The thruster test went so well, the team will likely do a similar test on the TCM thrusters for Voyager 2, the twin spacecraft of Voyager 1. The attitude control thrusters currently used for Voyager 2 are not yet as degraded as Voyager 1's, however.


Voyager 2 is also on course to enter interstellar space, likely within the next few years.

The Voyager spacecraft were built by JPL, which continues to operate both. JPL is a division of Caltech in Pasadena. The Voyager missions are a part of the NASA Heliophysics System Observatory, sponsored by the Heliophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. For more information about the Voyager spacecraft, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/voyager

https://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov


https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.php?release=2017-310
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 19, 2018, 05:39:37 PM
:woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 19, 2018, 05:52:55 PM
Sometimes we humans DO build things to last......Unlike our cars, electronics, furniture.....etc.... :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 29, 2018, 09:40:37 AM
And now some interesting Links:

Those interested in what's going on with Tiagong-1 can go to either of these great sites....

Both are free and both have a TON of amazing things you can do and view.   

First up:  Virtual Telescope (https://www.virtualtelescope.eu/webtv/)~This may already be listed in here somewhere....but it's a good reminder to visit it.

Next up: Heavens Above (http://www.heavens-above.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 29, 2018, 04:21:24 PM
Researchers find a galaxy without dark matter (http://earthsky.org/space/ngc-1052-df2-galaxy-without-dark-matter?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=22d5682d5f-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-22d5682d5f-394845485)

(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/03/galaxy_ngc_1052-df2-sq.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 29, 2018, 06:08:44 PM
Interesting! :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 06, 2018, 07:02:46 PM
Left and came back because I found this in my Spaceweather Folder:

A HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: A wide hole in the sun's atmosphere is facing Earth and spewing a stream of solar wind toward our planet. Estimated time of arrival: April 9th. In this extreme ultraviolet image from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, we see not only the hole, but also a bushy filament of magnetic bordering the hole's leading edge:

A HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE (http://spaceweather.com/)


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/05apr18/ch2_strip2.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 06, 2018, 07:20:01 PM
That will be Monday for arrival. Not a day to sit out and sun-bathe, is it?

That's a BIG hole!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 06, 2018, 07:20:13 PM
Beat me to it did you not :tearlaugh:

That is what I get for replacing a ceiling fan upstairs ... although the window dressing and such for the upstairs bedrooms is now complete. Both bedrooms upstairs now have window film, new mini blinds and ceiling fans. :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 06, 2018, 07:22:12 PM
:woohoo:! That's a job out of the way isn't it!? :congatz:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 06, 2018, 07:26:45 PM
Yes it is ... and thank you ....

                   now we move on to the replacement of the flooring in my bedroom ... at long last we have all the material and tools and even did a bit :iminnocent: of research on how to install laminate flooring ... that starts tomorrow ... tonight I get all the "ehem" out of the room so I can work unimpeded 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 06, 2018, 07:29:44 PM
Right on, J! :thumb_up: You're not going to know what to do with yourself when you're done making your house like new-ish. New or new-ish - either one is good! Then you can relax and enjoy life at home - right?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 06, 2018, 07:33:37 PM
That is the theory ... granted when one finds a good theory that can hold water you can use it to hold water.

But a touch of a face lift of the simple stuff certainly will look nice and make one feel less cranky about the loan to value still being upside down, and since it is within my abilities to do the work so much the better.


Add it does give one a sense of accomplishment ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 06, 2018, 09:49:24 PM
Yup about being upside down :thud: Criminal!!! Things should NOT happen that way.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2018, 08:55:52 AM
Good news on the remodeling "J"....and yes....it's considered "Remodeling" though some is repair.  But it's more classy to say "I'm Remodeling my home ALL BY MYSELF" then "I'm REPAIRING MY HOME all by myself"

And if you plan to sell it someday...you can boast....."All of the remodeling was done by ME"

And yes.....I did beat you to the posting....and Yes Ray...that is a HUGE HOLE.....  Even the Sun is pissed off at us LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 11, 2018, 04:46:39 PM
STEVE RETURNS (UPDATED WITH VIDEO): Last night in Alberta, Canada, photographer Alan Dyer looked up and saw a mauve ribbon of light bisecting the night sky. Auroras? Not exactly. "It was STEVE," says Dyer, who took these pictures of the glowing arc:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/11apr18/steve_strip.jpg)

https://youtu.be/gdZQ3OIgdVU
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 11, 2018, 05:13:15 PM
Well, Steve is very....pretty!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 11, 2018, 05:15:07 PM
I bet you say that to all the boys   :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Couldn't help myself.....but Steve IS cool for sure....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 11, 2018, 05:24:29 PM
Not hardly   :tearlaugh:

He IS very cool - all that fuscia pink and purple!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 11, 2018, 05:26:47 PM
Yup....it does look pretty awesome.  They had a bunch of them on YouTube.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 11, 2018, 05:27:47 PM
And yes....I just had a "Meatloaf" moment.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 15, 2018, 08:41:28 PM

2018 GE3 (http://spaceweathergallery.com/indiv_upload.php?upload_id=143884)

2018 GE3 is an asteroid from the inner regions of the asteroid belt, classified as a near-Earth object, approximately 37–138 meters (100–500 feet) in diameter. It was first observed on 14 April 2018, only one day prior to its sub-lunar close encounter with Earth at 0.50 LD (0.00128 AU) on 15 April 2018. It is the largest known asteroid to ever pass that close to Earth in observational history

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 15, 2018, 09:02:02 PM
That's not terribly comforting, is it - to be only visible the day before it flies by?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 15, 2018, 09:15:50 PM
Reminds me of the statement made on the Movie.....Armageddon:

President: Damn, we didn't see this thing coming?

Truman: Well, our object collision budget's about a million dollars a year. That allows us to track about 3% of the sky, and begging your pardon sir, but it's a big-ass sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 15, 2018, 09:34:07 PM
If you ever want to go exploring space....this is a good hands on place to visit:

Solar System Exploration (https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 15, 2018, 10:06:22 PM
Reminds me of the statement made on the Movie.....Armageddon:

President: Damn, we didn't see this thing coming?

Truman: Well, our object collision budget's about a million dollars a year. That allows us to track about 3% of the sky, and begging your pardon sir, but it's a big-ass sky.



:tearlaugh: You got that right!

I couldn't get to the site before. I was wondering if it's coming back around as asteroids and comets do, if they don't meet a flaming death first.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 15, 2018, 10:13:53 PM
If you ever want to go exploring space....this is a good hands on place to visit:

Solar System Exploration (https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/)


That's a pretty cool site. Was reading about Venus. It's such a weird planet. Such a hot planet!

And Jupiter is the 800 pound gorilla :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 16, 2018, 07:59:41 PM
As of yesterday, no rotational lightcurve of 2018 GE3 has been obtained from photometric observations. The body's rotation period, pole and shape remain unknown....

And yes...that is a pretty cool place to visit.  That's the first thing the kids ask to see when they see me on the laptop....which is only when they first arrive LOLOL....After that it's KIDS time....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 27, 2018, 06:18:19 PM
A SPECIAL CONJUNCTION OF THE MOON AND JUPITER: This weekend, the Moon and Jupiter are converging in the constellation Libra for their brightest conjunction of the year. When the Moon becomes full on Sunday night, April 29th, only 5 degrees will separate the pair, which means they would fit with room to spare inside the bowl of the Big Dipper:


(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2018/29apr18/skymap.png?PHPSESSID=eas2qg6rbj5a7vr2pvdpikosf6)

Conjunctions between the Moon and Jupiter are not uncommon--but this one is special. It's happening only days before Jupiter's closest approach to Earth in early May. As a result of its proximity, Jupiter is shining brighter than any star in the night night. For instance, on the night of the conjunction Jupiter will be almost 3 times brighter than brilliant Sirius. The giant planet will have no trouble being seen next to the glaring full Moon.

Finding the conjunction is easy. Just look east-southeast after sunset. You'll see the Moon and Jupiter rising together as a pair. They will remain visible all night long, highest in the sky at midnight, but beautiful at any time. Enjoy the show!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 27, 2018, 06:37:43 PM
I was noticing they were kind of close last night. Cool! and Thanks, J.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 28, 2018, 12:45:29 PM
To cloudy last night to see anything....but it's nice and clear tonight....might take a trip up the hill.  Thanks "J"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 28, 2018, 01:15:24 PM
Last night it was without clouds and I saw moon when I closed stores, but didn't more take care :sigh: and tonight we have clouds. So tomorrow will be a surprise - at condition the forecast weather is wrong again  :tearlaugh:
Thanks for the info!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 14, 2018, 01:03:04 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/05/Asteroid-2010-WC9-orbit-e1526156479817.jpg)

‘Lost’ asteroid to pass closely May 15 (http://earthsky.org/space/lost-asteroid-to-pass-closely-may-15?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=38aaa2e26d-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-38aaa2e26d-394845485)

Asteroid 2010 WC9 will safely pass at about half’s the moon’s distance on Tuesday, May 15, 2018. Estimates of its size range from 197 to 427 feet (60-130 meters), making the May 15 pass one of the closest approaches ever observed of an asteroid of this size. This asteroid was “lost” and then found again. The Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona first detected it on November 30, 2010, and astronomers watched it until December 10, when it became too faint to see. They didn’t have enough observations to track its orbit fully and so predict its return. On May 8, 2018 – almost eight years later – astronomers discovered an asteroid and gave it the temporary designation ZJ99C60. Then they realized it was asteroid 2010 WC9, returning.

During the 2018 return, closest approach of asteroid 2010 WC9 will happen on May 15 at 22:05 UTC (6:05 pm EDT; translate to your time (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/universal-time)). At that time, the asteroid will be 0.53 lunar-distances from Earth (126,419 miles or 203,453 km from Earth). According to orbit calculations made by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the May 15 close approach is the closest of this particular asteroid in nearly 300 years.

Is this a large asteroid? No, not by any absolute measure. But it is larger than the estimated size of the Chelyabinsk meteor, which entered Earth’s atmosphere, breaking windows in six Russian cities and causing some 1,500 people to seek medical attention, in 2013. Estimates of asteroid 2010 WC9’s diameter range from 197 to 427 feet (60-130 meters); estimates of the Chelyabinsk meteor’s size before encountering Earth’s atmosphere center around 65 feet (20 meters).

Asteroid 2010 WC9 is an Apollo type (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_asteroid) space rock. At no time will it be visible to the eye as it sweeps past Earth. It might get as bright as magnitude +11 (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-stellar-magnitude), which would make it bright enough to be seen in amateur telescopes pointed at the correct location and time.

Asteroid 2010 WC9 is travelling though space at a speed of 28,655 miles per hour (46,116 km/h).

Asteroid 2010 WC9 at Minor Planet Center; at CNEOS

Want to view the asteroid online? Guy Wells at Northolt Branch Observatories in London, England – which specializes in observations of near-Earth asteroids and other small solar system objects – emailed EarthSky on Friday to say: 

We are planning to broadcast this asteroid live to our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/NBObservatories/) on the night of May 14, likely around midnight, if the weather forecast remains positive. The broadcast will be less than 25 minutes in duration, as the asteroid will cross our field of view within that period of time. The asteroid will be moving quite rapidly (30 arcseconds per minute). Our display will update every five seconds. We are of course collecting astrometric data while this is happening, but the motion of the asteroid will be apparent every five seconds!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 04, 2018, 05:18:46 PM
SMALL ASTEROID HITS EARTH:

On Saturday, June 2nd, astronomers working with the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona discovered a small asteroid (2018 LA) near the orbit of the Moon. Hours later, it hit Earth. The boulder-sized space rock entered the atmosphere traveling 38,000 mph (17 km/s) and exploded over Botswana at 6:44 p.m. local time. A video camera at a farm near Ottosda, South Africa, recorded the explosion. It was impressively bright even at a distance:

https://youtu.be/rnBvSNYy-EY (https://youtu.be/rnBvSNYy-EY)

The explosion sent waves of low-frequency sound (infrasound) rippling through the atmosphere, and it was detected by an infrasound monitor in South Africa, deployed as part of the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. Meteor expert Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario analyzed the signals and came to these conclusions about the explosion:
"The yield was in the range 0.3 to 0.5 kilotons of TNT," he says. "That corresponds to a 2 meter diameter asteroid."


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/04jun18/infrasound_strip.png)


As asteroids go, that's very small. It posed no significant danger to objects on the ground as it disintegrated almost wholly in the atmosphere. Fragments may yet be found on the ground and recovered for sale or scientific study.
The real significance of this event is that it highlights the growing capability of modern sky surveys to discover asteroids targeting Earth. Even small faint space rocks are being caught in the net. Boulder-sized impactors have been discovered hurtling toward Earth three times in the past 10 years: 2008 TC3 exploded over northern Sudan on Oct. 7, 2008; 2014 AA burned up above the Atlantic Ocean on Jan. 1, 2014; and now 2018 LA. In each case, the warning was less than a day. Larger asteroids may be seen at a greater distance, however, allowing for more lead time. Learn more about the latest impact from NASA.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 04, 2018, 06:52:14 PM
Saw that and was going to put it in here but darn it all....I forgot to....Glad you caught it and placed it in here "J".... 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 08, 2018, 07:42:41 PM
MARS OUTSHINES SIRIUS: It's official. Mars is now brighter than any star in the sky. This week, the Red Planet surpassed Sirius in apparent luminosity. If you wake up before dawn, you can't help noticing Mars burning through the morning twilight with a distinctive orange glow. This recent picture from Alan Dyer of Gleichen, Alberta, shows what to expect:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Alan-Dyer-Mars-Rising-in-Moonlight-May-28-2018_1527527993.jpg)


What's happening? Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter--the best one in 15 years. On July 27th, Mars will be at opposition. Oppositions of Mars happen roughly every 2 years, but this one is special. It is a "perihelic opposition." Mars will be near perihelion, its closest approach to the sun. Perihelic oppositions also bring Mars extra-close to Earth.

The last time this happened was on Aug. 27, 2003, when Mars famously made its closest approach to Earth in almost 60,000 years. Around the world, people organized "Mars parties" to celebrate the extraordinary size and brightness of the Red Planet. This July will be almost as good with Mars only a few percent farther away than it was during its historic encounter 15 years ago. Between now and then, Mars will triple in brightness, outshining even the giant planet Jupiter. Stay tuned for that!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 09, 2018, 09:32:56 AM
Wow...I better rush out and get my MARS PARTY KIT prepared.....  Cool beans...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 10, 2018, 07:16:14 PM
AN OUTBURST OF SPRITES OVER EUROPE: This weekend, a powerful mesoscale convective system (MSC) of thunderstorms over central Europe produced a furious outburst of sprites. "It was unreal," says Martin Popek of Nýdek, Czechia, a veteran photographer of the upward directed bolts. "I recorded more than 250 sprites in only 4.5 hours of observation! That's nearly as many as I typically see in the entire summer thunderstorm season."

Many of the sprites during the outburst looked like this:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/martin-popek-sprites0040-1-z-1a_1528543258.jpg)


This is a jellyfish sprite--so called because it resembles the eponymous sea creature. Jellyfish sprites are typically very large, stretching as much as 50 km between the tops of their heads to the tips of their tentacles below. "Regular jellyfish sprites are associated with very strong positive cloud-to-ground lightning strokes in the underlying convective storms," notes lightning scientist Oscar van der Velde of the Technical University of Catalonia, Spain.

However, not all of the jellyfish were regular. Some were "decapitated"--without heads. "I recorded about 20 sets of tentacles only," says Popek, who created this montage of highlights:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/10jun18/tendrils_comp.jpg?PHPSESSID=slrg676o51oa9a7kmb4nmnldb1)






"In my experience, this is quite rare," he adds.

"It is rare," agrees van der Velde. "We don't know why they sometimes look like this." He speculates that atmospheric waves called "gravity waves" sometimes interfere with the normal formation of jellyfish, leaving them headless. "Mesospheric gravity waves likely help focus the electric field to trigger downward streamers," he says. "But note that sprite morphology is not fully understood--not even for regular jellyfish. We have a lot to learn."

Another observer in the Czech Republic, Daniel Ščerba-Elza, also photographed the display. "It was extremely active," says Ščerba-Elza. "I recorded about 69 sprites, much more than usual. The storms were about 250 - 300 km away in Austria and Hungary. This is a good distance because it allows you to see over the tops of the thunderheads." He made a summary video of the outburst.

Such an outburst before summer even begins may be a good omen for sprite photographers as thunderstorm season gains steam. Stay tuned for more sightings.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 10, 2018, 07:44:48 PM
That's pretty awesome.  They showed some of it on the Weather Channel....soooo cool
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 10, 2018, 08:46:51 PM
Quote
What's happening? Earth and Mars are converging for a close encounter--the best one in 15 years. On July 27th, Mars will be at opposition. Oppositions of Mars happen roughly every 2 years, but this one is special. It is a "perihelic opposition." Mars will be near perihelion, its closest approach to the sun. Perihelic oppositions also bring Mars extra-close to Earth.

Just an FYI, Mars goes Retrograde on that same day. It will be moving back toward the sunrise until it goes direct again. It's very bright, right now.... You can see it about 3:30 AM in the southern sky - if you happen to be up.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 13, 2018, 08:14:00 AM
Thanks for the additional input Ray....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 13, 2018, 02:39:09 PM
HUGE DUST STORM ON MARS: Mars rover Opportunity is in trouble. NASA engineers attempted to contact Opportunity yesterday, June 12th, but did not hear back from the nearly 15-year old rover. The problem: A huge dust storm is blanketing Perseverance Valley where Opportunity has been working. This sequence of images from NASA's Mars Reconnaisance Orbiter shows the progression of the storm:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/13jun18/duststorm_strip.gif)


The huge dust cloud is highlighted in red. Soon after it appeared on May 31st, it swirled south to envelope Opportunity. Right now, the dust is so thick in Perseverance Valley, day has been turned into night. The solar powered rover is being deprived of the sunlight it needs to charge its batteries.
NASA is now operating under the assumption that the charge in Opportunity's batteries has dipped below 24 volts and the rover has entered low power fault mode, a condition where all subsystems, except a mission clock, are turned off. The rover's mission clock is programmed to wake Opportunity at intervals so it can check power levels. If the batteries don't have enough charge, the rover will put itself back to sleep again.
In a teleconference today, NASA planners expressed optimism that Opportunity can weather this storm and wake up again after the skies clear. It may take days or weeks for this to occur, however.
This is a dust storm of rare size. It is now on the verge of circumnavigating the entire globe, overlying more than a quarter of Mars' land area. It is so large, astronomers can photograph it using amateur telescopes. Indeed, Joseph Rueck saw the storm starting on May 31st using his backyard telescope in Sebastian, Florida.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 15, 2018, 11:56:13 AM
That was something else... Watched it on YouTube also on the big screen....looks soooo cool
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 27, 2018, 05:43:56 PM
BRIGHT MOON-SATURN CONJUNCTION: Tonight, Saturn is "at opposition"--bigger, brighter, and closer to Earth than at any other time in 2018. To find the ringed planet, look south at midnight. You'll see it shining like a golden star right beside the full "Strawberry Moon" in the constellation Sagittarius. This is also the best night of the year to see Saturn's rings.

THE BEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR TO SEE SATURN'S RINGS: Tonight, Saturn is "at opposition"--bigger, brighter and closer to Earth than at any other time in 2018. To find the ringed planet, look due south at midnight. You'll see it shining like a golden star right beside the full Strawberry Moon in the constellation Sagittarius. [sky map]

This is also the best night of the year to see Saturn's rings. Even a small telescope will show them. Christopher Go sends this picture taken last night from Cebu City in the Philippines:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Christopher-Go-s20180626_cgo_1530061116_lg.jpg)


"Saturn's rings are surging in brightness," he reports. "This is because of the Seeliger Effect."

Named after the German astronomer Hugo van Seeliger who first described it in the 19th century, the Seeliger Effect happens when sunlit objects hide their own shadows. At opposition, the icy particles in Saturn's rings do this, causing the whole ring system to brighten. A process called coherent backscattering may also contribute to the extra luminosity.

Remarkably, Saturn is not the brightest planet out tonight. Look to the left and right of the conjunction. Jupiter and Mars are there, too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 27, 2018, 10:49:45 PM
Unfortunately, we have a lot of clouds tonight. Maybe it will clear up in a few hours toward midnight.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 29, 2018, 07:49:29 PM
Asteroid Day Is TOMORROW...

https://youtu.be/XGgMxUtVa4s
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2018, 01:16:14 PM
MOON-MARS CONJUNCTION: Tonight, around midnight, step outside and look southeast. The waning gibbous Moon is passing by Mars, forming a bright conjunction in the constellation Capricornus. Note the color of Mars. It is the pale orange hue of a great dust storm now encircling the "Red" Planet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 01:33:50 PM
We've got a fire burning directly west of Denver, and one to the south. The clouds last night were orange with the smoke and the moon coming up was pretty creepy coming up through them - barely visible and blood red.

I'm sure they'll be that way again tonight, but perhaps by midnight there will be a clearing.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 30, 2018, 01:41:28 PM
I saw the fires this morning on the weather channel.   Earths overall temp was 1.44 degrees about average for the month of May...Making it one of the warmest Mays on record. 

Nope....No global warming at all.   :shrug:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 01:45:22 PM
I swear, some people live on another world and commute here in black tubes of Oblivion, that don't see or understand this is happening. How can they not? :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 30, 2018, 02:01:21 PM
Well, the next time floods occur and DON'T drain out of Texas or Florida because of the oceans rising....they'll get the hint....maybe....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 30, 2018, 02:20:01 PM
MOON-MARS CONJUNCTION: Tonight, around midnight, step outside and look southeast. The waning gibbous Moon is passing by Mars, forming a bright conjunction in the constellation Capricornus. Note the color of Mars. It is the pale orange hue of a great dust storm now encircling the "Red" Planet.
Ah that's why not as red as usual.

I didn't take care of the conjunction with Saturn, but hey, no equipment in town with lights to look it correctly :shrug:

I hope fires will stop qiuckly in your state Ray.
Weirdly we haven't fires here, but after sunset, when Moon comes, she starts being red. Later, toward 11PM/Midnight, she is with her normal coloration.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 02:43:12 PM
Well, the next time floods occur and DON'T drain out of Texas or Florida because of the oceans rising....they'll get the hint....maybe....


That'll take too long to evince before they actually get the picture, imo.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2018, 02:45:09 PM
Most humans (not any relation to those in these hallowed halls) are to blind to see anything even if their face is shoved in it ... just saying
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 02:47:10 PM
I hope they are contained soon as well, but I don't think either of them has even begun to be contained from spreading. We need that rain we are supposed to get today badly. We have the clouds and had a few rumbles but nothing about 'getting serious' regarding rain.

Are there any major fires to the east of you in Europe, Aelin? That would make the sky glow red as the moon comes up in the east.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 02:47:44 PM
Most humans (not any relation to those in these hallowed halls) are to blind to see anything even if their face is shoved in it ... just saying

No doubt. :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 30, 2018, 03:07:42 PM
I hope they are contained soon as well, but I don't think either of them has even begun to be contained from spreading. We need that rain we are supposed to get today badly. We have the clouds and had a few rumbles but nothing about 'getting serious' regarding rain.

Are there any major fires to the east of you in Europe, Aelin? That would make the sky glow red as the moon comes up in the east.
News are mainly occupied by World Cup Soccer  :whuaat: But usually even with sport if a big fire is somewhere in Europe it's a bit in news. This year, nothing. I hope it will stay like that, but with cigarettes throw from cars, few chances :sigh:
Alas, I'm on the accuweather, and I don't see rain for Denver :thud:
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/denver-co/80203/hourly-weather-forecast/347810?hour=14
Even if on a page in French they say you could have violent rains with thunderstorm - downpours I think for the exact word.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 30, 2018, 03:18:58 PM
I was looking further, by Google, to see if we have fires in Europe. Yes, near Manchester, but it's the complete opposite direction for me, so nothing to explain the color of moon for the moment.

Btw, I tried to follow a link talking of Manchester fire, and it was '"journaldequebec.com"; again something I can't look because new rules of Europe :sigh:  but that is another story.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 03:40:35 PM
The prevailing wind *does* blow from north-west to east or south-east mostly, so you could have smoke from Manchester in your country. This would color your skies as well. With a fire to the east of you, that would already be sitting on the skyline for the rising of the Moon and therefore color the moon rise. Hard to tell though.

Our weather station is still saying a cold front is moving in and would cause rain and hail as well as lower temps. I guess it's time to use **EYEWITNESS WEATHER**!!!

Right? :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 30, 2018, 03:49:39 PM
Yes eyes are better to know what happens. That and sometimes rheumatisms :thud:

The accuweather world radar shows weather coming from Hispanic peninsula, blowing from south-west. I have no idea for previous days, yet with the heat we have it's more likely from Spain and Portugal that comes. I don't want imagine the temperatures for them :panic:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 30, 2018, 04:31:44 PM
Most humans (not any relation to those in these hallowed halls) are to blind to see anything even if their face is shoved in it ... just saying
Having one's face shoved in something makes them unable to see it, because their eyes are covered by it. LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 30, 2018, 04:34:28 PM
I was ready to tell no Moon tonight (it seems we have few stars because some clouds came after the sunset) but she is finally on the horizon. Kind of orange/red once again.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 04:57:28 PM
Yes eyes are better to know what happens. That and sometimes rheumatisms :thud:

The accuweather world radar shows weather coming from Hispanic peninsula, blowing from south-west. I have no idea for previous days, yet with the heat we have it's more likely from Spain and Portugal that comes. I don't want imagine the temperatures for them :panic:

Ah yes, the 'barometric knee', elbow, shoulder, ankle, back.

You kind of have our same situation here, where you have a chain of mountains between you and the sea. There's just more land encompassed Here than There. Well, I can hardly guess what our weather is doing. I shouldn't try to think about EU weather :tearlaugh:

We did have a brief rain that really smelled of rain - probably more like nitrogen. We had several lightnings and thunder booms. One of them must have hit something because I heard Emergency equipment going down the main road on this side of town. It still smells like it will rain again. Thankfully, no hail!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 05:17:40 PM
Aside from Kilauea erupting, we now have Agung in Bali Indonesia erupting 8,200 feet into the air. I'm sure some of the ash, etc. from Fuego in Guatamala erupting early this month, is still circulating.

I should think all that smoke, etc might be affecting the air of us all. The local fires are just extra - more 'sauce on the dish'.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on June 30, 2018, 10:07:34 PM
It has been know that the smoke from volcanos have blocked a percentage of sunlight.  Hopefully this will not have an effect on the earth as far as crops go.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on June 30, 2018, 10:15:39 PM
Here is an interesting article on Volcanoes, Sunspots, and Weather:


 The STRANGE Connection Between VOLCANO Eruptions, FREEZING Cold Weather & SUNSPOTS
By BEYOND SCIENCE STAFF - January 9, 2018


You can read it here:  https://www.beyondsciencetv.com/2018/01/09/sunspots-record-setting-cold-and-volcanoes-how-are-they-connected/

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on June 30, 2018, 11:02:32 PM
Looks like we are going to have an interesting Wednesday this week!



Blue moon, supermoon, total lunar eclipse rolled into one
By The Associated Press - January 30, 2018


You can read the story here: https://www.beyondsciencetv.com/2018/01/30/blue-moon-supermoon-total-lunar-eclipse-rolled-into-one/



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 30, 2018, 11:10:56 PM
I wouldn't say it's "Beyond Science" as there is a known explanation for why the temperatures get colder when the air is full of ash, gases and so forth. Mostly the ash. It's called 'albedo' which is best explained:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo

or here's a video:


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albedo


In the albedo feed-back loop the ice reflects more of the Sun's radiation (an increased albedo effect) and Earth's temperature decreases even more.

So, now think of the ash floating in the air and mixing. This creates the same decrease of temperature, because the ash is now the reflective surface above, while the snow/ice is also heavily reflecting what it gets below. So, it gets colder - and it's always a feed-back loop. That's my understanding, at any rate.

It's like when Tambora erupted and we had The Year Without Summer (1816).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 04, 2018, 05:36:58 PM
APPROACHING GREEN COMET EXPLODES:

A comet that could become visible to the naked eye in August has just exploded in brightness. Amateur astronomer Michael Jäger‎ of Austria reports that Comet PANSTARRS (C/2017 S3) brightened 16-fold during the late hours of July 2nd, abruptly increasing in magnitude from +12 to +9. He took this picture of the comet's expanding green atmosphere shortly after the outburst:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-2017S320180703RGBut2330_1530640624.jpg)


"The gas cloud around the comet's nucleus is about 4 arc minutes wide," says Jäger‎. That means the comet's atmosphere is 260,000 km in diameter, almost twice as wide as the planet Jupiter. These dimensions make it a relatively easy target for backyard telescopes.
Comet PanSTARRS is falling toward the sun from the Oort cloud, a vast reservoir of fresh comets in the distant outer solar system. It has never visited the inner planets before, and, as a result, no one can say what will happen when its fragile ices are exposed to solar heat as it approaches the sun in August. Previous estimates of the comet's brightness max out at magnitude +4--that is, barely visible to the unaided eye from dark-sky sites. Additional outbursts could boost its visibility even more.

The comet was discovered on Sept. 23, 2017, by the PanSTARRS telescope on the summit of the Haleakalā volcano in Maui. PanSTARRS's primary mission is to detect near-Earth asteroids that threaten our planet. In the process,it sweeps up variable stars, supernovas, and comets like this one. With almost a year of data in hand, astronomers have been able to nail down the comet's orbit. Click on the image to launch an interactive 3D visualization from JPL:
Comet PanSTARRS is approaching the sun on a hyperbolic orbit--a narrow open-ended path that will ultimately fling it back to the outer solar system. At perihelion (closest approach to the sun) on August 15-16, the comet will be inside the orbit of Mercury, blasted by solar radiation at point-blank range. What will happen then? Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 04, 2018, 06:24:43 PM
Isn't that the one that was very, very bright blue last year or earlier this year?

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 06, 2018, 10:23:35 AM
Darn...."J" beat me to it  :shrug: :tearlaugh:

But yes...when they first discovered it in September of 2017 ....it was a very bright one that they were following....

Spaceweather (http://spaceweather.com/archive.php?view=1&day=04&month=07&year=2018) has a vid somewhere also I'm thinking.  I'll check later on unless you beat me to it LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 06, 2018, 12:30:44 PM
This one's more 'about' it than 'of' it:


https://youtu.be/jGAld3qpjnE


It's interesting though that they think it's a very primitive object.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 06, 2018, 12:34:54 PM
Glad you found it....I couldn't LOLOL.....But that is something else.....Love space...always....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 13, 2018, 03:07:26 PM
MARTIAN GREEN FLASH: Mars is approaching Earth for a 15-year close encounter on July 27th. The Red Planet now outshines every object in the sky except the sun, Moon, and Venus. Mars is doing things only very luminous objects can do--like produce a green flash. Watch this video taken by Peter Rosén of Stockholm, Sweden, on July 12th:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Peter-RosAcn-Mars-Green_1531416270_fpthumb.gif)


"Mars was shining brightly in the early morning sky," he says. "At an altitude of only 6.5° above the horizon, the turbulence was extreme, sometimes splitting the planet's disc in 2 or 3 slices and displaying a green and blue flash resembling those usually seen on the sun."

That's not all. Mars is also making its own glitter paths. Last night, Alan Dyer photographed this specimen from Driftwood Beach at Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Alan-Dyer-Mars-over-Middle-Waterton-Lake_1531417241.jpg)


A glitter path is a band of light in the water. It is caused by reflections from the troughs and crest of tiny waves. Normally, only the sun and Moon (and sometimes Venus and Jupiter) produce glitter paths. Now Mars is doing it too.
Dyer notes that Mars was "bright yellow"--a hue caused in part by the massive global dust storm in progress there. Think about it: A dust storm on another planet that you can see with your naked eye. Mars is close.
Still two weeks before closest approach, Mars is almost 3 times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and 30% brighter than the giant planet Jupiter. In other words, you can't miss it. Look south at midnight and remember, the best is yet to come








Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 13, 2018, 03:14:15 PM
I can see Mars from the hill where we are in town, but I'm sure even with an instrument I couldn't see that.
And when I see the capture of the sky, sure we miss a lot of details in the sky :sigh: Very amazing!

Mars can be seen since 10:30PM here if I'm exact - tonight I can't confirm like we have clouds.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 13, 2018, 04:54:55 PM
That is one great shot.  Hope to be able to see the close up on the 27th.....at least I think that's the date LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 13, 2018, 05:49:51 PM
Making it's own glitter-path? Whoa!

That is just mesmerizing to watch - the little video. You CAN see it split up and the flash very well. It's been awhile since Mars was this close.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 13, 2018, 06:15:53 PM
It's funny, I keep thinking back to some lines in a Mesopotamian myth about the Lord and Lady of the Underworld and how they came to be together. The Lord is Nergal, who is the Mesopotamian version of Mars/Ares. He is described by Namtar, the vizier of the Lady of the Underworld (Ereshkigal) as:

"My lady, there was only one god who sat
 bareheaded, blinking and cringing at the
 assembly of all the gods."

"Go, seize that god and bring him to me!
(I expect) Ea, his father sprinkled him with spring
water."

I always found this wording very odd as applied to (presumably) a planet. Maybe we are seeing that here and this is how they described it. We do actually have 'an assembly of gods' in progress, as all the planets are now pretty close to all being lined up on one side of the sun. Well, here:


https://youtu.be/f3x7hPWKB2c
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 13, 2018, 06:43:16 PM
Now that's very interesting.....I went over to You Tube to subscribe but I see I already have....but just forgot that I had....which NEVER EVER HAPPENS......and if you believe that....I've got a Star I want to sell you   :ifonly: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 13, 2018, 06:52:05 PM
NGC6175 is not for sale I already own it :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 13, 2018, 06:54:03 PM
I got one for my Niece in Florida when she turned 16....I'll have to look and see what her Star is.....in this cluster I have LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 13, 2018, 08:44:58 PM
Now that's very interesting.....I went over to You Tube to subscribe but I see I already have....but just forgot that I had....which NEVER EVER HAPPENS......and if you believe that....I've got a Star I want to sell you   :ifonly: :tearlaugh:


He has some other videos made this year about it, where he's showing a correlation between increased volcanism and seismic events due to the (I guess) pull the planets are exerting in the configuration. Interestingly, Jupiter is the furthest away, but it also has (save for the Sun itself) the greatest gravitational pull on the planets that does reach all the way to Earth. We are fortunate it's not closer, imo.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 14, 2018, 04:25:50 PM
Here's one from yesterday:


https://youtu.be/RoYzCO3hH_Q
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 14, 2018, 04:37:00 PM
Maybe volcanoes in Auvergne (middle of France, litterally) will wake up if that continues  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 14, 2018, 07:14:13 PM
You never know what's gonna wake up!!  :haha:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2018, 12:03:14 PM
MOON-VENUS CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. The crescent Moon is passing by Venus, forming a tight conjunction in the sunset sky. Try to catch them before the sky fades to black. A Venus-Moon conjunction framed by twilight blue is extra-beautiful.

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Jingpeng-Liu-Venus-moon01_1531662178.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2018, 12:05:16 PM
GREEN FLASH ON THE SUN: For seaside photographers, nothing beats a green flash--that sudden pulse of verdant light at sunset as the sun vanishes beneath the ocean waves. James Young was on a beach in Oregon on July 11th when captured a green flash. But it didn't come from the ocean waves. It came from the top of a cloud:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/James-W-Young-Ak6i1840a_1531431409.jpg)

This is a rare cloud-top green flash, sometimes seen as the sun's rays graze a distant cloud bank. They are not well understood. Ordinary green flashes require a temperature inversion layer near the sea surface. Similar inversions may sometimes occur at the top of marine stratus clouds, giving rise to the type of ragged cloudy flash Young witnessed.

"It was very bright--a beautiful mystery to end the day," he says.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2018, 12:07:21 PM
MARS IN A SKILLET: As Mars approaches Earth for a 15-year close encounter on July 27th, it is brightening to a luminosity rarely seen from the Red Planet. How bright is it? Mars is almost 3 times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. It is 30% brighter than Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. Mars is so bright, you can see it in a skillet:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Frankie-Lucena-mars_skillet_crop_1200dpi_1531598488.jpg)

"I was cleaning up my outdoor gas grill last night after having a barbeque when I noticed a bright reflection in my skillet. I then looked up, and it was Mars," says Frankie Lucena of Puerto Rico.

"I went inside to get my camera and took this photo," he adds. "It is the best photo of Mars that I have been able to take so far this season. Maybe the vegetable oil in the skillet helped to bring out its colors."

Readers, if you have not yet seen Mars with your own eyes this month, please do. You can't miss it shining brightly in the southern sky at midnight. The planet's color, accurately shown in Lucena's skillet, is amazing
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2018, 12:33:58 PM
A day of Science and cool stuff indeed.

Ray put a link to view a vid from "The Watchers News" (https://watchers.news/) and I traveled over to see what the place was about...and it's pretty damn cool.....Thanks Ray...didn't even know the place existed.

They also have this Place:  Space Weather Station (https://watchers.news/space-weather-station/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 15, 2018, 09:56:22 PM
MOON-VENUS CONJUNCTION: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. The crescent Moon is passing by Venus, forming a tight conjunction in the sunset sky. Try to catch them before the sky fades to black. A Venus-Moon conjunction framed by twilight blue is extra-beautiful.

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Jingpeng-Liu-Venus-moon01_1531662178.jpg)


Just finished having a look at them. They make a lovely pair.

Hmmm, someone told me that was Jupiter over there, but obviously it's not.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 17, 2018, 06:34:19 PM
THREE WEEKS WITHOUT SUNSPOTS: As July 17th comes to a close, the sun has been blank for 21 straight days--a remarkable 3 weeks without sunspots. To find an equal stretch of spotless suns in the historical record, you have to go back to July-August 2009 when the sun was emerging from a century-class solar minimum. We are now entering a new solar minimum, possibly as deep as the last one.
Solar minimum is a normal part of the solar cycle. Every 11 years or so, sunspot production sputters. Dark cores that produce solar flares and CMEs vanish from the solar disk, leaving the sun blank for long stretches of time. These quiet spells have been coming with regularity since the sunspot cycle was discovered in 1859.

However, not all solar minima are alike. The last one in 2008-2009 surprised observers with its depth and side-effects. Sunspot counts dropped to a 100-year low; the sun dimmed by 0.1%; Earth's upper atmosphere collapsed, allowing space junk to accumulate; and the pressure of the solar wind flagged while cosmic rays (normally repelled by solar wind) surged to Space Age highs. These events upended the orthodox picture of solar minimum as "uneventful."

(http://spaceweather.com/repeat_images/solarcycle_july2018_strip.png)

Space weather forecasters have long wondered, will the next solar minimum (2018-2020) be as deep as the previous one (2008-2009)? Twenty-one days without sunspots is not enough to answer that question. During the solar minimum of 2008-2009, the longest unbroken interval of spotlessness was ~52 days, adding to a total of 813 intermittent spotless days observed throughout the multi-year minimum. The corresponding totals now are only 21 days and 244 days, respectively. If this solar minimum is like the last one, we still have a long way to go.

How does this affect us on Earth? Contrary to popular belief, auroras do not vanish during solar minimum. Instead, they retreat to polar regions and may change color. Arctic sky watchers can still count on good displays this autumn and winter as streams of solar wind buffet Earth's magnetic field. The biggest change brought by solar minimum may be cosmic rays. High energy particles from deep space penetrate the inner solar system with greater ease during periods of low solar activity. NASA spacecraft and space weather balloons are already detecting an increase in radiation. Cosmic rays alter the flow of electricity through Earth's atmosphere, trigger lightning, potentially alter cloud cover, and dose commercial air travelers with extra "rads on a plane."

At the moment there are no nascent sunspots on the solar disk, so the spotless days counter is likely to keep ticking. Stay tuned for more blank suns and … welcome to solar minimum.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 18, 2018, 02:08:19 PM
When I read that in the Newsletter I hit some of the other links they had in there about the Subject.....Interesting stuff....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on July 19, 2018, 02:49:35 PM
Looks like 53 days of extra gravitational pull on the earth with all the planet on the same side of the sun. 


https://youtu.be/lHu4V-qupwU
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 19, 2018, 03:03:14 PM
From the Sunspot post:

"Cosmic rays alter the flow of electricity through Earth's atmosphere, trigger lightning, potentially alter cloud cover, and dose commercial air travelers with extra "rads on a plane."

The part "...potentially alter cloud cover" caught my eye. The clouds were very weird for this time of the year this morning. I was sitting there looking at them and making dubious faces. The sky was full of all sorts of 'mares-tails' or cirrus clouds: all long, whispy and drawn out. Some fanned out, as they do. These are the kind of clouds you get in the early mornings in late fall and some winter mornings - because the atmosphere has to be cold to create those kinds of clouds. They're full of ice crystals.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 19, 2018, 03:04:57 PM
Sometimes you ask the Universe "Why?" and it gives you an answer!  :thissmall:



Maybe.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on July 19, 2018, 03:20:35 PM
I think the universe has a good sense of humor at our expsene. :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 19, 2018, 03:27:23 PM
And spanks us when we are bad.....one way or another....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 19, 2018, 05:36:04 PM
Volcano discovered under fastest-melting Antarctic glacier (http://earthsky.org/earth/volcano-under-pine-island-glacier-worlds-fastest-melting?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=c78bbe3455-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-c78bbe3455-394845485)

(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/07/iceFire-glacier2-1000x609-e1531833827539.jpg)

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 20, 2018, 04:12:24 AM
SPIDERS AND SPACE WEATHER:

Did you know that spiders can fly? Biologists call it "ballooning." Spiders spin a strand of silk, it juts into the air, and off they go. Airborne arachnids have been found as high as 4 km off the ground. Originally, researchers thought spiders were riding currents of air, but there's a problem with that idea. Spiders often take flight when the air is calm, and large spiders fly even when air currents are insufficient to support their weight. It's a mystery.

Scientists from the University of Bristol may have found the solution. In a paper published in the July 5th edition of Current Biology, they proved that spiders can propel themselves using electric fields.

"We exposed adult Linyphiid spiders (Erigone) to electric fields similar to those which naturally occur in Earth's atmosphere," explains the paper's lead author, Erica Morley. "Spiders showed a significant increase in ballooning in the presence of electric fields." A remarkable video of their experiment shows one spider flying when the fields were switched on, then sinking when the fields were off again.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/19jul18/gec_strip.jpg)

Flying Spider Link (https://www.cell.com/cms/attachment/2119390405/2093166262/mmc2.mp4)

The electric fields spiders use for propulsion are part of Earth's global atmospheric electric circuit (GEC)–a planet-sized circuit of electricity that researchers have known about since the 1920s. In a nutshell, thunderstorms help build up a charge difference between the ground and the ionosphere 50 km overhead. The voltage drop is a staggering 250,000 volts. This sets up electric fields linking Earth to the edge of space. Cosmic rays ionize Earth's atmosphere, turning it into a weak conductor that allows currents to flow through the GEC.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 20, 2018, 04:12:49 AM
That was certainly not something I wanted to know
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 20, 2018, 11:58:05 PM
Floating spiders...imagine that!

Surprised no one posted about the lovely conjunction of the half Moon and Saturn this night. Should still be visible in the western time zones.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 21, 2018, 12:00:51 AM
Volcano discovered under fastest-melting Antarctic glacier (http://earthsky.org/earth/volcano-under-pine-island-glacier-worlds-fastest-melting?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=c78bbe3455-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-c78bbe3455-394845485)

(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/07/iceFire-glacier2-1000x609-e1531833827539.jpg)


That's interesting! :tearlaugh: - the PIG.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 21, 2018, 07:55:24 AM
I know...... I got a kick out that also :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 21, 2018, 01:29:24 PM
Oh this is just kind of amazing to see! So thought I'd share:


https://youtu.be/kp7NaFLXaU4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 21, 2018, 04:47:53 PM
Very nice vid .. many thanks
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 21, 2018, 05:22:18 PM
You're most welcome! I thought it was pretty nice, myself :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 22, 2018, 02:11:32 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED: NOAA forecasters say there is a 65% chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms on July 24th when a high-speed stream of solar wind is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. The gaseous material is flowing from a large hole in the sun's atmosphere, shown here in an extreme ultraviolet image from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/21jul18/ch_strip.jpg)

This is a "coronal hole," a vast region in the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up and allow solar wind to escape. They look dark in ultraviolet images because the hot glowing plasma normally contained there is missing. In this case, the plasma is making a beeline for Earth.

Some readers have asked, how can we have a geomagnetic storm during solar minimum? It happens all the time. Sunspots, whose counts define the solar cycle, are not the only source of storms. When sunspots vanish, coronal holes replace them as a primary source of solar activity. Studies show that coronal holes not only open more frequently, but also last longer when sunspots are absent. During the last solar minimum in 2007-2009, one coronal hole stayed open for 27 consecutive solar rotations. As the sun slowly turned on its axis, that hole fire-hosed Earth with a stream of solar wind almost once a month for nearly two years. Explosive sunspots make stronger storms than the relatively gentle breezes that emerge from coronal holes, but geomagnetic storms never go away, not even during solar minimum.

High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras on July 24th when the solar wind arrives. G1-class storms can produce Northern Lights as far south as US states ranging from Maine to Washington
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 23, 2018, 08:39:13 AM
Very neat vid Ray.   And thanks for the Solar update "J".....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 24, 2018, 07:47:24 PM
Later this week we shall have a special Lunar eclipse on July 27th. However, those of us in the Western hemisphere will not be able to see it. The good news is, those in Europe can see some portion of it, with more visible as you go East.


http://earthsky.org/?p=282841

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 25, 2018, 08:41:41 AM
LOL....Ya beat me to it. 

My problem is, I explore the whole newsletter and one link takes me to another link I enjoy that takes me to another link I enjoy etc etc etc....

And by the time I'm done....Someone has beat me to the draw LOL...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 25, 2018, 08:58:52 AM
 :(ROFLMAO:  Imagine me being Quicksdraw McGraw today...or any day for that matter!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 25, 2018, 09:02:41 AM
Well, that would mean I'm the Babalouie :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 25, 2018, 09:46:01 AM
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 01, 2018, 01:34:33 PM
Expect moonless nights for 2018’s Perseid meteors (http://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=32de075308-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-32de075308-394845485)

Starting to watch for Perseids now? They’re rising in numbers, but – for the moment – the moon is in the way. That means the peak will be glorious – and moon-free – on the mornings of August 11, 12 and 13.

(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2017/08/meteor-Perseid-8-12-2017-Hrvoje-Crnjak-Sibenik-Croatia-e1502565906361.jpg)

https://youtu.be/vTXA5gYWtXs

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2018, 08:30:07 PM
A HOLE IN THE SUN'S ATMOSPHERE: A ragged horseshoe-shaped hole in the sun's atmosphere is turning toward Earth, spewing a stream of high-speed solar wind toward our planet. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the structure earlier today:
(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/17aug18/ch2_strip3.jpg)
This is a "coronal hole," a region in the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up and allow solar wind to escape.
Coronal holes are a primary form of space weather during solar minimum--that is, now. Studies show that coronal holes not only open more frequently, but also last longer when sunspots are absent. During the last solar minimum in 2007-2009, one coronal hole stayed open for 27 consecutive solar rotations. As the sun slowly turned on its axis, that hole fire-hosed Earth with a stream of solar wind almost once a month for nearly two years. For comparison, this coronal hole has only been around twice. It is a youngster.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2018, 09:05:25 AM
Amazing ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2018, 09:06:29 AM
In November we should be seeing a lot more info on the Sun since they just launched the new Sun Mission Rocket
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 18, 2018, 01:32:01 PM
I think it's part of a 'Space Weather' program to watch the Sun more closely. Anyway, I saw something about that in one of the many things that go through my inbox.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 18, 2018, 02:27:34 PM
The Strange Star


https://youtu.be/XyuXBYWZegY

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 19, 2018, 11:57:23 AM
I think it's part of a 'Space Weather' program to watch the Sun more closely. Anyway, I saw something about that in one of the many things that go through my inbox.



I'm going to be following it all on You Tube.  I subscribe to most of the space channels now...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 19, 2018, 11:59:11 AM
The Strange Star


https://youtu.be/XyuXBYWZegY



And I see you "EXPLORE" just like I do LOL.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 19, 2018, 12:33:30 PM

And I see you "EXPLORE" just like I do LOL.....


When I've reached my tolerance factor for watching the  :bs: out of back East, I go looking for anything else interesting. Or sometimes I take a mind to know more about something else: a culture, a language, new discoveries, new theories... Anything that makes more sense than that :soapy:


I'm going to be following it all on You Tube.  I subscribe to most of the space channels now...


Cool :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 19, 2018, 12:36:44 PM
Those variable stars are pretty cool. Now I actually understand what one is after watching that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 19, 2018, 12:38:49 PM
Love it when we learn even at our age.....Of course we forget what we learned much faster....but we learned nevertheless LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 19, 2018, 12:56:50 PM
Love it when we learn even at our age.....Of course we forget what we learned much faster....but we learned nevertheless LOLOLOL


True that :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 19, 2018, 12:58:11 PM
I wonder if they're all 'vampiric' like Mira. That would be interesting to know.

**VAMPIRES IN SPACE!!!**
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 19, 2018, 01:51:26 PM
Methinks that they are but that is just a gut feeling
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 19, 2018, 02:01:28 PM
I wonder if they're all 'vampiric' like Mira. That would be interesting to know.

**VAMPIRES IN SPACE!!!**

Like anything else we are not sure about we'll have some that say yes and some that will say definitely not....

But it would be fun to see how the sides match up
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 19, 2018, 04:53:20 PM
The answer is: There are two different kinds.

There are Intrinsic Variable Stars where the star itself actually varies in brightness as it is.

Then there are Extrinsic Variable Stars that are eclipsed by an orbiting companion every so often
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 19, 2018, 05:09:56 PM
Seconded
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 20, 2018, 09:23:05 AM
Those variable stars are pretty cool. Now I actually understand what one is after watching that.
Not all variable stars are binaries. Our own star, Sol is a variable star. It has a short cycle of variance that is about 11 years from minimum to minimum, and a longer cycle that varies at different rates, from perhaps a couple hundred years to a millennium or two.


Edit:
Our star would be the intrinsic variable star.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 20, 2018, 09:54:19 AM
Speaking of Stars.....I thought this was super duper and easy to follow yet still mind boggling.  Amazing


https://youtu.be/GoW8Tf7hTGA
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 20, 2018, 04:26:43 PM
:smiley:

The Great Web.
Stardust.


https://youtu.be/7WnJq_5QjBg



Excellent video above. I enjoyed it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 24, 2018, 03:26:45 PM
A GREEN COMET APPROACHES EARTH:

Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner is approaching Earth. On Sept. 10th, it will be 0.39 AU (58 million km) from our planet and almost bright enough to see with the naked eye. Already it is an easy target for backyard telescopes. Last night, Michael Jäger of Weißenkirchen, Austria, caught the 7.7th magnitude comet passing through star cluster Tombaugh 5 in the constellation Camelopardalis:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-21P20180823ut126RGB_1535067150.jpg)


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-21P20180817UT0035RGBhalphamjaeger_1534602893.jpg)


This comet is relatively small--its nucleus is barely more than a mile in diameter--but it is bright and active, and a frequent visitor to the inner solar system as it orbits the sun once every 6.6 years. On Sept. 10th, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner will not only be near Earth, but also at perihelion, its closest approach to the sun. Solar heating will make it shine like a star of 6th to 7th magnitude, just below the threshold of naked-eye visibility and well within range of common binoculars. Detailed sky maps will help you find it.
21P/Giacobini-Zinner is the parent of the annual Draconid meteor shower, a bursty display that typically peaks on Oct. 8th. Will the shower will be extra-good this year? Maybe. Draconid outbursts do tend to occur in years near the comet's close approach to the sun. However, not every close approach brings a meteor shower. Forecasters say there are no known Draconid debris streams squarely crossing Earth's path this year, so we will have to wait and see.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 25, 2018, 09:31:23 AM
Keep track of it.....  There are a ton of folks following it and many are posting on You Tube.  Space and You Tube go hand in hand...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 25, 2018, 06:27:22 PM
RAPIDLY GROWING SUNSPOT:

 Two days ago, sunspot AR2720 didn't exist. Now it sprawls across the more than 75,000 km of the sun's surface and has two dark cores as wide as Earth. Thierry Legault photographed the growing sunspot group on Aug. 25th from the Saint-Véran/Astroqueyras observatory in the French Alps:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Thierry-Legault-s180825-092605utc_1535212874.jpg)


"Sunspot AR2720 has metamorphosed since yesterday and it is now as large as the Earth!" says Legault. "I photographed the region using a Celestron C14 EdgeHD telescope and an Astrosolar filter."
The magnetic canopy of AR2720 is crackling with B-class solar flares--minor explosions hardly befitting a sunspot of its size. This is what we expect during solar minimum when even large sunspots tend to be quiet. Quiescence is not, however, an absolute rule. Less than one year ago, another "solar minimum sunspot" about the size of this one unleashed an X-class solar flare and produced a radiation storm so strong that energetic particles reached the surface of the Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 26, 2018, 02:07:34 PM
So very cool:

https://youtu.be/zNpsy6lBPBw
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 26, 2018, 02:17:13 PM
A GREEN COMET APPROACHES EARTH:

Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner is approaching Earth. On Sept. 10th, it will be 0.39 AU (58 million km) from our planet and almost bright enough to see with the naked eye. Already it is an easy target for backyard telescopes. Last night, Michael Jäger of Weißenkirchen, Austria, caught the 7.7th magnitude comet passing through star cluster Tombaugh 5 in the constellation Camelopardalis:


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-21P20180823ut126RGB_1535067150.jpg)


(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/michael-jAcger-21P20180817UT0035RGBhalphamjaeger_1534602893.jpg)


This comet is relatively small--its nucleus is barely more than a mile in diameter--but it is bright and active, and a frequent visitor to the inner solar system as it orbits the sun once every 6.6 years. On Sept. 10th, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner will not only be near Earth, but also at perihelion, its closest approach to the sun. Solar heating will make it shine like a star of 6th to 7th magnitude, just below the threshold of naked-eye visibility and well within range of common binoculars. Detailed sky maps will help you find it.
21P/Giacobini-Zinner is the parent of the annual Draconid meteor shower, a bursty display that typically peaks on Oct. 8th. Will the shower will be extra-good this year? Maybe. Draconid outbursts do tend to occur in years near the comet's close approach to the sun. However, not every close approach brings a meteor shower. Forecasters say there are no known Draconid debris streams squarely crossing Earth's path this year, so we will have to wait and see.
My first thought was "Camelopardalis that must be in South hemisphere". Then I discovered it's in our hemisphere  :lostme: Yet, according it's position, I'm afraid it's just below the roof. That, more town lights (or clouds likes tonight), it's pretty impossible to see it I guess, but I'll try to keep an eye on.


Sure it's another way to discover Moon TL.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 26, 2018, 03:40:11 PM
Here is the fun part who knew without looking it up what Camelopardalis referred to?

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 26, 2018, 03:41:49 PM
Similar to the "chameau/camel" in a way, and nope, wasn't able without the wikipedia.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 26, 2018, 03:43:07 PM
Actually "Giraffe"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 28, 2018, 09:54:13 AM
When I was a youngster I always wanted to be a Spaceman like Buck Rogers and wear a cool Spacesuit....

Then when I was in my early teens I wanted to be an Astronaut....especially after watching them land on the moon (LIVE).....In B&W LOL....

Well, Got one part of the wish almost accomplished....


[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 12:57:05 PM
Here is the fun part who knew without looking it up what Camelopardalis referred to?


Ummmm, I did. It sits between Cassiopeia (the 'sideways' M) and the Big Dipper.

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 12:57:54 PM
When I was a youngster I always wanted to be a Spaceman like Buck Rogers and wear a cool Spacesuit....

Then when I was in my early teens I wanted to be an Astronaut....especially after watching them land on the moon (LIVE).....In B&W LOL....

Well, Got one part of the wish almost accomplished....



:tearlaugh: You go, TL. :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 01:03:58 PM
Actually "Giraffe"


I think it may have once been part of a more ancient constellation that was destroyed by whatever caused 'The Dead Gods' and 'Slain Heroes' back in about 3100 BCE. I can't remember where The Wolf and The Panther were, but they were somewhere up there. I'd have to dig out one of those books I have and read through it again. Funny, that's the second time I've thought of that book in the last 24 hours. Must mean I need to read it again.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 28, 2018, 01:24:07 PM
In fact it seems it's a Renaissance creation.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camelopardalis

Since then, the Argo constellation was also destroyed.


TL, the last step to flee Kianna?  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 02:04:48 PM
That was the Vela Supernova, wasn't it? That actually occurred 8000-9000 years before the Dead Gods and Slain Heroes, I believe. Vela constellation was the sails of the ship.

That must have been quite a sight coming along behind the Big Dog.

And this is supposedly about the Cat's Eye Nebula:

"When the sky is torn apart, so it was (like) a red rose, like ointment."
(Quran - 55 : 37 )
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 28, 2018, 02:09:22 PM


TL, the last step to flee Kianna?  :tearlaugh:

You know....I never even gave that a thought   :shrug: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 03:36:18 PM

I think it may have once been part of a more ancient constellation that was destroyed by whatever caused 'The Dead Gods' and 'Slain Heroes' back in about 3100 BCE. I can't remember where The Wolf and The Panther were, but they were somewhere up there. I'd have to dig out one of those books I have and read through it again. Funny, that's the second time I've thought of that book in the last 24 hours. Must mean I need to read it again.
Hmmm. Seems to me you need to get to it then. LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 04:47:31 PM
Okay...they are not sure where The Panther was - presumably located somewhere between Cepheus and Cygnus. The Panther was actually a storm demon like the great Anzu storm demon, who actually was the now constellation Pegasus plus some stars. As might be implied here 'something' rather large and deadly cut through there once upon a time or four and literally 'slew' some existing constellations with what I'm guessing is a 'bolt' of light. Maybe something blazar or quasar-ish.

The Wolf seems to have been somewhere within the head of Draco or elsewhere in that constellation. The Wolf is also said to be the "Ghost of Anu", who was the original Father of the gods in Sumer.

Both are associated with Erra/Nergal, he who becomes Lord of the Underworld and god of magistrates and judges. Erra's original consort's name is 'Mami' which sounds like a mother goddess, doesn't it? Yes, yes. But then he becomes merged with Nergal and becomes the Lord of the Underworld (yes, clear up there). Because the Queen of the Underworld is Cygnus...Ereshkigal, who is Inanna/Ishtar's sister. Ishtar looses her husband Dumuzi and Ereshkigal gets a new husband because Enkidu (Perseus) and Gilgamesh (Orion) killed Ereshkigal's husband Gugalana (Taurus) and threw his hind leg at Ishtar. It hit her in the face. Whoa!

So look at all the dead ones in there. They were replaced. They aren't just silly stories. Some of them are about things that happened up in The Heaven and the stories were made to remember them in oral tradition as hymns to heroes (tigis), holy day plays, etc.

Aren't you glad you asked?   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 04:50:56 PM
You'll find the whole Bull's Hind Leg in Egypt too in the "Opening of the Mouth" ceremony of 'opening' the mouth of the mummy before it goes before Maat, Thoth and the Scales of Justice.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 05:25:53 PM
Okay...they are not sure where The Panther was - presumably located somewhere between Cepheus and Cygnus. The Panther was actually a storm demon like the great Anzu storm demon, who actually was the now constellation Pegasus plus some stars. As might be implied here 'something' rather large and deadly cut through there once upon a time or four and literally 'slew' some existing constellations with what I'm guessing is a 'bolt' of light. Maybe something blazar or quasar-ish.

The Wolf seems to have been somewhere within the head of Draco or elsewhere in that constellation. The Wolf is also said to be the "Ghost of Anu", who was the original Father of the gods in Sumer.

Both are associated with Erra/Nergal, he who becomes Lord of the Underworld and god of magistrates and judges. Erra's original consort's name is 'Mami' which sounds like a mother goddess, doesn't it? Yes, yes. But then he becomes merged with Nergal and becomes the Lord of the Underworld (yes, clear up there). Because the Queen of the Underworld is Cygnus...Ereshkigal, who is Inanna/Ishtar's sister. Ishtar looses her husband Dumuzi and Ereshkigal gets a new husband because Enkidu (Perseus) and Gilgamesh (Orion) killed Ereshkigal's husband Gugalana (Taurus) and threw his hind leg at Ishtar. It hit her in the face. Whoa!

So look at all the dead ones in there. They were replaced. They aren't just silly stories. Some of them are about things that happened up in The Heaven and the stories were made to remember them in oral tradition as hymns to heroes (tigis), holy day plays, etc.

Aren't you glad you asked?
I knew you could do it! Thank you; that was very interesting.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 06:21:02 PM
I really need to get a bibliography of your library that references all these delicious facts they do bear investigating further 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 06:23:04 PM

Ummmm, I did. It sits between Cassiopeia (the 'sideways' M) and the Big Dipper.

 
Knew you could and thank you for not disappointing
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 06:46:41 PM
Well, in order to grasp all of that, first you either have to read probably at least 5 of Zecharia Sitchin's lame books to understand who all these gods are. There are a lot of them. What their functions are. But that's all you're going to get out of those books because the rest of it is bunk. Or you can go here and read stories here. You might find some of them rather amusing or even shocking.

http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/edition2/literature.php


If you don't understand who they are and their relationships to one another then it's going to get over your head. Then there's the fact that there are Sumerian gods, Akkadian gods and Babylonian gods - many the same but some different in some way.

Then after you do that, there is "Gods, Demons and Symbols of Ancient Mesopotamia" for further explanations.

And then there is Mr. Gavin White's two books "Babylonian Star-Lore" and "The Queen of Heaven". I don't agree with all he says in "QoH" especially, but quite a lot of it seems reasonably set out. My other friend into all of this agrees. White does give you a lot of things you can assemble into your own ideas however.

All this took me about 12-15 years to study. Have fun!  :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 06:51:34 PM
Oh, and "Myths from Mesopotamia" translated by Stephanie Dailey.

http://psd.museum.upenn.edu/epsd/nepsd-frame.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MUL.APIN

http://www.lexiline.com/lexiline/lexi171.htm
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 06:52:26 PM
Isn't Zecharia Sitchin that guy with the crazy hair on Ancient Aliens? :whatthe:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 06:57:43 PM
:heeheehee: We do so like to have the "esoteric" to keep me on my toes
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 06:58:08 PM
Zecharia Sitchin is passed away. He claimed to be an expert translator of the texts. He was NOT.

What would YOU say a word that translates to "high skyward firestones" meant?

THAT thing on Ancient Aliens (ermagherd!) is Georgio Tsoukolos.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 06:59:37 PM
:heeheehee: We do so like to have the "esoteric" to keep me on my toes


Say Ningishziddha five times real fast.  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 07:02:44 PM
I am going to show how daft I am and say that a "high skyward firestone" would be either a meteor breaking in the atmosphere or a comet streaking across the night sky

probably a comet

like I said we can be daft on occasions
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 07:03:50 PM

Say Ningishziddha five times real fast.  :tearlaugh:

:tearlaugh: I can barely do it twice

:thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 07:04:46 PM
OK, so I did a quick search, and found out for myself who Zecharia Sitchin is/was.


Yeah, that guy on Ancient Aliens, Georgio Tsoukolos is a real kook! Can't stop contradicting himself on a lot of subjects! He seems to think no humans have any imagination or ability to invent in and of themselves. Such an idiot IMO!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 07:06:15 PM
And I think he never learned not to stick his finger in a live light socket!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 07:33:49 PM
I am going to show how daft I am and say that a "high skyward firestone" would be either a meteor breaking in the atmosphere or a comet streaking across the night sky

probably a comet

like I said we can be daft on occasions


Tis a far better guess than HE made! Which is like  :OMFG:

He says it's an alien rocket ship.

It's a star - the stars in the sky. Fire was those peoples' source of heat. If it gave off heat like the sun then it had to be on fire. Fire is one of the very first 'high' gods to be worshiped in man's history.

There's also a bit in The Book of Isaiah about Helel walking amongst the burning fire-stones in the sky. Helel is a reference to Venus who DOES 'walk' amongst the stars. Venus was particularly troublesome for all the religions of the book to get rid of. She didn't want to go away. She didn't either. She just had an operation. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 07:39:45 PM
:tearlaugh: I can barely do it twice

:thud:


Oh, then there's the ones that are the same gods with different names, like EN.KI and EA and his brother(s) Enlil and Ellil.

What really gets fun is you've looked at other mythologies too that actually come later - like India, say. And something you read rings a bell. The Mesopotamian is the older stuff. This is where things come from in large part. So if you connect two very similar stories from two different cultures, then you get into another side rabbit hole. Which sometimes takes you into another side rabbit hole. And....another. And then you find something that clicks with something else you know and pretty soon, you're like :odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 07:44:42 PM
Indeed I clicked one link and talk about a rabbit hole, 16 links bookmarked later for review, :odd:

go figure
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 07:50:12 PM
OK, so I did a quick search, and found out for myself who Zecharia Sitchin is/was.


Yeah, that guy on Ancient Aliens, Georgio Tsoukolos is a real kook! Can't stop contradicting himself on a lot of subjects! He seems to think no humans have any imagination or ability to invent in and of themselves. Such an idiot IMO!



While I'm open-minded to the fact there may have been an older culture than the lot they're looking at, who actually built all this stuff in the first place. Are they Aliens? That is 'gods' :shrug: Are they just the remnants of a better race we may have descended from? No one knows the answer to any of those things. All you can do is keep an open mind and assess what you know about it. That is, not what some kookoo like Georgio tells you is the gospel.

I'm with you in some great part, Cleve - it's kind of insulting to Humans that we believe we require help from someone smarter. It's like either we recognize our own arrogance at thinking we're the greatest thing since sliced bread in the Universe since Time began, or we're not recognizing the fact we can't do some of this stuff even today.

Then again, the way in which the large number of them act.... :sigh:

Actually, Tsouklos stands in front of a mirror and does that to his hair on purpose. He's admitted he does. It's his 'trademark'.

Rolls eyes.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 28, 2018, 07:59:09 PM

Actually, Tsouklos stands in front of a mirror and does that to his hair on purpose. He's admitted he does. It's his 'trademark'.

Rolls eyes.

And here I thought I was odd for grooming and maintaining a handlebar mustache

Sounds like I could take lessons ... if I was that :odd: which no I am not .... yet :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 08:01:46 PM
Indeed I clicked one link and talk about a rabbit hole, 16 links bookmarked later for review, :odd:

go figure

Don't say I didn't warn you my friend. Keep in mind too that all of those stories, you can read on at least two different levels or viewpoints - that is 'middle earth' and 'the heaven'. Some of them can also be read as something in the underworld (the Cthonic). It's the old shamanic view of things - the Three Worlds. Some are like morality stories - "see, even the gods are punished...sometimes". Watch Inanna, 'the young maid' become Ishtar the Holy Courtesan, and Goddess of Love, Sex and War, and then, then she worms her way into Ellil's heart or somewhere and becomes the Queen of Heaven deposing the original Lady of the Mountain - Ninhursag.

Could it be she was part of the Dead Gods?  :whatthe:   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 28, 2018, 08:03:03 PM
And here I thought I was odd for grooming and maintaining a handlebar mustache

Sounds like I could take lessons ... if I was that :odd: which no I am not .... yet :tearlaugh:


At least that WAS a fashion statement once. I don't recall that his hair-do ever was. Not even in Disco!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 10:20:19 PM


While I'm open-minded to the fact there may have been an older culture than the lot they're looking at, who actually built all this stuff in the first place. Are they Aliens? That is 'gods' :shrug: Are they just the remnants of a better race we may have descended from? No one knows the answer to any of those things. All you can do is keep an open mind and assess what you know about it. That is, not what some kookoo like Georgio tells you is the gospel.

I'm with you in some great part, Cleve - it's kind of insulting to Humans that we believe we require help from someone smarter. It's like either we recognize our own arrogance at thinking we're the greatest thing since sliced bread in the Universe since Time began, or we're not recognizing the fact we can't do some of this stuff even today.

Then again, the way in which the large number of them act.... :sigh:

Actually, Tsouklos stands in front of a mirror and does that to his hair on purpose. He's admitted he does. It's his 'trademark'.

Rolls eyes.
He has his preferences of which theories he supposedly believes, and cannot stick with one or another of them if it is not convenient to what he is talking about at any given time. I on the other hand have my theory about him, and I choose to believe the Light Socket Theory! Yeah! It explains more than just his hair!
 :shock: :funny:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 28, 2018, 10:27:46 PM

At least that WAS a fashion statement once. I don't recall that his hair-do ever was. Not even in Disco!
Mayhaps he's an Einstein wannabe!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on September 03, 2018, 04:43:06 AM
As for Aliens & gods, we ourselves now fit either category. It is now realized that our DNA has makers not found in any other creature on this planet. It originally came from elsewhere in the Universe!

But on a lighter subject...It has been long held that time was absolute. This however has been proved to be a false statement. Time is greatly affected by gravity! Time runs slower at sea level and faster at higher altitudes. What does it mean? Think about it.

Does this mean you could go back and change events in time? Though that might sound good, it's not possible...you would get spat out! Any event you tried to change would still happen, just in any number of different ways. Kinda like the Alien dude in Men in Black said...where there is death, there will always be death!

You could only watch it unfold, not change it!
 :java:
 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 03, 2018, 08:33:31 AM
One more reason to perhaps think on the thing about living in a virtual world. Someone's game. You move through it tripping collision points that set things off. Doesn't matter who you are or when you walk through that zone, the thing that's supposed to happen there happens.

Unless there's a hole in the floor and you fall through :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 04, 2018, 08:42:54 PM
SPRITES FROM TROPICAL STORM GORDON: Later today, Tropical Storm Gordon is expected to reach the southeastern USA, possibly intensifying to hurricane strength just before it makes landfall. Unlike many hurricanes, which cross the Atlantic before reaching the states, Gordon formed nearby in the Caribbean. On Sept. 1st, Frankie Lucena of Puerto Rico trained his cameras on the tropical wave and caught sprites leaping up from the cloudtops:

https://youtu.be/4MxGsMnowps (https://youtu.be/4MxGsMnowps)


"These sprites were captured over the tropical wave that later became Tropical Storm Gordon," says Lucena. "At the time, the wave was generating numerous lightning strikes per minute just west of Puerto Rico." In the video, red arrows show the location of his camera with respect to the growing storm, while the sprites are inset.

For years, Lucena has been observing sprites and their big cousins Gigantic Jets leap up from passing storms. Interestingly, he says, weaker systems often produce stronger sprites. "Based on my observations so far, I would say that intensifying tropical waves have the most sprites. Often these systems go on to become hurricanes."

However, once storms become hurricanes, sprite activity seems to subside. "I tried to capture sprites over Hurricanes like Maria, Irma and just recently in July over Hurricane Beryl with no luck," says Lucena. Sprites above Hurricane Matthew in 2016 are a colorful exception.

According to NASA, hurricanes produce less regular lightning, too. Swirling hurricanes typically lack the vertical winds required to charge up a storm and unleash powerful bolts. Perhaps sprites subside for the same reason. Lucena plans to get more data as hurricane season gains steam in the months ahead
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 04, 2018, 09:07:20 PM
 :tearlaugh: Well that's a different video!!  :tearlaugh:

That would be great to learn more about sprites!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 04, 2018, 10:17:54 PM
Tis an interesting topic methinks
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2018, 09:34:19 AM
Sprites are fascinating.  More and more researchers are diving into the "Hows" and "Whys"......Which is a good thing...

As for Ancient Aliens.....I like the show...Many things I dispute but many times I have a "What if" thought about what they brought up. 

Those who do not believe there is life elsewhere in the Universe are just as strange as  Tsouklos hairdo....

By the way...Oz decided to join me on my journey in space....


[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 05, 2018, 10:30:39 AM
 :tearlaugh: As longer as you don't play "Lost in space" together, it's good!

I heard of Sprites few years ago, and if I remember well they are so fast it's very hard to capture them even with a video. But like equipments become better, maybe their study will be easier now.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2018, 10:35:47 AM
Yup..Sprites are certainly hard to capture....and as you said....with the advancement in technology....we should learn more about them as time goes by....

And nope.....We won't get lost in space.  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 05, 2018, 05:39:39 PM
Lol...OZ IN SPACE!!!  :tearlaugh: Cute. Although, I'm not sure that would work really well, knowing how cats are. They'd be air swimming trying to get where they want to go faster.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 05, 2018, 06:36:34 PM
LOLOL.....Most likely......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 06, 2018, 02:18:30 PM
(http://sci.esa.int/science-e-media/img/b0/Cassini_Saturn_NP_vortex_PIA17652_625.gif)

Saturn’s famous hexagon (http://earthsky.org/space/saturn-hexagon-tower-above-cloudtops?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=62f269ea92-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-62f269ea92-394845485)

As wide as 2 Earths – like nothing seen on any other world – Saturn’s hexagon was thought to be a feature of the lower atmosphere, where Saturn’s weather happens. Now there’s evidence it extends high above the cloudtops.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 20, 2018, 07:39:39 PM
STUDENT-BUILT SATELLITES TRACK KILLER ELECTRONS: Last Saturday, a Delta II rocket blasted off at dawn from Vandenberg AFB in California. Soon thereafter NASA reported the successful deployment of the ICESat-2 satellite, designed to make 3D laser images of Earth's surface. Here's what most news stations did not report: A pair of tiny satellites were tucked inside the rocket, and they were successfully deployed as well. Built by students at UCLA, ELFIN-A and ELFIN-B are now orbiting Earth, monitoring the ebb and flow of "killer electrons" around our planet.

"We've just received our first downlink of data from ELFIN-A," reports Ryan Caron, Development Engineer at UCLA's Department of Earth, Planetary, and Space Sciences.
That may sound like ordinary static, but the signal is full of meaning. As mission controllers turn on ELFIN's science instruments, the static-y waveforms will carry unique information about particles raining down on Earth from the inner Van Allen Radiation Belt.

"Sensors onboard our two cubesats detect electrons in the energy range 50 keV to 4.5 MeV," says Caron. "These are the so-called 'killer electrons,' which can damage spacecraft and cause electrical disruptions on the ground. They also give rise to the majestic aurora borealis."

"ELFIN is doing something new," says Vassilis Angelopoulos, a UCLA space physicist who got his doctorate at UCLA and serves as ELFIN's principal investigator. "No previous mission was able to measure the angle and energy of killer electrons as they rain down on Earth's atmosphere. ELFIN will help us investigate how disturbances called 'Electromagnetic Ion Cyclotron waves' knock these electrons out of the Van Allen Belts and scatter them down toward Earth."

ELFIN-A and ELFIN-B are cubesats, each weighing about eight pounds and roughly the size of a loaf of bread. They are remarkable not only for their cutting edge sensors, but also for their origin. The two satellites were almost completely designed and built by undergraduate students at UCLA. Working for more than 5 years, a succession of 250 students created the two Electron Losses and Fields Investigation CubeSats –"ELFIN" for short.

"Just seeing all the hundreds of hours of work, the many sleepless nights, the stressing out that you're not going to make a deadline — just seeing it go up there … I'm probably going to cry," says Jessica Artinger, an astrophysics major and geophysics and planetary science minor who helped build the satellites and witnessed their launch.

The ELFIN website has interactive tools so the public can track and listen to the spacecraft as it passes overhead twice a day. The CubeSats are expected to remain in space for two years, after which they will gradually fall out of orbit and burn up in the atmosphere like shooting stars.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 20, 2018, 08:47:37 PM
Very cool! I bet they were all very excited to see it finally go up.

So, they'll be able to tell when there are like 'storms' of these things? "Let's put off the launch for awhile, shall we?"

I wonder if they talk to Elon Musk. I'm sure he'd be interested in that data as well.


I always did think the Hexagon was a high up formation. So, okay.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 21, 2018, 09:46:43 AM
I thought that was amazing when I saw that in Earth Sky News.  "J" beat me to the draw again but glad he put it up....

And Ray....I'm sure he would be interested and then some.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 21, 2018, 10:47:39 AM
I thought that was amazing when I saw that in Earth Sky News.  "J" beat me to the draw again but glad he put it up....

And Ray....I'm sure he would be interested and then some.


Me too, actually. He's very serious about going into space.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 21, 2018, 10:52:42 AM
Me too, actually. He's very serious about going into space.

One of my favorite YouTube places is SpaceX .  They have several set up with all sorts of info and space launch info...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 21, 2018, 11:30:02 AM
I'm more interested in listening to him than watching rockets - at least for right now. I don't necessarily agree with all he says but I know it's where things are headed. But just listening to him talk is amazing. He said he coded his first game when he was 12 and sold it for $500. That was the start of his fortune. Lol.

He was asked if he knew when he knew he was different from everyone else. "Five or six years old,"  he said. "I couldn't really talk to them. We had nothing in common." Or something to that effect.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 21, 2018, 11:48:21 AM
There are a few SpaceX You Tube sites that is nothing but chatter on what they are up to next and his concepts for Mars Settlements.....I like the LIVE Space Launches but not so much the that I'd watch a repeat LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 21, 2018, 03:34:53 PM
(https://ecp.yusercontent.com/mail?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgallery.mailchimp.com%2Fe56e7a92b1c5790f7343ef95a%2Fimages%2F70db8946-f697-403d-96d5-6a062308f97e.jpg&t=1537561638&ymreqid=ecdb05fd-7135-364e-01ec-740054010000&sig=9HAu4ayMzZ.2CQ4At_0Frw--~C)

10 years of Large Hadron Collider discoveries

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has generated mind-blowing science in the last decade – including the Higgs boson particle. How the LHC, one of the most complex machines ever created, is helping physicists decode the universe.

READ MORE HERE (http://earthsky.org/human-world/large-hadron-collider-lhc-discoveries?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=4186fcdd3a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-4186fcdd3a-394845485)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 28, 2018, 01:16:12 PM
THE CHILL OF SOLAR MINIMUM: The sun is entering one of the deepest Solar Minima of the Space Age. Sunspots have been absent for most of 2018, and the sun's ultraviolet output has sharply dropped. New research shows that Earth's upper atmosphere is responding.

"We see a cooling trend," says Martin Mlynczak of NASA's Langley Research Center. "High above Earth's surface near the edge of space, our atmosphere is losing heat energy. If current trends continue, the upper atmosphere could soon set a Space Age record for cold."


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/27sep18/timed.jpg?PHPSESSID=qugq74ta4eldv69jerc3rakjm7)


These results come from the SABER instrument onboard NASA's TIMED satellite. SABER monitors infrared emissions from carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitric oxide (NO), two substances that play a key role in the energy balance of air 100 to 300 kilometers above our planet's surface. By measuring the infrared glow of these molecules, SABER can assess the thermal state of gas at the very top of the atmosphere–a layer researchers call "the thermosphere."
"The thermosphere always cools off during Solar Minimum. It's one of the most important ways the 11-year solar cycle affects our planet," explains Mlynczak, the associate principal investigator for SABER.
When the thermosphere cools, it shrinks, literally decreasing the radius of the atmosphere. This shrinkage decreases aerodynamic drag on satellites in low-Earth orbit, extending their lifetimes. That's the good news. The bad news is, it also delays the natural decay of space junk, resulting in a more cluttered environment around Earth.
(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/27sep18/layers.jpg?PHPSESSID=qugq74ta4eldv69jerc3rakjm7)


To help keep track of what's happening in the thermosphere, Mlynczak and colleagues recently introduced the "Thermosphere Climate Index" (TCI)–a number expressed in Watts that tells how much heat NO molecules are dumping into space. During Solar Maximum, the TCI is high ("Hot"); during Solar Minimum, it is low ("Cold").
"Right now, it is very low indeed," says Mlynczak. "SABER is currently measuring 33 billion Watts of infrared power from NO. That's 10 times smaller than we see during more active phases of the solar cycle."
Although SABER has been in orbit for only 17 years, Mlynczak and colleagues recently calculated TCI going all the way back to the 1940s. "SABER taught us to do this by revealing how TCI depends on other variables such as geomagnetic activity and the sun's UV output–things we have been measuring for decades," he explains. The historical record shows a strong correlation between TCI and the solar cycle:
(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/27sep18/tci.png?PHPSESSID=qugq74ta4eldv69jerc3rakjm7)




As 2018 comes to an end, the thermosphere is on the verge of setting a Space Age record for Cold. "We're not there quite yet," says Mlynczak, "but it could happen in a matter of months."
Soon, the Thermosphere Climate Index will be added to Spaceweather.com as a regular data feed, so our readers can monitor the state of the upper atmosphere just as researchers do.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 30, 2018, 08:25:55 PM
Short and informative:

https://youtu.be/sKR3e0fhiKQ

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 30, 2018, 08:29:04 PM
A year ago - in July I believe - the largest known chunk of the Ross Ice Sheet calved off. It dumped a whole lot of potential cold water into the ocean. That's exactly the sort of thing this guy is talking about with the currents getting colder or warmer.

Greenland's melting too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 01, 2018, 04:21:00 PM
Yes on Greenland...

https://youtu.be/HKp7OaCQr0M
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 01, 2018, 04:48:06 PM
That was a good video. Thanks, TL!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 01, 2018, 04:53:43 PM
Your more then welcome.  I've been waiting for more updates but none have come as of late....but I keep track....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2018, 02:15:13 PM
Holy Cow! You have to see this image. It's amazing. It's different from what you generally see when you're looking at a solar flare. This is the whole enchilada and it's IMPRESSIVE!


https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180916.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2018, 03:15:58 PM
More about ice cores:

https://youtu.be/NENZ6TSc1fo
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 04, 2018, 03:16:41 PM
WOW WOW and WOW.....

That is SOOOOOO awesome.....   I missed it and then some......now to see what else I missed.  To many sites to catch up on ...so little time.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 04, 2018, 03:17:44 PM
More about ice cores:

https://youtu.be/NENZ6TSc1fo


Now this one I did see.....and worth seeing again....Thanks for putting it in here....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2018, 03:56:08 PM
WOW WOW and WOW.....

That is SOOOOOO awesome.....   I missed it and then some......now to see what else I missed.  To many sites to catch up on ...so little time.....



I know!!! It's kind of beyond words awesome! Usually, you see those discs in the middle of the picture and you go 'eh'. This is just magnificent! Such POWER!!!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2018, 03:58:45 PM

Now this one I did see.....and worth seeing again....Thanks for putting it in here....


Sure :smile: It's interesting that he says that really they're a ways yet from predicting what's going to happen with all we're going through now.

What Climate Change? :AEN02:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 04, 2018, 04:34:10 PM
Tell me about it.....Fri, Sat, Sun Mon and Tues.....Thunderstorms along with who knows what...for the WHOLE midwest and many other states....KS can see up to 8" of rain....as will Wisconsin... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 04, 2018, 06:16:29 PM
Our weather here is a big 'maybe' any more. Although, most of the time it delivers about half what you might expect and half what they predicted. It's a crap-shoot.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 05, 2018, 11:44:57 AM
CORONAL CANYON FACES EARTH: A large canyon-shaped hole has opened in the sun's atmosphere, and it is directly facing Earth. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory took this false-color ultraviolet image of the structure on Oct. 5th:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/05oct18/ch_strip.jpg)

This is a coronal hole--a place in the sun's atmosphere where magnetic fields open up and allow solar wind to escape. Coronal holes are common, but this one is unusually large. It stretches more than 900,000 km from the sun's north polar crown across the equator into the sun's southern hemisphere. Now that's a grand canyon.

The emerging stream of solar wind will reach Earth on Oct. 7th or 8th bringing a 65% chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms, according to NOAA. Such storms can affect migratory animals that use magnetic cues for navigation and spark auroras visible in the USA as far south as a line from Maine to Washington.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 05, 2018, 11:46:13 AM
RAINBOW COLORED MINI-CRESCENT MOON: In recent weeks, careful observers of the sunset sky have noticed something unusual near the western horizon. "It looks like a miniature crescent moon," reports Radu Anghel of Bacau, Romania. In other words, Venus:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/05oct18/Radu-Anghel-3_1538426174_strip.jpg)
Venus is about to pass between Earth and the sun, turning its night side toward us. This naturally gives the planet a crescent shape. And that's not all. "Venus looks a bit like a rainbow," adds Anghel. Why? The thinning arc of Venus' sunlit clouds is split into its constituent colors by the prismatic action of Earth's atmosphere.

See for yourself. Venus is about 6 degrees above the western horizon at sunset, surrounded by twilight but still easy to see because of its great brightness (magnitude -4.4). Just be careful not to point your optics too close to the setting sun.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2018, 01:38:13 PM
Damn!!!! That thing is humongous!

Bummer on Venus. I have mountains and trees at six degrees and that rhymes! :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 05, 2018, 04:28:07 PM
LOLOL......You're a poet and don't know it Ray.....

But yes...that is a MASSIVE canyon.....

Can't wait to see what NASA's Parker Solar Probe (https://www.space.com/42015-nasa-parker-solar-probe-first-venus-flyby.html) brings us....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 05, 2018, 07:14:33 PM
It is said that more secrets of the Sun were known in the past than we know now.

Now, we begin to learn them again in this latest 'Sun'. We're seeing things it hasn't done for about 26,000 years. It is now in it's celestial winter 6,500 years. I think it's still in the process of...re-birthing itself? 2012 was it's birthday year.

Will we loose what we gain again?

Sorry, it all just made me feel sort of 'what iffy'.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 13, 2018, 02:06:52 PM
DRACONID METEOR OUTBURST: On Oct. 8-9, Europeans outdoors around midnight were amazed when a flurry of faint meteors filled the sky. "It was a strong outburst of the annual Draconid meteor shower," reports Jure Atanackov, a member of the International Meteor Organization who witnessed the display from Slovenia. Between 22:00 UT (Oct. 8) and 01:00 UT (Oct. 9), dark-sky meteor rates exceeded 100 per hour. In eastern France, Tioga Gulon saw "1 to 2 meteors per minute," many of them shown here in an image stacked with frames from his video camera:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/13oct18/outburst_strip.jpg)

"It was a rare and impressive event," says Atanackov.

It could easily have been 10 times more impressive. In fact, Earth narrowly dodged a meteor storm.

The European outburst occurred as Earth skirted a filament of debris from Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. If that filament had shifted in our direction by a mere 0.005 AU (~500,000 miles), Earth would have experienced a worldwide storm of 1000+ meteors per hour. These conclusions are based on a computer model of the comet's debris field from the University of Western Ontario's Meteor Physics Group. Here it is, showing Earth shooting the gap between two filaments of comet dust:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/13oct18/streammodel.jpg?PHPSESSID=rbnjvmq1l2qpnr9uunqme1rum1)


Western Ontario postdoctoral researcher Auriane Egal created the model and predicted the outburst before it happened. Egal's model was in good agreement with a rival model from NASA, so confidence was high. Meteors seen over Europe came from the larger filament on the right.

According to the models, Earth's L1 and L2 Lagrange points were both forecast to have storm-level activity--especially L2 which would experience the Earth-equivalent of 4000+ meteors per hour. This prompted NASA to take a close look at the danger to spacecraft.

"The US has four space weather spacecraft at L1: ACE, SOHO, Wind, and DSCOVR," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office. "There is only one operational spacecraft at L2 - the European Space Agency's GAIA - which was where most of the Draconid activity was expected to take place. GAIA shut down science operations for a few hours around the projected storm peak and re-oriented to turn the hard side of the vehicle towards the incoming debris. All of the spacecraft came through the Draconids without incident, and this shower provided a good test of our ability to forecast meteor activity outside of Earth orbit."

Many readers have wondered if the outburst has anything to do with Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner's close approach to Earth last month. "No," says Cooke.  "The models show the outburst experienced at Earth was mainly caused by material ejected from the comet from 1945 to the mid 1960's. The meteoroids were more than half a century old."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 13, 2018, 02:22:25 PM
Missed this show also.  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 16, 2018, 03:45:46 PM
COMING SOON, THE COMET OF THE YEAR: Astronomers are calling Comet 46P/Wirtanen the "comet of the year." Two months from now, on Dec. 16th, the kilometer-wide ball of dirty ice will come within 11.5 million km of Earth--making it one of the 10 closest-approaching comets of the Space Age. Comet 46P/Wirtanen will probably become a naked eye object for several weeks during the holidays. Here's what it looks like now:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Yasushi-Aoshima-C46P20181007UT1555-1_1539447935_lg.jpg)

Yasushi Aoshima of Ishikawa, Japan, took the picture using a 12-inch telescope. It shows the comet's green atmosphere which is, impressively, almost twice as wide as the planet Jupiter. The green color comes from diatomic carbon (C2)--a gaseous substance common in comet atmospheres that glows green in the near-vacuum of space.
At the moment, the integrated brightness of the comet is similar to a 10th magnitude star--that is, dim. However, forecasters expect it to brighten more than 200-fold by December. If current trends hold, 46P could ultimately reach magnitude +3, making it not a Great Comet but a very good one, visible to the unaided eye and an easy target for binoculars or small telescopes.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/07oct18/orbit_strip.png)

Comet Wirtanen passes through the inner solar system every 5.4 years. Right now it is near the orbit of Mars, and it is heading in our direction. Click on the image above to explore the comet's approach, courtesy of NASA/JPL.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 16, 2018, 04:24:02 PM
Well I wasn't outside to see the meteor shower, and I know nobody who saw it  :shrug: :thud: Nothing on news here too :sigh:

I hope we'll have more chance with the comet. Thank you for the information!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 19, 2018, 06:52:55 PM
METEORS FROM HALLEY'S COMET: Right now, specks of dust from Halley's Comet are disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere, kicking off the annual Orionid meteor shower. NASA cameras caught more than a dozen Orionid fireballs streaking across the USA during the past 48 hours, and the show is expected to improve during the weekend as Earth moves deeper into Halley's stream of debris:

"The upcoming Orionids should provide a fairly good show for most visual observers," says Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario Meter Physics Group. "The shower's radiant is already quite active and well defined in data from the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR)."

Orionids appear every year around this time when Earth crosses Halley's debris stream, with the shower typically producing about 20 meteors per hour. Some of the brightest stars and constellations in the sky--e.g., Orion the Hunter, Sirius the Dog Star, and Taurus the Bull--form the shower's backdrop. This makes the display extra-beautiful in disproportion to the raw number of meteors.

Some years, however, are even better than others. "Most notable was a short-lived outburst of relatively bright Orionids in 1993 observed several days before the predicted peak. This hints that there may be narrow filaments of larger meteoroids embedded in the overall debris stream," says Brown. "We also observed enhanced Orionid activity in the years 2006 through 2009 with rates 2 to 3 times normal."

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/19oct18/skymap_2018b.png)

This year's shower has one thing going against it: The nearly full Moon. Lunar glare could reduce visible meteor rates 2- or 3-fold. The best time to look, therefore, is during the dark hours before sunrise when the Moon is sinking below the western horizon and the shower's radiant in Orion is high in the southeast: sky map.

"Finding dark skies and clear weather in the early morning hours of Sunday, Oct 21st, just after the moon sets this year is the surest way to see these messengers from 1P/Halley," says Brown. Enjoy the show!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 19, 2018, 08:12:27 PM
Well, they say we'll have clear skies after Midnight Saturday...we shall see....

Haven't seen ANY this year...pisses me off......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 19, 2018, 08:15:13 PM
(https://cosmicpursuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/mira_comp.jpg)

The Wonderful Star (https://cosmicpursuits.com/2297/mira-wonderful-star/)

The star Mira A (right), a highly evolved variable red giant star, and Mira B (left), a white dwarf. Image at right was created with data from NASA’s Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The image at right is an artist’s conception of this interacting star system. Credit: X-ray image courtesy NASA/CXC/SAO/M. Karovska et al.; Illustration: CXC/M.Weiss.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 19, 2018, 08:38:28 PM
Looks like a vampiric star  :draculaflight:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 19, 2018, 08:40:30 PM
I saw an Orionid meteorite hit the Moon once. It just happened to hit when I was looking at the Moon and I saw a big dust cloud rise off the surface. It was rather exciting to 'catch' something like that as it happened.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 19, 2018, 08:47:12 PM
I think it's an awesome star......Love that place.....love all my space places.....and the ones all of you share.....

I keep thinking some of my relatives live out there....somewhere  :AEN:

When I lived in the Apartment complex I had a lot of cool stuff in the sky that I could view....here....not so much....  I working with the new park owners about my putting up a permanent stand on top of the hill for a telescope ......  we shall see how that works out.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 19, 2018, 09:20:18 PM
I was just outside and right now, all I can see is the Moon, Mars and what is possibly Beta Ceti (Deneb Kaitos). And that is where your Mira is, isn't it? That's all I can see. Well, if I look up past the edge of the roof, I can see what I think is Altair of Aquila.

I was sitting there thinking how the Summer sky has always been like that for me - kind of a mystery. I know the Winter sky better. But I'm a Winter baby born in the sign exactly opposite of my 'fascination constellation' - Orion. (I wonder - does that make you partial to one or the other - born in Winter or Summer...Spring or Fall for that matter?)
When I look up at Orion, I feel like I lived there a long time ago. Particularly Rigel - his left foot. Silly, huh.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 10:19:09 AM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/10/light-pillars-Whitefish-Bay-WI-10-16-2018-Vincent-Brady-Nocturnal-Photography--e1539917814760.jpg)

Vincent Brady posted this beautiful photo to EarthSky Facebook this week. He wrote:

I was looking for auroras, but was pleasantly surprised to see light pillars early Tuesday morning, October 16, 2018. This is a shot north of Paradise, Michigan, looking east over Whitefish Bay toward Wisconsin. The red lights are around the Canadian island Ile Parisienne and wind turbines.

Light pillars are caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere reflecting and refracting light from artificial light sources.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 10:33:50 AM
I was just outside and right now, all I can see is the Moon, Mars and what is possibly Beta Ceti (Deneb Kaitos). And that is where your Mira is, isn't it? That's all I can see. Well, if I look up past the edge of the roof, I can see what I think is Altair of Aquila.

I was sitting there thinking how the Summer sky has always been like that for me - kind of a mystery. I know the Winter sky better. But I'm a Winter baby born in the sign exactly opposite of my 'fascination constellation' - Orion. (I wonder - does that make you partial to one or the other - born in Winter or Summer...Spring or Fall for that matter?)
When I look up at Orion, I feel like I lived there a long time ago. Particularly Rigel - his left foot. Silly, huh.

Not silly at all.   I remember when I was 8 or 9 I would be up in my bedroom and would sit looking at the stars while all were asleep.  Even back then I only slept 6 or 7 hours a night....but was full of energy during the day....

Mom always got worried about it but Dr. McAlister would tell her "it's just a phase".... 

It wasn't....I told Mom the stars gave me energy...don't know how...but they did....and we left it at that.  And to this day I'm still a star gazer...looking for someone to take me home....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 10:39:39 AM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/10/light-pillars-Whitefish-Bay-WI-10-16-2018-Vincent-Brady-Nocturnal-Photography--e1539917814760.jpg)

Vincent Brady posted this beautiful photo to EarthSky Facebook this week. He wrote:

I was looking for auroras, but was pleasantly surprised to see light pillars early Tuesday morning, October 16, 2018. This is a shot north of Paradise, Michigan, looking east over Whitefish Bay toward Wisconsin. The red lights are around the Canadian island Ile Parisienne and wind turbines.

Light pillars are caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere reflecting and refracting light from artificial light sources.


Oh my gosh!!! That is beautiful and so 'heavenly' looking.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 10:47:41 AM
I think I have some brushes that might be able to do that........  :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 10:55:34 AM
Not silly at all.   I remember when I was 8 or 9 I would be up in my bedroom and would sit looking at the stars while all were asleep.  Even back then I only slept 6 or 7 hours a night....but was full of energy during the day....

Mom always got worried about it but Dr. McAlister would tell her "it's just a phase".... 

It wasn't....I told Mom the stars gave me energy...don't know how...but they did....and we left it at that.  And to this day I'm still a star gazer...looking for someone to take me home....



I wanted to be an Astronomer when I grew up. Then I figured out that you had to be really good at higher maths and I'm not particularly.

Yup, some of us seem to be born remembering 'something'...out there. Just never sure what it is. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 10:56:40 AM
I think I have some brushes that might be able to do that........  :ifonly:

I loved it.  He has a awesome FB Page.....and some cool vids on it.....  First time visiting there...but will do so more often now that I see what he has.  And yes...I bet you can come up with something wonderful.....

I save a lot of those types of creations and photos and use them as screensavers....Yes....I'm still a screen saver type of guy LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 11:00:01 AM
:tearlaugh: You're just 'A Collector', TL. If you can collect it, you do. :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 11:03:02 AM

I wanted to be an Astronomer when I grew up. Then I figured out that you had to be really good at higher maths and I'm not particularly.

Yup, some of us seem to be born remembering 'something'...out there. Just never sure what it is. 

I was awesome with business math....but forget anything that had to do with things like this....

https://youtu.be/KxkMcZlohZg

Looks simple.....NOT.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 11:05:08 AM
Can you imagine, back before the Parthenon was built or even conceived of in the mind of it's architect? He's sitting on a hill one night - perhaps that very one where it stands now, and sees something like that. He's had a 'vision from the gods' of their halls and temples, and then builds it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 11:07:42 AM
:tearlaugh: You're just 'A Collector', TL. If you can collect it, you do. :winks:

Yes, I have to admit....I do collect a lot of things....much to the dismay of many LOLOL....

And I always said "Someday I'll sort these and see what I've got."  The comics are the first items I can truly say I started to sort....and look how long that's taking LOLOL...

But I LOVE IT....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 11:08:47 AM
Oh, forget that Algebra stuff. Geometry, I get. Algebra.......nnnnnoo!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 11:11:04 AM

Yes, I have to admit....I do collect a lot of things....much to the dismay of many LOLOL....

And I always said "Someday I'll sort these and see what I've got."  The comics are the first items I can truly say I started to sort....and look how long that's taking LOLOL...

But I LOVE IT....


Uh....yeah :smile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 11:14:06 AM
Can you imagine, back before the Parthenon was built or even conceived of in the mind of it's architect? He's sitting on a hill one night - perhaps that very one where it stands now, and sees something like that. He's had a 'vision from the gods' of their halls and temples, and then builds it.

I know....right....

Our future builders will not have any idea as to how to proceed with any type of project like that without consulting all of their "Thinking Devices".   When's the last time you heard a child say they looked something up in an Encyclopedia?   

Or kids having to use tablets in school to do math problems and then they'll become the cashiers who can't count out change to you.....even when the machine tells them what your getting back.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 11:59:58 AM

I know....right....

Our future builders will not have any idea as to how to proceed with any type of project like that without consulting all of their "Thinking Devices".   When's the last time you heard a child say they looked something up in an Encyclopedia?   

Or kids having to use tablets in school to do math problems and then they'll become the cashiers who can't count out change to you.....even when the machine tells them what your getting back.... :thud:



On-line encyclopedias, yes but actual book with pages, no. I have to admit even though I have a dictionary or three around here, Roget's Thesaurus, etc. I look on line too. It's faster than unpiling the books and putting them back.

I learned to count change just so no one short-changed me. I'd have it all figured out by the time I got to the register and knew what I was supposed to get back. Back in the day when a dollar and some change went quite a way toward a fun afternoon. Maybe even a movie, pop and popcorn.

Yes, those Ancient Architects were amazing men. I can see why Imhotep was made a god. Or Thoth as "The Builder". There were architect gods in India as well, I know. Who taught them all what they knew??? Far ahead of most today...with only a clay tablet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 12:10:25 PM
Thus my fascination with Ancient Aliens.  Some of the stuff is hard to swallow....but some of the stuff I agree with....  And keeps me thinking of......and fascinated by.....anything to do with space and aliens....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 12:22:18 PM
Thus my fascination with Ancient Aliens.  Some of the stuff is hard to swallow....but some of the stuff I agree with....  And keeps me thinking of......and fascinated by.....anything to do with space and aliens....


If I didn't have to listen to Ermagerd (Gorgio?) and vonDaniken it'd be okay. I can deal with some of those people on there - like Hancock, Schock, Bauval and Collins. They tend to be more sensible. Or even Mohan (the Indian guy). It's when they fudge things and make outrageous claims I want to turn it off. That's largely Giorgio, I think.

One cannot escape there were those who knew some pretty amazing things that we still don't know for sure how they were done. Can't do them today. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 01:13:17 PM
Giorgio Tsoukalos is Lornas most FAVORITE guy on the show.  She's a member of the Ancient Aliens Fan page on FB and Tweet and Instagram and who knows where else...

I liked Philip Coppens ....Sad that he died in 2012 of angiosarcoma cancer....and had just gotten married the year before.

Others I like are Nick Redfern and Mike Bara and of course Clotworthy....

Never did like Erich von Daniken...though "Chariots of the Gods" was pretty awesome.

But yes...some of the stuff you take with a grain of salt...as with much of anything else in life.....


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 01:36:23 PM
Giorgio Tsoukalos is Lornas most FAVORITE guy on the show.  She's a member of the Ancient Aliens Fan page on FB and Tweet and Instagram and who knows where else...

I liked Philip Coppens ....Sad that he died in 2012 of angiosarcoma cancer....and had just gotten married the year before.

Others I like are Nick Redfern and Mike Bara and of course Clotworthy....

Never did like Erich von Daniken...though "Chariots of the Gods" was pretty awesome.

But yes...some of the stuff you take with a grain of salt...as with much of anything else in life.....



:shrug: for Lorna's choice. :tearlaugh:

Von Daniken took a lot of his stuff from Velikovsky's previous book "Worlds in Collision" which posited that Venus came into this solar system as a comet, was trapped here by the Sun, and brought flies to Earth in the wake of it's tail. Basically a lot of 'science-fiction'.  :sure:

Yes, it's sad that Phillip died so young. I think his wife's name was Kathleen but I don't remember her last name (nom de plume). My friends in England had dinner with them after they'd gotten married, as they'd been going to some of Kathleen's events and had gotten to know her. They liked Phillip quite a bit.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 02:00:09 PM
Soooo....you got my curiosity up and I looked up his wifes info.....and wow....Never knew some of what is there.....but yes...her name was Kathleen McGowan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kathleen_McGowan)....

And yup on Chariots of the Gods book....but it written WAY WAY better than "Worlds in Collision"....and to tell the truth...I read Chariots of the Gods as a Science Fiction book....nothing more...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 21, 2018, 02:10:59 PM
Yes, that's her - Kathleen McGowan.

I'd been reading several of those sorts of books at the time I read CotG and like the book about Atlantis (Ignatius Donnelly) and some other things, I read them because I was curious. A curiosity. I never quite knew what I thought of it all. It was just something to keep in mind for future reference, I guess.

I probably come closer to admitting aliens could have been here than I've ever been in my life...but I'm still waiting to meet one.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 21, 2018, 02:33:37 PM
As am I ..... since I was 8 or 9.....

Wow....I AM in a poetic mood today LOLOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 22, 2018, 05:52:33 AM
Got up at 4:30 am this morning to see if I could see any meteors. Mr. O standing right in front of my balcony out there with his dogs. I would have been happy with one...but noooooooo. Nada. Bummer.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 22, 2018, 10:18:30 PM
I went out again a little later and sat and watched. I'm not sure if I was actually seeing them or if my eyes were playing 'flashy' tricks on me. I thought I saw some - maybe a dozen all totaled - that hit the atmosphere and just blitzed out. Poof you're toast!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 23, 2018, 11:50:51 AM
Didn't see a thing....again.....sigh......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on October 23, 2018, 05:54:47 PM
Tomorrow at 12:45 pm is the Full Hunter's Moon. The Harvest was in, and the fields cut down...the fields where the deer, rabbits and other animals came to forage, and now could be plainly seen. It was time to go hunting and get some meat and hides for the winter!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 30, 2018, 05:15:06 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2015/08/61-cygni-6-25-2015-Scott-MacNeill-Frosty-Drew_Observatory-Charlestown-RI1-e1471978379979.jpg)

This star, 61 Cygni (https://earthsky.org/brightest-stars/61-cygni-suns-near-neighbor), isn’t one of the brightest stars. In fact, it takes some effort just to find it, because it is not much brighter than the faintest stars visible to the unaided human eye. It is, however, among the most important of stars visible without optical aid. It has one of the largest proper motions – that is, sideways motions along our line of sight – of any star in our sky.

Its large proper motion has given 61 Cygni the nickname Flying Star.


(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2010/12/61-cygni-compare.png)

Why does 61 Cygni have such a large proper motion? Think about two people who are running, one near you, and the other farther away. In contrast to the more distant landscape, the person closer to you would appear to cover more ground – more objects would pass behind him – than the person farther away.

In a way that’s similar, the very distant stars appear “fixed” in relationship to each other. They’re actually all moving through space, but most are so far away that we can’t see them move. 61 Cygni is different. It moves relatively rapidly in front of the fixed stars because 61 Cygni is relatively near Earth. It is one of the closest stars to our sun and Earth.

While not the closest star to the sun (that honor goes to the Alpha Centauri system), 61 Cygni is just 11.4 light years distant. That makes it the fourth-closest star visible to the unaided eye, after Alpha Centauri, Sirius, and Epsilon Eridani.

61 Cygni’s motion across our sky can’t be easily detected with the eye alone over the span of a human lifetime. Astronomers discovered its large proper motion via careful observation.



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2018, 05:27:17 AM
DID AN ALIEN LIGHT SAIL VISIT THE SOLAR SYSTEM?: It sounds like a tabloid headline, but in this case it could be real. Mainstream researchers from the Harvard Center for Astrophysics have made the case that interstellar asteroid 'Oumuamua could in fact be an alien light sail. Their original research was posted Oct. 31st on the moderated preprint server arXiv.org.

The story of 'Oumuamua begins in October 2017 when it was discovered by Robert Weryk using the Pan-STARRS telescope atop Hawaii's Haleakalā volcano. Astronomers quickly realized that 'Oumuamua was something special: The object was hurtling through the Solar System on an unbound "hyperbolic" orbit. It came from the stars. Dramatic changes in the object's brightness suggested that it was tumbling and asymmetric–thin and wide like a cigar or perhaps a pancake.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/04nov18/oumuamua_strip.jpg)

Above: This artist's concept shows how 'Oumuamua is usually depicted: as a cigar-shaped asteroid.

On its way out of the Solar System, something unexpected happened. 'Oumuamua accelerated as if jets of gas were pushing it forward. Astronomers who initially thought 'Oumuamua was an asteroid now turned their attention to the comet hypothesis. Comets naturally develop jets after close approaches to the sun, and such jets could explain 'Oumuamua's behavior.

Just one problem: "Despite its close Solar approach of only 0.25 AU (inside the orbit of Mercury), 'Oumuamua shows no sign of any cometary activity, no cometary tail, nor gas emission/absorption lines," point out the Harvard researchers Shmuel Baily and Abraham Loeb. Moreover, "if outgassing was responsible for the acceleration, then the associated torques would have driven a rapid evolution in 'Oumuamua's spin, incompatible with observations."

So if it's not an asteroid, and it's not a comet, what could it be? Loeb, who is the chair of the astronomy department at Harvard University and also chairs the advisory board for the Breakthrough Starshot light sail project, realized that the acceleration profile was key. The non-gravitational acceleration of 'Oumuamua scaled with distance from the sun (r) as r-2 — just like a light sail would behave.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/04nov18/comethypothesis2.gif)


Above: The comet hypothesis. Credit: NASA/JPL [more]

Modeling 'Oumuamua as a thin object pushed by solar radiation pressure, Baily and Loeb found that it would fit the observations if it were a sheet of material 0.3 mm to 0.9 mm in thickness with a mass surface density of ~0.1 grams per square cm. "Although extremely thin, such an object would survive an interstellar travel over Galactic distances of  about 5 kiloparsecs, withstanding collisions with gas and dust-grains as well as stresses from rotation and tidal forces," they wrote.

The researchers are now calling for more observations to look for 'Oumuamua-like visitors to the Solar System. "A survey for lightsails as technosignatures in the Solar System is warranted, irrespective of whether 'Oumuamua is one of them," they conclude.

Although technical, Baily and Loeb's paper is well written and unusually readable for nonspecialists. Check it out. (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1810.11490.pdf)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 10:36:44 AM
That is pretty cool.....Remember reading about it once upon a time....but love the reminder....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 04:04:41 PM
I found this about Omuamua as well. They don't go into the light sail idea but explain why it's confusing as to whether it's an asteroid or a comet:

https://youtu.be/Wflp1fQKY5w

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 04:20:01 PM
Interesting indeed.  And a new place to go to on You Tube....  Heard of them but never subscribed....I am now...Thanks Ray
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 04:23:38 PM
Sure! :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 04:59:08 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/11/MIT-Alien-Beacon_0.jpg)

E.T., we’re home!

There’s a longstanding argument about whether – if alien civilizations do exist beyond our Earth – we should make our presence known to them. (https://earthsky.org/space/mit-study-laser-technology-signal-to-ets?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=2ac8e8718e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-2ac8e8718e-394845485) That argument has been going on since at least 1974, when the Arecibo Interstellar Message became the first message from Earth intentionally transmitted outward. Whether we should or should not transmit our whereabouts in the galaxy is an interesting question, and a question separate from the issue of how to do it. But the how of it is interesting, too. On November 4, 2018, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that one of its graduate students has figured out a novel approach, using lasers. MIT explained in a statement:

If extraterrestrial intelligence exists somewhere in our galaxy, a new MIT study proposes that laser technology on Earth could, in principle, be fashioned into something of a planetary porch light — a beacon strong enough to attract attention from as far as 20,000 light years away.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 05:08:19 PM
Uhhhhhhh, no. Let's not do that. It's bad enough they wrote :"Stop on by for dinner, we'll leave the light on" or something of that nature by Carl Sagan, on the Voyager disk. Don't you remember that show on Outer Limits called "To Serve Man"? The people think it means They're here to serve us and teach us cool stuff. But then one of the guys looks at it closely after getting a copy of the book and realizes it's a cookbook!!

 :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 05:11:55 PM
Once of my favorite episodes..... Richard Kiel played the spaceguy.... He was JAWS in James Bond also....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 05:13:22 PM
I couldn't resist.  Bet "J" hasn't seen this one yet.....

https://youtu.be/De4u1Zz7Yt4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 05:44:13 PM
Once of my favorite episodes..... Richard Kiel played the spaceguy.... He was JAWS in James Bond also....

He WAS, wasn't he? I'd forgotten that. It was a good episode!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 06:09:29 PM
Oh, it was Twilight Zone, not Outer Limits. I had to watch it first....... :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 06:17:48 PM
LOL.....I didn't even see where you wrote "Outer Limits" LOLOL   I was more interested in the Title which said it all.....  That's the mind saying "Who cares who showed it....it was good"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 06:24:37 PM
I do get some of the episodes confused, but I guess I mostly do remember the Twilight Zone ones being on TZ...if I think about it. Those I remember: the pigs one; the one of the caretaker in the art museum and one of the pictures; something about fun-house mirrors. Seems like that was Vic Morrow? I know he was in one on there. Parts and pieces of other ones.

Thanks for finding it! I'd forgotten about the lady translator. Basically just remembered 'the punch line' to it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 07, 2018, 06:25:39 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/11/MIT-Alien-Beacon_0.jpg)
E.T., we’re home!
There’s a longstanding argument about whether – if alien civilizations do exist beyond our Earth – we should make our presence known to them. (https://earthsky.org/space/mit-study-laser-technology-signal-to-ets?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=2ac8e8718e-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c643945d79-2ac8e8718e-394845485) That argument has been going on since at least 1974, when the Arecibo Interstellar Message became the first message from Earth intentionally transmitted outward. Whether we should or should not transmit our whereabouts in the galaxy is an interesting question, and a question separate from the issue of how to do it. But the how of it is interesting, too. On November 4, 2018, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced that one of its graduate students has figured out a novel approach, using lasers. MIT explained in a statement:

If extraterrestrial intelligence exists somewhere in our galaxy, a new MIT study proposes that laser technology on Earth could, in principle, be fashioned into something of a planetary porch light — a beacon strong enough to attract attention from as far as 20,000 light years away.

Light would take 20,000 years to travel 20,000 light years, and Laser light is light. We might get a reply 40,000 years from now. lolol
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2018, 06:38:11 PM
Click on the blue Link Agent....that explains their theory.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 07, 2018, 08:08:52 PM
It's not blue because you color everything red :winks:

So he wants to build it on the dark side of the Moon? Heh...that 'might' be problematic if the rumors are true. Lol.

The places they're talking about the signal getting to are only 4 and 40 ly away, Agent.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 07, 2018, 09:27:20 PM
I couldn't resist.  Bet "J" hasn't seen this one yet.....

https://youtu.be/De4u1Zz7Yt4

That would be correct, growing up I don't recall ever watching shows like this, although since it was broadcasted in 1962 I would have only been 5 years old to start with ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 07, 2018, 10:50:19 PM
It's not blue because you color everything red :winks:

So he wants to build it on the dark side of the Moon? Heh...that 'might' be problematic if the rumors are true. Lol.

The places they're talking about the signal getting to are only 4 and 40 ly away, Agent.
I know about the distances to Proxima Centauri, and Trappist 1. I was simply using the 20,000 light year thing in a joking way, showing the irony of sending a signal made of light to such great distances. If there are intelligent beings even on one of the Trappist planets, it is no guarantee that they'd even understand any signal we might send. It is more likely that their cognitive processes are so different from our own, that we and they could never understand each other. And even if they could understand our signal if they detect it, a response would not be received until 80 years from the time the signal was sent.


Now the Proxima Centauri signal might be doable, with a possible reply in less than ten years from the time the original signal is sent. But I suspect that Proxima Centauri B is most likely not inhabited by any intelligent species.


One must also think about something else, which we have been doing for about a century now; radio broadcasting. The signals from this have been blasted into space for that long. As our technology advanced, our signals have grown much stronger. In radio wavelengths, the Earth is thought to be brighter than the Sun. So you see that out to perhaps 100 light years, we could already have been detected, and a lot of what we have blasted into space on those signals has not been so friendly. A 100 light year radius from Earth is a very large volume of space. And radio waves can penetrate through interstellar clouds even better than infrared. That's why our radio waves are beyond the low infrared frequencies of light. The higher end of the spectrum does not penetrate as well.


Anyway, I was just having a little fun! :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 10:13:55 AM
Well, I'll be.....I never knew my links weren't blue when I see them as blue even though I use the red....

But yes, I figured you were messing around Agent....just wanted to make sure you read the rest of the item because it was very interesting....  Didn't want to copy and paste the whole thing in here LOLOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 10:25:45 AM
That would be correct, growing up I don't recall ever watching shows like this, although since it was broadcasted in 1962 I would have only been 5 years old to start with ...

They've been running reruns of the Twilight Zone for close to 30 years now....or even longer....Not sure....But  SyFy has a Marathon every year showing all of them....they also have one for the Outer Limits......  I've seen them all when they first came out and still love them to this day.  Netflix has them all also and I will have a week of the Twilight Zone LOLOL.  Rod Serling made it a point to use many of the "Newer Actors and Actresses" in many of his  episodes.  William Shatner was a unknown at the time but he starred in "Nick of Time" in 1960 and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in 1963.

I also found this to be an interesting read...... THE TWILIGHT ZONE-Memory Alpha (http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 08, 2018, 11:58:49 AM
Well, I'll be.....I never knew my links weren't blue when I see them as blue even though I use the red....

But yes, I figured you were messing around Agent....just wanted to make sure you read the rest of the item because it was very interesting....  Didn't want to copy and paste the whole thing in here LOLOLOLOL

Got it.


Yes, I'm glad you posted the link, because it is very interesting! Thanks TL!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 12:00:51 PM
You're more than welcome my friend.....   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 08, 2018, 12:05:46 PM
They've been running reruns of the Twilight Zone for close to 30 years now....or even longer....Not sure....But  SyFy has a Marathon every year showing all of them....they also have one for the Outer Limits......  I've seen them all when they first came out and still love them to this day.  Netflix has them all also and I will have a week of the Twilight Zone LOLOL.  Rod Serling made it a point to use many of the "Newer Actors and Actresses" in many of his  episodes.  William Shatner was a unknown at the time but he starred in "Nick of Time" in 1960 and "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet" in 1963.

I also found this to be an interesting read...... THE TWILIGHT ZONE-Memory Alpha (http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Twilight_Zone)

Anybody know which episode of Twilight Zone Shatner acted in first? That might be interesting to know.


Hint: It's the one (1963) I thought it was! LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 12:10:27 PM
"Nick of Time" in 1960
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 08, 2018, 12:31:08 PM
According to Wikipedia it was "Nightmare at 20,000 Feet", 1963, but it appears that you are correct.


As Wikipedia seems to be not very reliable, I searched for better sources and found the truth! Good alert, TL.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 12:44:32 PM
LOL.....I double check everything on Wiki....but info is put in by all so it's a free for all at times.  But I still love the thing......Just got to take a moment to double check the facts.....  I was trying to find that episode on You Tube and all they have is shorts on it....not the whole episode....darn it all....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 08, 2018, 01:40:19 PM
Well, I'll be.....I never knew my links weren't blue when I see them as blue even though I use the red....

But yes, I figured you were messing around Agent....just wanted to make sure you read the rest of the item because it was very interesting....  Didn't want to copy and paste the whole thing in here LOLOLOLOL



You know...it could be a browser thing.  :thissmall:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 08, 2018, 02:54:04 PM
I tried coloring the links lime green but as soon as you save they go to blue....

So from now on my links will be BOLD PRINT and whatever colors your browsers pick for you. 

Hummmm....I wonder if I can underline them.....

COFFEEEEEE SHOPPE (http://www.thefantasiesattic.net/attic/index.php?topic=17851.12750)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 08, 2018, 05:28:07 PM
I am seeing it as red, bold and underlined, fyi.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 09, 2018, 10:27:17 AM
Yup...it's a browser thing LOLOL.....at least you see it underlined......humm...wonder if I can change the color....lets test it....

COFFEEEEEE SHOPPE (http://www.thefantasiesattic.net/attic/index.php?topic=17851.12750)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 09, 2018, 10:44:41 AM
Yup...it's a browser thing LOLOL.....at least you see it underlined......humm...wonder if I can change the color....lets test it....

COFFEEEEEE SHOPPE (http://www.thefantasiesattic.net/attic/index.php?topic=17851.12750)

What I see now is bold, orange and underlined - but the underline is blue and normal width, as it should be.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 09, 2018, 10:47:14 AM
Excellent....that's how I'll do links for those that use IE which I believe is what you use....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 09, 2018, 10:49:22 AM
Right on!! :thumb_up: That works :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 09, 2018, 03:13:47 PM
A BLAST FROM THE PAST (WARTIME SPACE WEATHER IN VIETNAM):


On Aug. 2nd, 1972, giant sunspot MR11976 began to explode. For the next 2 days it unleashed a series of X-class flares, causing deep radio blackouts on Earth and punishing the solar panels and onboard electronics of satellites in Earth orbit. One CME (cloud of plasma) rocketed across the sun-Earth divide in only 14.6 hours--a record that still stands today. Resulting geomagnetic storms sparked auroras so bright, they cast shadows in countries as far south as Britian.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/09nov18/1972sunspot_strip.jpg)


Above: Images of giant sunspot MR11976 from the Paris Observatory. [more]

The 1972 solar storm is legendary at NASA because it occurred in between two Apollo missions: the crew of Apollo 16 had returned to Earth in April and the crew of Apollo 17 was preparing for a moon landing in December. If the timing had only been a little different, astronauts could have been sickened by radiation, requiring an emergency return home for medical attention.
Turns out, it's legendary in the Navy, too. According to a research paper just accepted for publication in the journal Space Weather, declassified Naval archives reveal an extraordinary explosion in the sea lanes near Vietnam: "On 4 August (1972) TF-77 aircraft reported some two dozen explosions in a minefield near Hon La over a 30-second time span...Ultimately the Navy concluded that the explosions had been caused by the magnetic perturbations of solar storms, the most intense in more than two decades."

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/09nov18/manilla_magnetogram_strip.jpg)

Above: A magnetogram from Manilla reveals unusual disturbances on Aug. 4-5, 1972. [more]

The authors, led by Delores Knipp of the University of Colorado, continue: "Aerial inspections revealed additional evidence of detonations elsewhere along the coast. The wartime memoirs of a US Navy Mineman-Sailor, Chief Petty Officer Michael Gonzales,state: 'During the first few weeks of August, a series of extremely strong solar flares caused a fluctuation of the magnetic fields, in and around, South East Asia. The resulting chain of events caused the premature detonation of over 4,000 magnetically sensitive [mines].'"

This prompted the Navy to fast-track the replacement of magnetic-influence-only mines with mines that also required seismic or acoustic triggers during periods of high solar activity.

The August 1972 storms affected Earth in ways that are are only now being fully understood almost 50 years later. Moreover, Knipp and colleagues say the storms could be a previously-unrecognized example of an extreme Carrington-class event, and they urge further scrutiny. Given the experience of the US Navy, who can argue?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 09, 2018, 03:14:31 PM
CHANCE OF GEOMAGNETIC STORMS:

A large hole in the sun's atmosphere is facing Earth, sending a stream of solar wind toward our planet. Estimated time of arrival: Nov. 10th. NOAA forecasters say there is a 55% to 60% chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms when the stream arrives. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras tomorrow night.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 10, 2018, 08:17:56 AM
Some of Wisconsin is supposed to be able to view the Aurora for the next couple of day.  But not in my area....

Ever been to this place:   NOAA/NWS Space Weather Prediction Center (https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/)?  Check out some of the Dashboards.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 14, 2018, 03:09:16 PM
Here's a modern Midge for you TL :tearlaugh:


https://youtu.be/E1HtIf2ZVR8
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 14, 2018, 05:50:47 PM
Yup....that's our Midge.  Could never figure out her attraction to Big Moose since he had a hell of a time spelling "DUH"  Could be the muscles LOLOL...

I've been probing in that place called Seeker....Pretty neat place...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 14, 2018, 06:23:42 PM
That girl has some great expressions - like when she says "That's not freaky at all!"

All I could think of when I first saw her was "Oh wow...speaking of Midge!"

I wouldn't know why she likes Moose :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 14, 2018, 06:56:26 PM
And we'll leave it at that....bet  :thissmall: doesn't come into the picture though   :AEN:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2018, 01:51:59 PM
Keep an eye on NASA TELEVISION (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public) to view the InSight Mars Landing.  Last Mars landing was  years ago....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 02:34:58 PM
Further updates:


MARTIAN CUBESATS AND THE MARS LANDING: For the first time ever, cubesats are approaching Mars. Their mission: To experience 7 minutes of terror (https://vimeo.com/300180377).


If all goes as planned, on Monday the two tiny spacecraft will watch NASA's InSight (https://mars.nasa.gov/insight/mission/overview/) lander touchdown on the Red Planet, relaying updates to Earth in near-real time.

InSight is the latest NASA probe to land on Mars--or disintegrate in the attempt. On Nov. 26th, it will tear through the planet's atmosphere in a fireball, shedding more than 12,000 mph of velocity in just under 7 minutes. NASA hopes InSight will touchdown gently on the plains of Elysium Planitia where it can drill into Mars, using seismometers, heat flow sensors, and radios to study the planet's interior.

Officially the two cubesats are known as MarCO-A and MarCO-B, but JPL engineers have nicknamed them "WALL-E" and "Eva." They were launched alongside the lander on May 5, 2018. Mission controllers weren't even sure the tiny spacecraft would survive the journey across interplanetary space--but they did. Now they will act as radio relay stations. Instead of waiting several hours for InSight to report back to Earth, WALL-E and Eva will relay entry, descent and landing data much sooner. This is the first time cubesats have traveled beyond Earth orbit, so it will be a significant achievement if they succeed.

NASA will broadcast the landing on NASA TV starting at 2 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 26th. Tune in here. (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#public)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 02:38:00 PM
COMET PLUNGES INTO THE SUN: Subtract one from the Solar System's total count of comets. Yesterday a small unnamed comet dove into the sun and evaporated. Coronagrapbhs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded the death plunge:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/24nov18/c2_strip.png)






A subsequent movie (http://spaceweather.com/images2018/25nov18/2018-11-25_11-05-03.mp4) shows the comet going in, but not coming out again. R.I.P.!

The doomed comet was a member of the Kreutz family. Kreutz sungrazers are fragments from the breakup of a single giant comet many centuries ago. They are seen falling into the sun dozens of times a year. This particular sungrazer measured a few tens of meters in diameter, too small to survive a close approach with the sun.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2018, 02:41:04 PM
LOL.....  Your "INSIGHT" info was much longer then mine "J".....  I always said you were windy  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 02:51:55 PM
You sound surprised .... remember we are a Gemini which are the "great communicators" of the zodiac
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2018, 03:00:50 PM
Always remember...short and simple wins the race, long and windy can't keep pace.....

Wow....I just made that up....and it sounds so profound....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 03:09:20 PM
Both are valid ... depends on the level of detail and or understanding, you choose to impart ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 25, 2018, 04:18:00 PM
You sound surprised .... remember we are a Gemini which are the "great communicators" of the zodiac


Except when Mercury goes retrograde, which it is until December 6th :tearlaugh: But don't feel alone. It's everyone's problem with Mercury in their chart :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 25, 2018, 04:18:51 PM
Ohhhhh, look at the cute little kitty and the mousey. :hartz:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 04:36:59 PM
:tearlaugh: ... Where ... :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 25, 2018, 04:44:45 PM
:tearlaugh: ... Where ... :tearlaugh:

In the sidebar next to my posts. At least in my browser. Did you think I was imagining things again, J? :sure:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 25, 2018, 04:46:08 PM
Or, as my friend always says...."Squirrel!!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2018, 05:29:05 PM
Look at those clouds
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2018, 06:05:29 PM
Well I'm just glad someone noticed I decorated the place LOLOL......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 25, 2018, 06:31:24 PM
Well I'm just glad someone noticed I decorated the place LOLOL......

:grin:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: DarkAngel on November 25, 2018, 06:46:29 PM
I noticed, I thought I was in the wrong place....that is how with it I am  today and yesterday
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 26, 2018, 08:07:05 AM
I was out looking at Venus this morning and boy is it BRIGHT!! Anyway, it reminded me of this video I've seen on YT a couple of times but never watched because of the absurdity of the title. It's something about "Wouldn't Venus be a better choice than Mars to colonize?"

:thud:

I watched it until I couldn't stand it any more. My mouth was getting dry from hanging open in disbelief. Never mind the massive CO2, the crushing atmosphere and the surface temperature...and that Venus is constantly 'resurfacing' itself.

Never mind that Mars is and has been subject to devastating asteroid hits. One took the whole northern polar region off. You can see it on the surface images. What made the Mariner Rift Valley in front of the Solar System's largest volcano? No magnetosphere to speak of to protect from Solar Flares. Known to have months long sand storms....

Someone down in the comments said: "I've got an idea! Let's stay on Earth!"

:java:  :pleeeeez:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on November 26, 2018, 08:35:52 AM
You're spoiling my fun here, I want to see them get eaten by sand worms!
 :heeheehee: :yes:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 26, 2018, 08:39:00 AM
:tearlaugh:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 26, 2018, 12:11:48 PM
LOLOL.....If they are there DrX,  we need to rename Mars to Dune.   Loved that Movie...loved those worms....

I was up early Ray but we have those dang Storm Clouds hanging around.  But on a good note...the snow we got was a dusting....Travis got 6"......I think someone said Chicago got close to 12"  will have to check that out....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on November 26, 2018, 01:55:22 PM
I was out looking at Venus this morning and boy is it BRIGHT!! Anyway, it reminded me of this video I've seen on YT a couple of times but never watched because of the absurdity of the title. It's something about "Wouldn't Venus be a better choice than Mars to colonize?"

 :thud:

I watched it until I couldn't stand it any more. My mouth was getting dry from hanging open in disbelief. Never mind the massive CO2, the crushing atmosphere and the surface temperature...and that Venus is constantly 'resurfacing' itself.

Never mind that Mars is and has been subject to devastating asteroid hits. One took the whole northern polar region off. You can see it on the surface images. What made the Mariner Rift Valley in front of the Solar System's largest volcano? No magnetosphere to speak of to protect from Solar Flares. Known to have months long sand storms....

Someone down in the comments said: "I've got an idea! Let's stay on Earth!"

 :java: :pleeeeez:
There is an argument about that, which I subscribe to. It concerns the survival of the life we have on Earth. If we keep all of our eggs in one basket (so to speak), we could lose it all in one big catastrophic event, such as an asteroid strike.


Now your arguments concerning either Venus or Mars as a good choice are quite valid. Those problems with those two planets are very real concerns indeed. So what would be a more feasible option of colonizing other worlds? The answer would have to be "Constructed Space Habitats". We could build several, and the more we build, the greater chance of survival life will have.


I know. There's the argument of expense, but I think if we all come together on the expense, it could be done. As for the resources needed to make it happen, There's plenty in the Solar System to choose from. Mining would be just a matter of directing asteroids to a convenient location, and setting up space flight routes to move mined materials to the Space Refineries.


If one thinks clearly about it, this could create a robust space economy, generating businesses that would explode with potential.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on November 26, 2018, 02:34:31 PM

I keep seeing Venus on my south-facing security cam every morning (at least on those mornings when we're not in the middle of a blizzard..). It is bright!


Just watched the live feed from NASA on the InSight landing on Mars. On the surface safely.  :partytimes:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 26, 2018, 03:54:52 PM
As did I LOL.....  Good thing they have three feeds to view from....they were hung out to dry on their first web broadcast.  No audio

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 28, 2018, 04:11:36 PM
I had to think about putting this one up, as I'm sure that there will be some uh 'aversion' to some of what is said - particularly at the end. It's not all stuff we want to think about really. But in a way this is "one man crying out in the wilderness" and he has perfectly good reasons to do so. I find it all quite interesting though on many levels. Maybe you will too:


https://youtu.be/DoXQsj_jLro
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 28, 2018, 04:27:37 PM
There is an argument about that, which I subscribe to. It concerns the survival of the life we have on Earth. If we keep all of our eggs in one basket (so to speak), we could lose it all in one big catastrophic event, such as an asteroid strike.


Now your arguments concerning either Venus or Mars as a good choice are quite valid. Those problems with those two planets are very real concerns indeed. So what would be a more feasible option of colonizing other worlds? The answer would have to be "Constructed Space Habitats". We could build several, and the more we build, the greater chance of survival life will have.


I know. There's the argument of expense, but I think if we all come together on the expense, it could be done. As for the resources needed to make it happen, There's plenty in the Solar System to choose from. Mining would be just a matter of directing asteroids to a convenient location, and setting up space flight routes to move mined materials to the Space Refineries.


If one thinks clearly about it, this could create a robust space economy, generating businesses that would explode with potential.


Have you ever seen the movie "Silent Running" with Bruce Dern, Agent? Or one called "Outland" with Sean Connery?

What you said above brought those to mind.

Yes...well, the Hadron Collider could theoretically open up a black hole that would eat this planet, then another and another, out to the Oort Cloud and beyond. The scientists know this but it's a chance that's taken to get what they're after - the 'God particle'. That strikes me, along with a lot of other stuff we try to do and end up poisoning ourselves with - as playing God. We may be 'expressions of our Creator' but we don't know jack about any of what we mess with. It's all theoretical because they never admit their failures and successes. We are a destructive race exactly because we are so greedy and 'industrious'. We never have cared historically what the cost was to the environment or the people living in it, as long was we got what we wanted or needed. I'm going back at least 3600 years here from the Indus Valley Civilization. As a race, we are always going to suck the life out of everything we touch, like a lot of vampires. So, I can't share your enthusiasm for 'manning up space' and 'generating a robust space economy.'

But, that's just me.  :smiley:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 28, 2018, 07:01:50 PM
I had to think about putting this one up, as I'm sure that there will be some uh 'aversion' to some of what is said - particularly at the end. It's not all stuff we want to think about really. But in a way this is "one man crying out in the wilderness" and he has perfectly good reasons to do so. I find it all quite interesting though on many levels. Maybe you will too:


https://youtu.be/DoXQsj_jLro


Hummmm, gotta watch it again....but I find it interesting indeed.....thanks for putting it up Ray...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 28, 2018, 09:02:23 PM
A HYPERACTIVE COMET IS APPROACHING EARTH: Small but hyperactive Comet 46P/Wirtanen is approaching Earth and could soon become visible to the naked eye. On Dec. 16th, the kilometer-wide ball of dirty ice will be less than 11.5 million km away--making it one of the 10 closest-approaching comets of the Space Age. It already looks magnificent through amateur telescopes. On Nov. 26th, Gerald Rhemann took this picture using a 12-inch reflector in Farm Tivoli, Namibia:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Gerald-Rhemann-beste-version_1543279768_lg.jpg)

"The comet is currently gliding through the southern constellation Fornax," says Rhemann. "If you look carefully at the image, you can see galaxy NGC 922 near the comet's head, and another galaxy ESO 479-2 on the left."

Rhemann says that the comet's emerald green atmosphere is 50 arcminutes wide. In other words--almost twice as wide as a full Moon. Its apparent diameter could double in the weeks ahead as the comet comes even closer. Because Wirtanen's brightness is spread over such a wide area, it is diluted just below the limit of naked eye visibility, with a current magnitude near +6.0. We don't yet know if the comet will ultimately become visible to the unaided eye--but it will certainly be an easy target for binoculars and backyard telescopes in December.

The nucleus of 46P/Wirtanen is small (~1 km) compared to greater comets such as Hale-Bopp (~30 km) and Halley (~15 km). It makes up for this deficit by hyperactivity. Recent measurements show that the core of 46P/Wirtanen is spinning once every 8.9 hours and spewing almost 1028 water molecules every second. This exceeds the expected production of such a small comet.

Comet Wirtanen passes through the inner solar system every 5.4 years. Right now it is just below the orbit of Earth, and the gap is narrowing. Click on the image above to explore the comet's approach, courtesy of NASA/JPL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 28, 2018, 09:11:40 PM

Hummmm, gotta watch it again....but I find it interesting indeed.....thanks for putting it up Ray...



I'm sure I'll probably watch it again, too. The thing about the Moon kind of trips me out, because there are other strange things regarding the Moon that have come up in the last what...five years or so? Since they shot that rocket at the South Pole of the Moon to see if it had water...how it made a ringing sound for hours after. I've heard the recording of it. It's weird! 

:whuaat: ???
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 28, 2018, 09:19:16 PM
That's the second blue-green or green comet this year. Remember the 'sexy blue' one earlier in the year? PANSTARRS C-21 was it?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 29, 2018, 06:51:07 PM
I think Panstarrs was in July if my memory is working....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 30, 2018, 02:54:32 AM
I think Panstarrs was in July if my memory is working....


I think you're right. It was PANSTARRS C/2017 S3.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 30, 2018, 06:44:28 PM
After a 1 Billion Mile Journey....OSIRIS-REx (https://www.asteroidmission.org/latest-news/) will try to meet up with it's target...

(https://www.asteroidmission.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/objectives1-300x168.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on November 30, 2018, 08:48:42 PM
A slick little production here on Bennu :winks:


https://youtu.be/gtUgarROs08
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 01, 2018, 08:04:48 AM
Now isn't that so cool.......Thanks for this Ray.....Haven't seen it before.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 01, 2018, 08:53:43 AM
It is pretty cool :) You're welcome!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 09, 2018, 02:40:08 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/11/Quasar-3C273-Hubble-nov.30.jpg)


Astronomers’ 1st close-up look near a supermassive black hole (https://earthsky.org/space/1st-close-up-look-supermassive-black-hole-3c273)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 10, 2018, 05:33:05 PM
VOYAGER 2 ENTERS INTERSTELLAR SPACE: Voyager 2 has exited the sun's magnetic bubble and entered interstellar space. Mission scientists announced the breakthrough earlier today at the American Geophysical Union meeting in Washington DC. Its twin, Voyager 1, crossed the same boundary in 2012, but Voyager 2's crossing is arguably more significant because it carries a working instrument that can sense interstellar plasmas, providing the first in situ sampling of matter between the stars.

https://youtu.be/MGPM58S5Njg

The most compelling evidence of Voyager 2's exit from the heliosphere came from its onboard Plasma Science Experiment (PLS), an instrument that stopped working on Voyager 1 in 1980. Until recently, Voyager 2 was surrounded mainly by the solar wind--a type of plasma flowing outward from the sun. On Nov. 5th, Voyager 2's plasma instrument observed a sharp decline in the solar wind, and since that date, it has observed no solar wind flow--a clear sign that the probe has left the heliosphere.

Replacing the solar wind is a blizzard of galactic cosmic rays. The sun's magnetic field substantially protects the solar system from cosmic rays, fending off the high energy debris of supernova explosions in the Milky Way and elsewhere. Now that Voyager 2 has exited that protective shell, it is baldly exposed to cosmic rays, and its cosmic ray subsystem is registering a surge.

(https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/pia22924-640.gif)

Launched in 1977, Voyager 2 now is slightly more than 11 billion miles (18 billion kilometers) from Earth. Mission operators still can communicate with Voyager 2 as it enters this new phase of its journey, but information – moving at the speed of light – takes about 16.5 hours to travel from the spacecraft to Earth.

The Voyager probes are powered using heat from the decay of radioactive material, contained in a radioisotope thermal generator (RTG). The power output of the RTGs diminishes by about four watts per year, which means that various parts of the Voyagers, including the cameras on both spacecraft, have been turned off over time to manage power. Thanks to these precautions, the Voyagers could continue to send back at least some data for years to come.
"There is still a lot to learn about the region of interstellar space immediately beyond the heliosphere," said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist based at Caltech in Pasadena, California. Stay tuned for updates from the stars (https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/voyager/index.html).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 10, 2018, 05:53:57 PM
Read that earlier on and thought how cool it was....Figured you'd get it in here so went back to VR LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 10, 2018, 06:21:10 PM
Wow...dR and I were just talking the other day on the phone about Voyager II and if it had reached interstellar space yet. And here it is! Cool, indeed :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2018, 05:27:53 PM
THE GEMINID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY:

Earth is entering a stream of debris from rock comet 3200 Phaethon, source of the annual Geminid meteor shower. Members of the International Meteor Organization say they're now seeing more than a dozen meteors per hour over dark-sky sites. These rates could increase 5- to 10-fold by the time the shower peaks on Dec. 13-14. A good time to look is during the dark hours before dawn when the constellation Gemini is high in the sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2018, 05:28:36 PM
Wow...dR and I were just talking the other day on the phone about Voyager II and if it had reached interstellar space yet. And here it is! Cool, indeed :smiley:

Serendipity is wonderful is it not ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2018, 05:30:30 PM
A GEMINID BUZZES COMET WIRTANEN: The radiant of the Geminid meteor shower is not very far from approaching Comet 46P/Wirtanen. Their respective constellations, Gemini and Taurus, are next door neighbors. That means comet photographers can expect to catch some Geminids in their exposures. Indeed, that's exactly what happened to Joe Lawton of Gerald, Missouri, on Dec. 9th. "As I was photographing 46P/Wirtanen, a Geminid meteor blazed across the sky and disintegrated next to the comet!"

https://youtu.be/uFfo-eWzQhI (https://youtu.be/uFfo-eWzQhI)

"I combined a series of still images to create this video," he explains. "You can see smokey debris from the Geminid meteoroid twisting in the winds of the upper atmosphere and ultimately dissipating."

How often is this happening? Just last night Harlan Thomas of Powderface Trail, Alberta, and Dr. Paolo Candy of the Cimini Astronomical Observatory in Italy also caught Geminids streaking past the comet.

Experienced observers report that Comet 46P/Wirtanen is now about as bright as a 5th magnitude star. Stars of that magnitude are visible to the unaided eye, but unlike a star, which concentrates its luminosity in a point, the comet's brightness is spread out over an area twice as wide as a full Moon. This makes it difficult to see naked-eye, but an easy target for digital cameras on tripods. Photographers submitting to our Comet Photo Gallery are having success with 10-to-60 second exposures at ISOs between 1600 and 6400.

Readers, would you like to photograph the comet and the meteor shower at the same time? It can be done during the hours before midnight when Gemini and Taurus are hanging together in the southeastern sky. These sky maps are tailored to that purpose:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 11, 2018, 06:55:02 PM
Serendipity is wonderful is it not ...

I guess - as long as it's not being weird :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2018, 06:58:24 PM
Aw,  ... that takes all the fun out of it
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 11, 2018, 07:20:10 PM
Well, we were born on the same day. We have several weird synchronicities. But no, it doesn't take the fun out of it. Just quite a few are of the odd variety.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 11, 2018, 07:26:58 PM
You noticed :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 11, 2018, 07:42:31 PM
You noticed :thumb_up:


:whuaat: ??
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 11, 2018, 10:29:49 PM
I don't really see anything in that close up image that convinces me of a black hole. I do however notice that like so many other images of space, galaxies further out appear as if they are in a very thick brownish soup.

This leads me to think that my theories on dark matter are true...it does have substance and therefore has weight. So what if black holes aren't really holes at all, they are bodies of super massive condensed dark matter?!
 :java:

Mark my words...I look forward to see the day the experts start saying the same thing...then you can say your read it here first!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 12, 2018, 10:09:28 AM
I was curious as to where the 'idea' came from that we are actually from the Sagittarius Dwarf Galaxy and merging with the Milky Way Galaxy. This link here seems to be the reporting genesis of it. There are two pages to read including an updated bit on the second page. It is actually from what scientists found in a 2MASS survey. So here it is to read at your leisure.

http://viewzone2.com/milkywayx.html

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 12, 2018, 10:19:59 AM
I don't really see anything in that close up image that convinces me of a black hole. I do however notice that like so many other images of space, galaxies further out appear as if they are in a very thick brownish soup.

This leads me to think that my theories on dark matter are true...it does have substance and therefore has weight. So what if black holes aren't really holes at all, they are bodies of super massive condensed dark matter?!
 :java:

Mark my words...I look forward to see the day the experts start saying the same thing...then you can say your read it here first!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:


Since you can't watch videos I found the newest Dark Matter/Energy theory that I was telling you about. So you can read it here and see what you think of it:

https://phys.org/news/2018-12-universe-theory-percent-cosmos.html

Dr. Jamie S. Farnes - University of Oxford
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 12, 2018, 10:58:25 AM
I don't really see anything in that close up image that convinces me of a black hole. I do however notice that like so many other images of space, galaxies further out appear as if they are in a very thick brownish soup.

This leads me to think that my theories on dark matter are true...it does have substance and therefore has weight. So what if black holes aren't really holes at all, they are bodies of super massive condensed dark matter?!
 :java:

Mark my words...I look forward to see the day the experts start saying the same thing...then you can say your read it here first!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:


Remember: Balance of Polar Opposites - Order.

I remember many years ago - back in the late 60's or early 70's there was an article in Omni Magazine on the Lorenz Effect (aka Butterfly Effect) and one of the things they brought up was that even in Chaos, there is a kind of order, known as 'deterministic chaos'. That is, it has patterns of chaos. So, in this seemingly very chaotic universe, is there something that's holding a kind of balance?

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 18, 2018, 04:38:45 PM
THE MYSTERY OF ULTIMA THULE: When NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flew past Pluto three years ago, mission scientists watching the first close-up images were shocked. Despite being stuck in the deep freeze of the Solar System 6 billion km from the sun, Pluto was not the frozen-stiff world many expected it to be. The geography of the dethroned 9th planet was alive with mountain ranges, windswept dunes, bladed terrain and much more. In one quick flyby, New Horizons turned planetary science on its head.

Get ready to be shocked again. New Horizons is less than 2 weeks away from a new world even more mysterious than Pluto.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/18dec18/ultimathule_strip.jpg)


Above: A speculative artist's concept of Ultima Thule with a small moon

Its name is "Ultima Thule" (2014 MU69), which means means "beyond the borders of the known world." Indeed, the little space rock is profoundly unknown. Located almost a billion kilometers farther from the sun than Pluto, Ultima Thule has never been much more than a faint speck of light in telescopes. It inhabits the distant Kuiper Belt where, seemingly, almost anything is possible.

"Really, we have no idea what to expect," says New Horizons principal investigator Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute. "Will it have an atmosphere? Will it have rings? Will it have moons? Any of that could be possible, and soon we'll know the answers."

On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, New Horizons will swoop three times closer to Ultima Thule than it flew past Pluto in July 2015, shattering previous records for the most distant body explored by a human spacecraft. First images will be posted on a web site set up by the New Horizons' team: SeeUltimaThuleNow.com (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/Mission/Where-is-New-Horizons.php)

We already know one thing about Ultima Thule. Its shape is elongated and strange. In 2017, astronomers watched a distant star pass behind Ultima Thule. Starlight winked in and out in a pattern suggesting two lobes with diameters of 20 and 18 km, respectively. Ultima Thule could be a small binary system.

"Ultima Thule is 100 times smaller than Pluto, but its scientific value is incalculable," says Stern. "From everything we know, it was formed 4.5 or 4.6 billion years ago, 4 billion miles from the sun. It has been stored at that enormous distance from the sun, at a temperature of nearly absolute zero, ever since, so it likely represents the best sample of the ancient solar nebula ever studied."

"Nothing like it has ever been explored," he says.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 18, 2018, 04:52:48 PM
Pretty cool! Thanks for the link, J!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 18, 2018, 04:54:44 PM
You are welcome it did look pretty awesome to me too
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 19, 2018, 12:08:11 AM
Pluto, Ultima Thule, and all of the other recent discoveries prove my point...We know almost NOTHING about whats out in space or how it works! After all, it was a long held belief that water was rare in the universe but we now know that it's abundant

It's EVERYWHERE!
 :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2018, 05:18:40 AM
Without water there would be no :java: or :sake:

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 19, 2018, 06:55:11 AM
Without water there would be no :java: or :sake:

 :tearlaugh:

 :whuaat: Dude! Sometimes you worry me....have you taken your meds this morning?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2018, 11:49:58 AM
 :lostme:  Meds ... what meds ... I need to be taking meds ... are you  :sure:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 19, 2018, 04:12:03 PM
:lostme:  Meds ... what meds ... I need to be taking meds ... are you  :sure:

I can think of at least 3 reasons you SHOULD be medicated!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 19, 2018, 06:51:45 PM
Which three ????
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 19, 2018, 08:06:29 PM
Well, your recurring PTSD is one of them!

'(P)osting (T)errifying (S)cenes of (D)redzilla'
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 19, 2018, 08:33:31 PM
:thud: :tearlaugh: Sorry J...but it was funny.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 20, 2018, 02:16:34 AM
Well, your recurring PTSD is one of them!

'(P)osting (T)errifying (S)cenes of (D)redzilla'
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Made me laugh so hard, my drink came up through my nose!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 20, 2018, 07:10:54 AM
:o_go_on: What could possibly be so terrifying about a lovelorn young lady seeking affection in a cold, cruel, and heartless world.


(Yeah, that one was definitely original and quite good)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 20, 2018, 07:13:20 AM
Well, your recurring PTSD is one of them!

'(P)osting (T)errifying (S)cenes of (D)redzilla'
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:



That is only one theoretical condition, and no I am not admitting that I have it, although that is very original ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 20, 2018, 10:21:09 AM
That is only one theoretical condition, and no I am not admitting that I have it, although that is very original ...

And there be one of your other conditions......DENIAL!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 20, 2018, 10:44:01 AM
:sigh: ... maybe .. maybe not but that is still only two theoretical conditions you still have one more case to present.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 20, 2018, 10:23:41 PM
A planet the size of Mars.......


https://youtu.be/XMQSq-l80Bg

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 22, 2018, 07:23:46 AM
ULTIMA THULE'S FIRST PUZZLE: NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is 12 million km from Ultima Thule and closing fast. On New Year's Day, it will fly by the mysterious Kuiper Belt Object three times closer than it buzzed Pluto in 2015 revealing ... no one knows what. In fact, the mysteries have already begun.

Long range images of Ultima Thule reveal that it has no light curve. In other words, its brightness is constant.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/22dec18/ut_strip.jpg)

Above: An artist's concept of Ultima Thule, a double-lobed object in the Kuiper Belt

"It's really a puzzle," says New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute. And here's why:

Last year, astronomers watched (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/PI-Perspectives.php?page=piPerspective_08_08_2017) a distant star pass behind Ultima Thule. Starlight winked in and out in a pattern suggesting an elongated object with two bulbous lobes. Ultima Thule could be a binary system. You would expect the reflected brightness of such an object to vary as it rotates in the sunlight. Yet Ultima Thule does not behave that way.

What's going on? New Horizons science team members have different ideas. "It's possible that Ultima's rotation pole is aimed almost right at the spacecraft," speculates Marc Buie of the Southwest Research Institute. Such an alignment, however, is unlikely.

"Another explanation," says the SETI Institute's Mark Showalter, "is that Ultima may be surrounded by a cloud of dust that obscures its light curve--much the same way that a comet's coma often overwhelms the light reflected by its central nucleus."

"A more bizarre scenario is one in which Ultima is surrounded by many tiny tumbling moons," suggests University of Virginia's Anne Verbiscer, a New Horizons assistant project scientist. "If each moon has its own light curve, then together they could create a jumbled superposition of light curves that make it look to New Horizons like Ultima has a small light curve."

"It's hard to say which of these ideas is right," Stern says. "We'll get to the bottom of this puzzle soon – New Horizons will swoop over Ultima and take high-resolution images on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, and the first of those images will be available on Earth just a day later. When we see those high--resolution images, we'll know the answer to Ultima's vexing first puzzle. Stay tuned!"

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: McGrandpa on December 24, 2018, 03:07:08 PM
Sci-Fi stories from 50 years ago brought the ideas up, made them kinda common really, of mining the asteroid belt and dreamed up asteroid fields in our solar system.   Some of those seemed really plausible.  Some large enough for whole port communities to grow up on.  "BILLS ROCK"  and inside "I'M THE BILL YOU PAY!"  Parking costs, water, air, any supplies etc. costs.   The more metals you mine up, the better off you are.   And then, artifacts started coming in.  Ooooh!   These are rather shallow devices to plot yeah.   But pretty exciting to think of doing.  Even drawing them, getting that stuff out of my head, was good fun.
So Psyche 16 is poised to kick all that off in reality.   Great time to be alive! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 24, 2018, 09:09:33 PM
The Psyche mission is about studying that core and trying to determine how planets build their layers - although if it's outer skins are pounded off, I don't see how that's possible. It looks like everything's blown away BUT the core. I'm sure they'll take samples but they won't be there to mine. At least not in that mission. It's Metallic Iron and Nickel - not exactly exotic stuff. At least not at present. 

That's not to say it might not be in their minds down the road, for they are also scheduling a mission to Lucy, which is one giant diamond.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: McGrandpa on December 24, 2018, 09:13:07 PM
Is 3D Astronomy stuff appropriate in here?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 24, 2018, 09:20:51 PM
This is actually for real world reports of missions, the Aurora, strange sightings, new information...not 3D.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: McGrandpa on December 24, 2018, 09:23:43 PM
Well, the iron and nickel is extremely useful stuff, if both are in large enough quantities.   I have heard buzz about trying metals smelting and alloying in zero G.   That's been kicked around for a long time.   We rely on gravity for all our processes currently.   It'd be interesting to see how that might be done in space.  Would solar electric arrays be enough?   What would it look like?   Induction furnace sounds like the most viable means of heating, melting the materials.  would it be like a small sun floating in the middle of the furnace?  Or would it stick to the sides?   Induction is, after all, electro-magnetic.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: McGrandpa on December 24, 2018, 09:25:10 PM
OK, no outlet for 3D Space/Astronomy.   Got it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 24, 2018, 09:42:30 PM
OK, no outlet for 3D Space/Astronomy.   Got it.

If desired I can create a new board in the morning for 3D astronomical discussion. So let me know ...

Because as mentioned this current thread deals with on going real world missions and events.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: McGrandpa on December 25, 2018, 03:52:26 AM
Uh, well yeah 3D space, astronomy, alien systems, all that cool stuff.  I'm interested, don't know if anyone else would be.  But don't rush yourself, relax and enjoy the day! 
Thanks,
Merry Christmas J!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 25, 2018, 10:05:02 AM
Uh, well yeah 3D space, astronomy, alien systems, all that cool stuff.  I'm interested, don't know if anyone else would be.  But don't rush yourself, relax and enjoy the day! 
Thanks,
Merry Christmas J!
Count me in! :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 10:14:54 AM
Back to our regularly scheduled programming here :smiley:

News from the Themis project:


https://youtu.be/HOIlIMdJV5k
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 10:17:55 AM
Merry Christmas!  :glittery:


https://youtu.be/V_AvJzkPqQ8
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 25, 2018, 10:37:50 AM
:tearlaugh:

That will teach us to go further into the deep night of the stars and sky will it not ... :o_go_on: .. not likely
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 25, 2018, 10:45:00 AM
Uh, well yeah 3D space, astronomy, alien systems, all that cool stuff.  I'm interested, don't know if anyone else would be.  But don't rush yourself, relax and enjoy the day! 
Thanks,
Merry Christmas J!

Actually you don't need a new board just start a new topic in here such as

http://www.thefantasiesattic.net/attic/index.php?topic=19402.msg346128#msg346128

:duh:

Some days we are quite slow on the uptake
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on December 25, 2018, 10:51:59 AM
The Themis Project appears to confirm what we suspected all along; that everything is connected!


In case no one knows this: Plasma is reported to be the fourth state of matter. We have the well know states solid, liquid, and gaseous, of course; however there is a fourth state. When matter is highly energized, it reaches this state, which we call plasma. each time you look at a fire, or you see a bolt of lightning, or you look at the Sun and stars, you are seeing matter in its plasma state. But plasma is not always visible to our eyes. Some plasma emits light which is beyond the spectral range of our eyes. We humans emit such light via the aura of our bodies in the infrared end of the spectrum. So yes, our own aura are matter in its plasma state. When we use night vision goggles, we are viewing this plasma state known as the aura.


Just thought folks might find this interesting.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 11:03:33 AM
:tearlaugh:

That will teach us to go further into the deep night of the stars and sky will it not ... :o_go_on: .. not likely


Shhhhhhh...the Color Out of Space or Great Azathoth might hear you! :yeow:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 11:09:34 AM
The Themis Project appears to confirm what we suspected all along; that everything is connected!


In case no one knows this: Plasma is reported to be the fourth state of matter. We have the well know states solid, liquid, and gaseous, of course; however there is a fourth state. When matter is highly energized, it reaches this state, which we call plasma. each time you look at a fire, or you see a bolt of lightning, or you look at the Sun and stars, you are seeing matter in its plasma state. But plasma is not always visible to our eyes. Some plasma emits light which is beyond the spectral range of our eyes. We humans emit such light via the aura of our bodies in the infrared end of the spectrum. So yes, our own aura are matter in its plasma state. When we use night vision goggles, we are viewing this plasma state known as the aura.


Just thought folks might find this interesting.


Everything IS connected - literally every thing.

Indeed, as material beings we've got some plasma too. I've always found plasma to be very interesting stuff. Check out this quote from Plasma Arc Welding on WikiP about how powerful it is:


Plasma arc welding (PAW) is an arc welding process similar to gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW). The electric arc is formed between an electrode (which is usually but not always made of sintered tungsten) and the workpiece. The key difference from GTAW is that in PAW, by positioning the electrode within the body of the torch, the plasma arc can be separated from the shielding gas envelope. The plasma is then forced through a fine-bore copper nozzle which constricts the arc and the plasma exits the orifice at high velocities (approaching the speed of sound) and a temperature approaching 28,000 °C (50,000 °F) or higher.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_arc_welding8

Thought to have created Vallis Marinarus, if not more .

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 25, 2018, 11:58:43 AM

Everything IS connected - literally every thing.

Indeed, as material beings we've got some plasma too.

Indeed we do! It's called a Bio-electrically charged fart particles, will kill damn near anything it comes in contact with!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 25, 2018, 12:26:00 PM
:ummm: That would explain a few things that have puzzled me
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 05:44:05 PM
Indeed we do! It's called a Bio-electrically charged fart particles, will kill damn near anything it comes in contact with!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:


Put on your tin suit and I'll make an MRE of you :grin:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 25, 2018, 05:59:55 PM
Warn me when you try on that suit so I can stand back some.....

Well, not some......

But FAR FAR away....... :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 06:06:25 PM
He wouldn't ever put on a tin suit. Don't worry - :tearlaugh: 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 25, 2018, 06:18:53 PM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:   I thought the same thing....but one never knows......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 06:33:32 PM
(It's beneath him)... :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 25, 2018, 06:57:42 PM
So you're saying he prefers Bronze....... Hummmmm  :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 07:00:55 PM
Well, it does burn hotter but no. He's on the other side :Dragon:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 25, 2018, 07:08:52 PM
Though Mercury is considered a Metal......I'm sure he'd have a hard time keeping it on  :tearlaugh:

Or am I on the wrong otherside LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 07:11:19 PM
What eats knights after it flambés them? Well, supposedly anyway. (But not our Sir Knight!)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 25, 2018, 07:13:53 PM
Well, I know Dragons do have a craving for a Knight time Snack.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 25, 2018, 07:15:06 PM
:thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 25, 2018, 07:19:54 PM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 25, 2018, 08:42:37 PM
B...I....NGO! :knightcheer:
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 28, 2018, 12:24:30 PM
THREE DAYS FROM ULTIMA THULE:

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is closing in on Ultima Thule, a mysterious object (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2018/12/18/the-mystery-of-ultima-thule/) 4 billion miles from Earth. On New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, New Horizons will swoop three times closer to Ultima Thule than it flew past Pluto in 2015. "The anticipation is palpable now: we are on the verge of an important scientific exploration almost 20 years in the making and, in many ways, unlike any other ever attempted," says the mission's principal investigator Alan Stern. Stay tuned for live coverage despite the US government shutdown. (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Where-to-Watch.php)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 28, 2018, 12:26:49 PM
SPOTLESS SUN SPARKS GEOMAGNETIC STORM: The sun has been without spots every day for almost two weeks. No sunspots? No problem: A G1-class geomagnetic storm erupted last night, sparking bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. Longtime Northern Lights photographer Sacha Layos says she was "giddy" when she saw this display over Fairbanks, Alaska:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/28dec18/flyawayhome_strip.jpg)

"I've seen the lights hundreds of times, but I still do a little dance and get that feeling when they are extra special like this," she says.
Similar displays were reported over Iceland ("the best auroras of the season," says Jónína Óskarsdóttir) and Canada ("STEVE made an appearance as well," reports Harlan Thomas).

This storm was caused not by sunspots, which have been absent for most of 2018, but rather by a hole in the sun's atmosphere.  NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory photographed the gaseous fissure on Dec. 24th:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2018/24dec18/ch_strip.jpg)

Solar wind flowing from the hole hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of Dec. 28th, instigating the storm. Such holes (called "coronal holes") are a primary source of space weather when sunspots are absent. During Solar Minimum, coronal holes open up and may remain open for months, periodically lashing Earth with solar wind as the sun spins on its axis.

More Solar Minimum auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters expect Earth to remain inside this stream of solar wind for another 24 to 48 hours, punctuating 2018 with a splash of Northern Lights.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 28, 2018, 12:43:01 PM
Saw that....that is some hole......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 28, 2018, 01:35:31 PM
Well gosh, that's just like dR said: "Bio-electrically charged fart particles"

A Birkeland Bonanza!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on December 28, 2018, 02:20:03 PM
Well gosh, that's just like dR said: "Bio-electrically charged fart particles"

A Birkeland Bonanza!

People never take me serious, though they really should. Aside from my wonderfully colored analogies, my science is solid!
 :shrug: :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 28, 2018, 02:50:53 PM
People never take me serious, though they really should. Aside from my wonderfully colored analogies, my science is solid!
 :shrug: :java:


The Universe is a Giant Brain and Birkeland Currents are dred-locks!! :woohoo:  :cheer:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 28, 2018, 02:57:44 PM
My head hurts now...... :odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 28, 2018, 03:15:27 PM
Let me help......

Galactic Center and Neuron Activity in the human brain:



[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on December 28, 2018, 03:30:58 PM
And here's a Birkeland Current in the Cygnus Loop

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 28, 2018, 03:33:07 PM
No wonder the brain hurts LOLOLOL.....

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 31, 2018, 02:19:54 PM
NEW HORIZONS APPROACHES ULTIMA THULE:

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft is less than 11 hours away from Ultima Thule, a mysterious elongated object in the distant Kuiper Belt (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuiper_belt). At 12:33 am EST on Jan. 1st, New Horizons will swoop past Ultima Thule three times closer than it buzzed Pluto in 2015. Because it takes ~6 hours for radio signals from the Kuiper Belt to reach Earth, first images will not be released to the public until Jan. 2nd. A timetable of flyby events and links to live coverage may be found here (http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/News-Center/Where-to-Watch.php).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 31, 2018, 04:22:34 PM
Love that NASA place....so many different things going on at once....and you can pick and choose as you please...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 07:50:02 AM
If the Sun hasn't come up yet or it's not cloudy, you can still see it in the sky - a beautiful almost perfect trine of Jupiter, the Moon and Venus in the SE.

Anything from Ultima Thule yet?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 07:58:37 AM
Just read THIS (https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46729898) this morning...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 08:24:47 AM
Thanks TL!

I bet they find some surprises they weren't expecting. It's gonna take awhile though. Talk about slow download speeds! Lol.

A BILLION miles past Pluto. Mind boggling stuff.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 08:44:38 AM
I totally agree.....the time frame to get a signal back was something else...as you said...can't wait to see what they show us next....AMAZING stuff....

BBC had this as the headline....and it was pretty concise which I like....typically I avoid all the newsfeeds until my 2nd pot of :java:  That way I don't get to worked up since I'm already hyper by then   :ifonly:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 08:55:35 AM
Eh, there are always reasons to get hyper even without coffee :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 08:59:53 AM
LOLOL.....Yes....I just read it.....  Sigh .......  Like having a overgrown 2 year old in our mix.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 10:58:33 AM
LOLOL.....Yes....I just read it.....  Sigh .......  Like having a overgrown 2 year old in our mix.

Verily.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 01:41:43 PM
I'm betting that tomorrow morning we'll see a Jupiter/Moon conjunction. That ought to be pretty cool.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 02:24:48 PM
Not sure what we'll see here....Today is Clear....with snow and sleet....  Not kidding....that's what the local channel said a minute ago while I was channel surfing.... 

Weather Channel was right on once again...so they are saying cloudy tonight...slight chance of snow or sleet....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 02:46:19 PM
Tomorrow a little after you get home from taking Lorna to work look for it in the SE sky. Maybe there'll be a 'hole in the clouds'.

It's a thumbnail moon. I've only ever seen that twice before in my life. Those were both late at night. Maybe I wasn't looking all the time I should have been but it is a lovely sight! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 02, 2019, 02:51:49 PM
NEW HORIZONS SCIENCE BRIEFING: NASA's New Horizons spacecraft successfully flew past Ultima Thule on Jan. 1st, giving researchers their first look at the mysterious object 4 billion miles from Earth. Just one problem: Ultima Thule is so far away, it takes 6 hours for radio signals to travel back to mission control. That's why the first high-res images are being revealed only today. Tune into NASA TV to watch a science briefing at 2 pm EST.


FIRST IMAGES OF ULTIMA THULE: The first high-resolution images of Ultima Thule have reached Earth following New Horizons' historic flyby on New Year's Day. Hot off the presses, the photos reveal a pair of roughly spherical planetestimals stuck together in the middle. The contact binary strangely resembles BB-8:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/02jan19/ultimathule_color_strip.jpg)



"This flyby is a historic achievement," says New Horizons Principal Investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. "Never before has any spacecraft team tracked down such a small body so far away in the abyss of space. We're getting our first close-up look at ancient planetesimals."

Planetestimals are the building blocks of planets. Here in the inner solar system, no pristine examples remain for us to study. They have been swallowed by planets, hammered by asteroids, and scorched by solar radiation. Ultima Thule, however, has been preserved in the deep freeze of the outer solar system for more than 4 billion years. It is truly a relic of the genesis of planets.

Mission scientists believe that Ultima Thule formed by accretion. A swarm of smaller planetesimals gathered under the pull of their own meager gravity to form two spherical bodies, medium-sized planetesimals which themselves slowly bumped together and stuck. The result was Ultima Thule.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/02jan19/formation_strip.jpg)



This is just the beginning of Ultima Thule's revelations. First images released today have a resolution of about 140 meters per pixel. Images arriving in the days and weeks ahead will be as much as 5 times sharper, possibly revealing craters, hills, landslides, rilles and other unknowns.

New Horizons also scanned the area for tiny moons--the debris of the original swarm that gave birth to this strange object. Detection's, if any, will be revealed in future transmissions from the spacecraft. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 03:55:29 PM
Excuse me whilst I :(ROFLMAO: There are comets that look like that, which they'd like to ignore because they are NOT 'dirty snowballs'.


Hartley 2

https://youtu.be/Wkg6n6tqjs0
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 03:56:15 PM
Comet 67P ('Chury')


https://youtu.be/8YkL6bMVXjY


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 04:13:31 PM
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/19P/Borrelly


Comet Borrelly
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 05:37:41 PM
Just got back from picking up my meds ...... New Year....New Deductible to meet :thud:   But anyway....  I'll see what I see tomorrow.  That would be a cool sight indeed....

As for Ultima Thule....if they find mountains and landscapes, etc......then it's unlike any comet I know of.....  For me, the jury is out until we see clearer pictures....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 02, 2019, 05:48:15 PM
Here's the NASA gallery for Comet 67P (Churyamov-Gerasimenko)

See what you see there and what comes later :winks:


https://rosetta.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/images/comet-67p/churyumov-gerasimenko

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 02, 2019, 05:56:24 PM
Aha...I remember viewing these....and yup...there is a landscape...of sorts....so as you said....we shall see LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 10, 2019, 12:51:32 PM
VENUS AND JUPITER IN CONJUNCTION: In case you haven't noticed, the day is beginning with bright lights rising in the east. The sun? No. It's Venus and Jupiter, converging for a beautiful conjunction in the pre-dawn sky. Yesterday, Finazzi Antonio photographed the two planets shining through the rosy glow of sunrise in Colli di San Fermo, Italy:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/09jan19/conjunction_strip.png)



"I saw them through the trees at dawn," he says. "What a beautiful view!"

In the mornings ahead, Venus and Jupiter will draw closer and closer together, putting on a better show with each successive sunrise. At closest approach on Jan. 22nd, they will be only 2.5 degrees apart--a double beacon in the dawn sky visible even from brightly-lit cities.
This is a special conjunction. Not only are Venus and Jupiter the two brightest planets, but also they are converging while Venus is near its maximum elongation (greatest apparent distance) from the sun. As a result, the gathering is visible almost a full hour before daybreak.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/22jan19/skymap_22jan19_strip.jpg)

 
It's also special because it is happening in Ophiuchus--the unofficial 13th constellation of the zodiac. Most people know of only twelve: Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio and Sagittarius. The sun passes through these constellations, one by one, throughout the year. They're the ancient signs of the zodiac.

Modern astronomers don't divide the sky the same way ancient astronomers did. According to today's star maps, the sun cuts through a 13th constellation, Ophiuchus the Serpent Bearer, between Nov. 30th and Dec. 17th--and this is where the conjunction is happening.

Finding Venus and Jupiter is easy. Wake up early, look southeast, and enjoy the show!


Sky maps: Jan. 11 (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/11jan19/skymap_11jan19.png?PHPSESSID=dicp970dlec86f80v72cgakue0), 12, (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/12jan19/skymap_12jan19.png?PHPSESSID=dicp970dlec86f80v72cgakue0) 13, (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/13jan19/skymap_13jan19.png?PHPSESSID=dicp970dlec86f80v72cgakue0) 14, (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/14jan19/skymap_14jan19.png?PHPSESSID=dicp970dlec86f80v72cgakue0) 15, (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/15jan19/skymap_15jan19.png?PHPSESSID=dicp970dlec86f80v72cgakue0)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 10, 2019, 05:30:43 PM
I'm betting that tomorrow morning we'll see a Jupiter/Moon conjunction. That ought to be pretty cool.


Well there's one you missed. I talked about this ten days ago or so.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 10, 2019, 05:32:15 PM
Yup, you can't miss them unless there are clouds!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 10, 2019, 06:05:22 PM
I was posting about Venus and Jupiter conjunction

not the Jupiter and Moon conjunction

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 10, 2019, 06:45:33 PM
I realize that. Those two have been in the morning sky since Christmas at least. There was one morning when Jupiter, the crescent moon, and Venus were all in a perfect trine or a flat triangle with one another. And because the moon comes up about 2 hours later every time it comes up, I said that the next morning would be the Moon/Jupiter one. And it was.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 11, 2019, 10:02:25 AM
Anyone visit our Solar Dynamics Observatory (https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/) lately?  Love this place....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 11, 2019, 10:17:22 AM
The Sun in green is rather interesting!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 11, 2019, 10:41:37 AM
Yes indeed...that was my favorite.....  I check it out about once a week to see if anything new pops up LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 11, 2019, 12:53:06 PM
The Sun in green is rather interesting!
Whenever Sunny puts a green dress on,
A green dress on,
A green dress on,...
Whenever Sunny puts a green dress on,
I will sing a song for her!


OK, so the real girl in the song is Heidi! But I just thought it might work for Sunny too!
 :sunny:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 11, 2019, 01:39:47 PM
LOLOL...Works for me......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 11, 2019, 03:28:19 PM
 :viking: :java: :Cup: :eine Mass:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 11, 2019, 03:33:40 PM
All that would give you a Hangover From Hell! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 11, 2019, 06:14:05 PM
All that would give you a Hangover From Hell! :tearlaugh:
Depends on whether I can get a hangover. Only ever had one hangover, and that was from drinking Black Label. Nowadays, I rarely drink even one mixed drink in five years. Last drink I had was a screwdriver, and it was more than five years ago. No I'm not an alcoholic, but I am a Bryce-aholic. :tearlaugh:  These days I only pretend to drink digital drinks. Never got a hangover from that..........
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 11, 2019, 06:18:01 PM
Sissy I continue to drink to this day and do not have hangovers ... have been through all of the levels as well, beer, wine, alcohol matters not for some reason.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 11, 2019, 07:21:52 PM
If you were to drink wine, beer and mead all together, you WOULD have a massive hangover.

.....in real life.

I used to drink Bombay Gin Martinis, Long Islands and Margaritas too. Never got a hangover from those. But probably would have had I drank them all the same night. Who's a sissy?


 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 11, 2019, 09:57:28 PM
No sissy here. I just choose not to drink. To me, alcohol has little good use, other than to wash a wound in the absence of anything better.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 11, 2019, 10:59:47 PM
I quit for two reasons:

#1: I'd grown rather attached to my liver and thought I'd quit while I was ahead.

#2: I had to live around three different people who had a syndrome called: Instant A$$hole - just add liquor. One was my mother, may she rest in peace.

Nah, no one here is a sissy, J. We've all had our days.

Besides, I bet dR has something that would turn your eye-balls inside out. :tearlaugh: 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 12, 2019, 06:37:08 AM
:sigh: I see no one understands dry humor any longer in here :sigh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 13, 2019, 12:28:34 PM
Auroral 'music':

https://youtu.be/eHvdZdsIZxg

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 13, 2019, 12:41:17 PM
Super cool Ray........Thanks.....


And Agent.....something for you:  Telescopes (https://oneminuteastronomer.com/choose-telescope-video-series/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 17, 2019, 10:51:12 AM
EARTH'S SHIFTING MAGNETIC POLES ARE CONFUSING YOUR PHONE: Pick up your cell phone and look at it. That rectangular marvel of modern technology contains thousands of lines of code. Among them is the World Magnetic Model (WMM)–a program that helps your phone navigate. And it's in a bit of trouble. Researchers have announced that the WMM needs an emergency update because Earth's magnetic field is changing.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/16jan19/magneticmotion_strip.png)

Savvy backcountry hikers have long known that compass needles don't really point north. The magnetic north pole is displaced hundreds of miles from the true north pole and, to make matters worse, it wanders unpredictably from year to year. To find true north in the continental USA, you have to correct compass directions by as much as 20 degrees using a special "declination table."

The World Magnetic Model is a computer program that makes this correction for you. It improves the navigation of devices ranging from nuclear submarines to common smartphones.

"The WMM is the standard magnetic model used for navigation by organizations such as NATO, the Ministry of Defence, and the US Department of Defense, and also by smartphone operating systems such as Android and iOS," explains Will Brown of the British Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Team, which produces the model in collaboration with NOAA of the USA.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/16jan19/android_strip.png)

"When you open your smartphone's map app, you may see an arrow pointing which way you're facing, and there's something quite clever going on underneath," he continues. "Your phone contains a magnetometer that is measuring the Earth's magnetic field. In order to make sense of this information, Android and iOS operating systems use the WMM to correct the measurements to true north."

Normally the World Magnetic Model is updated every 5 years. For decades that's been often enough to track natural changes in our planet's magnetism caused by fluctuations in Earth's molten core. But suddenly things are changing faster than before.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/16jan19/wmm_2015_dd_strip.png)

Annual rate of change of declination for 2015.0 to 2020.0 from the World Magnetic Model (WMM2015).

"Since late 2014, Earth's core field has varied in an unpredicted, and currently unpredictable, manner [including a sudden change in declinaton called a 'geomagnetic jerk' in 2014/2015]," says Brown. "The aim of the WMM is to be globally accurate within 1 degree of declination, but we were going to exceed that limit in only 3 years." That's why, for the first time, they are issuing an update to the WMM before the usual 5 year mark in 2020.

The new model is based data from a global network of 160 surface observatories and satellites in low-Earth orbit such as ESA's Swarm mission. It was supposed to be released on Jan. 15th but has been delayed until Jan. 30th because of the partial shutdown of the US government.

A sharable permalink to this story may be found here (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/01/16/earths-shifting-magnetic-pole-affects-your-cell-phone/).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 17, 2019, 03:17:11 PM
Hillbillies and mountain men don't need a compass, we know things like ginseng & nettleweed only grow on the north-east side of a ridge. Or that certain animals only poop on the north side of a tree.
 :java: :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 17, 2019, 03:21:04 PM
:thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 09:06:49 AM
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUPERMOON: There's a total eclipse this weekend--and it's going to be super. On Sunday evening, Jan. 20th, at 8:41 pm PST (11:41 pm EST) the shadow of our planet will engulf the full Moon, transforming the grey lunar disk into a coppery-red orb. Totality lasts for more than an hour. This graphic created by science artist Larry Koehn depicts key moments of the eclipse in the Pacific time zone:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/19jan19/pacific_strip.png)

Other time zones are also available: GMT (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/gmt.png), AST, EST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/eastern.png), CST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/central.png), MST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/mountain.png), PST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/pacific.png), AKST, HST.

The eclipse will be "super" both figuratively and literally. During the shadow crossing, the Moon will be within 14 hours of perigee, its closest point to Earth. This makes the Moon a "supermoon," almost 8% wider than an average full Moon. Normally, a supermoon would be about 16% brighter than average. The eclipse, however, will dim the supermoon, allowing stars to pop out around the swollen orb.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/19jan19/visibilitymap_strip.png)

What makes the eclipsed Moon turn red? A quick trip to the Moon provides the answer: Imagine yourself standing on a dusty lunar plain looking up at the sky. Overhead hangs Earth, nightside down, completely hiding the sun behind it. The eclipse is underway.

You might expect Earth seen in this way to be utterly dark, but it's not. The rim of the planet looks like it is on fire. As you scan your eye around Earth's circumference, you're seeing every sunrise and every sunset in the world, all of them, all at once. This incredible light beams into the heart of Earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 20, 2019, 09:56:47 AM
TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE SUPERMOON: There's a total eclipse this weekend--and it's going to be super. On Sunday evening, Jan. 20th, at 8:41 pm PST (11:41 pm EST) the shadow of our planet will engulf the full Moon, transforming the grey lunar disk into a coppery-red orb. Totality lasts for more than an hour. This graphic created by science artist Larry Koehn depicts key moments of the eclipse in the Pacific time zone:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/19jan19/pacific_strip.png)

Other time zones are also available: GMT (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/gmt.png), AST, EST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/eastern.png), CST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/central.png), MST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/mountain.png), PST (http://shadowandsubstance.com/assets/pacific.png), AKST, HST.

The eclipse will be "super" both figuratively and literally. During the shadow crossing, the Moon will be within 14 hours of perigee, its closest point to Earth. This makes the Moon a "supermoon," almost 8% wider than an average full Moon. Normally, a supermoon would be about 16% brighter than average. The eclipse, however, will dim the supermoon, allowing stars to pop out around the swollen orb.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/19jan19/visibilitymap_strip.png)

What makes the eclipsed Moon turn red? A quick trip to the Moon provides the answer: Imagine yourself standing on a dusty lunar plain looking up at the sky. Overhead hangs Earth, nightside down, completely hiding the sun behind it. The eclipse is underway.

You might expect Earth seen in this way to be utterly dark, but it's not. The rim of the planet looks like it is on fire. As you scan your eye around Earth's circumference, you're seeing every sunrise and every sunset in the world, all of them, all at once. This incredible light beams into the heart of Earth's shadow, filling it with a coppery glow and transforming the Moon into a great red orb
My hope is that the weather here will allow us to see it. We missed the comet last month, which reportedly was a greenish color. Weather was being really mean to us here in Georgia.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 20, 2019, 11:19:26 AM
We missed most all of the great space events this year due to weather.....

Right now we have clear skies but they are calling for more snow so who knows if we'll see it...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 12:31:19 PM
I think we'll all just have to depend on good old 'eyewitness weather' here.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 02:00:58 PM
Indeed it is clouding up here but it is only 3:00 pm eastern so who knows ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 20, 2019, 02:29:00 PM
Now....I know I've had this up here before...and I think other have also....but by gosh....if you really love space and want to view it from a telescope......but can't afford a good telescope...

go to

SLOOH.COM (https://www.slooh.com/)....

I know...I know...it's not free....but for less then 20 cents a day you get:

And if you are not sure.....why not try the 30 day free trial....No obligation....and you can do all that is shown below....


A word from Slooh Astronomer Dr. Paige Godfrey

By signing up for Slooh you'll be making astronomical observations just as professional astronomers do today, using the same kind of equipment, from some of the same observatory locations. People have never before had this kind of opportunity to do astronomy this way. You can reserve telescope time on research-class equipment to acquire your own images of celestial objects from the comfort of your home. Start exploring the universe with Slooh today!



WHAT YOU GET TELESCOPE SPECS OUR MISSION

Telescope Feeds

You can watch live feeds of space 20 hours per day, weather permitting! Seven telescopes, including a solar telescope, situated at our flagship observatory, at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, one of the world's top observatory sites, and three telescopes based in Santiago, Chile, offering complementary views of the southern skies.


Livecasts

Live shows hosted by our team of astronomers featuring eclipses, transits, full moons, asteroids, comets and other celestial phenomena, as well as weekly programs designed to teach you the basics of astronomy, the mythology of constellations and more.


Take Pictures

You can make a record of your exploration by taking pictures while watching live telescope feeds, which will be saved in your "My Pictures" gallery, as well as have images automatically captured for you.


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Point any Slooh telescope at any of the Slooh 500, the most popular objects in the sky. You can schedule any of the telescopes up to 5 times per month from our automated interface which will select the best time and telescope to see whatever you choose from our list of curated objects.


Community

Learn from experienced members of the community who share know-how and diverse perspectives about what is 'out there'. Collaborate in citizen science for NASA and read illuminating blog posts relating to what you see in the sky.



Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on January 20, 2019, 03:26:06 PM
At this moment here in Georgia we have clear skies. Not sure if that will last though! J mentioned clouding up in a recent comment, and he is in Florida, which is south of my location. So I don't know if I'll get to see it or not. As totality is supposed to be around 11:45 to 12:00 here, I figure the eclipse will begin a couple of hours before that time. Will be checking regularly after Sunset.


Hope the weather stays good for viewing here.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 03:38:10 PM
Seconded, I hope for a similar outcome.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 08:44:34 PM
A beautifully clear cold and crisp evening sky.

Light pollution due to where I live but it is a gorgeous full moon with no clouds at all :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 09:13:33 PM
I do believe it's beginning to move into the penumbra at about the 7-8 o'clock position.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 09:37:21 PM
10:35 EDT and just starting to see the lower rim enter the penumbra
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 09:57:27 PM
10:56 PM EDT ~ 25%
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:12:03 PM
Moving right along now 11:11 PM EDT ~ 45%

No reddish tint though ... yet
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 10:14:31 PM
9:12 pm - just crested past the middle.

You won't see the red until the moon moves totally into the umbra - the actual shadow of the Earth and not the partial shadow (penumbra). Then it'll be red.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:26:56 PM
Really smoking along now 11:25 PM EDT ~ 80%

Starting to get the reddish tint now, upper right side of the disk
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 10:34:25 PM
Yup...just going to say you should be starting to see red now. It's close, huh?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:38:08 PM
Got a bit more red in the last ten minutes, doesn't look like it is much further to the naked eye but it is getting better
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 20, 2019, 10:38:44 PM
It's turning brownish red as I type this. It's really cool looking.
 :viking:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:41:08 PM
Indeed it is good sir ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 10:48:02 PM
And I've got a crick in my neck like no one's business but it's awesome :)

Cool, we're all watching it at the same time :grin:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:48:06 PM
It is almost complete for me and is quite the brownish red tint now.

Sucks that I have no camera and trust me I have tried with cell phone and that is so much rubbish.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 10:55:45 PM
Down to a sliver of the moon left and a beautiful shade across the entire disc
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 20, 2019, 10:55:51 PM
Yeah, tried the cell and it sucks. Yes, it is cool that we are watching it at the same time. It's kinda like moon bonding. Threesome even!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 10:57:29 PM
Yea, the Moon moves too quickly for cellphones, unfortunately. You mostly get blurry. But then the one I used to have was not as beefy as the ones today. I think it was 4 MP - sad but true.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 10:58:41 PM
Yeah, tried the cell and it sucks. Yes, it is cool that we are watching it at the same time. It's kinda like moon bonding. Threesome even!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:


:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 11:06:22 PM
Is Lee watching this, John? It is in his sign, you know. I think the Moon is in the Lion's paws. Then looks like both dogs and Orion kind of lining up there. Too much light here. Bleh.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 20, 2019, 11:08:37 PM
Is Lee watching this, John? It is in his sign, you know. I think the Moon is in the Lion's paws. Then looks like both dogs and Orion kind of lining up there. Too much light here. Bleh.

Yes, he's watching it. Well, that explains why it's sooooo big!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 11:12:15 PM
Well, now this must be a coincidence ... silly cats are going ballistic with capital letters
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 11:12:39 PM
Yes, he's watching it. Well, that explains why it's sooooo big!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

It's close to Lunar perigee (closest to Earth) which is why it's so big...but big and 'flashy'. Ja! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 11:16:49 PM
Well, now this must be a coincidence ... silly cats are going ballistic with capital letters


Are they trying to help you type J? LOL.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 20, 2019, 11:18:12 PM
It's looking creepy, dogs in the area are going apeshit. Freaky!
 :shiv2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 20, 2019, 11:21:27 PM
I just noticed that based on McG's moon image, we ( me & J) see the moon at slightly a different angle than you all do.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 11:30:16 PM

Are they trying to help you type J? LOL.

Nope, they are doing unspeakable things to each other, such as trying to eviscerate each other. Although Watanuki had Smoky in a head lock and was making him squeal there for a bit, that was amusing. Considering the havoc Smoky inflicts upon Watanuki's tail
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 20, 2019, 11:36:42 PM
I just noticed that based on McG's moon image, we ( me & J) see the moon at slightly a different angle than you all do.



Indeed I am seeing it from 28.5653° N, 81.5862° W

I forget roughly where you are but you are most certainly on point in that each of us see it slightly different due to the angle of the dangle :pervy:

I'm thinking that sounded better in my head. :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 20, 2019, 11:55:47 PM
Nope, they are doing unspeakable things to each other, such as trying to eviscerate each other. Although Watanuki had Smoky in a head lock and was making him squeal there for a bit, that was amusing. Considering the havoc Smoky inflicts upon Watanuki's tail

Nothing like paybacks, right? :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 21, 2019, 12:03:56 AM
Indeed I am seeing it from 28.5653° N, 81.5862° W

I forget roughly where you are but you are most certainly on point in that each of us see it slightly different due to the angle of the dangle :pervy:

I'm thinking that sounded better in my head. :iminnocent:


Hey, it rhymed! That's alright.

Just an fyi...because I'm an ex land-draftsman, that should be: 28° 56' 53" N and 81° 58' and are you sure that's 62" W because there's only 60 seconds " in a minute '.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 21, 2019, 12:12:08 AM
It's getting to almost half back to normal but I still cant see the spots and how they're angled here. Even though the Moon is 'tidally locked' it still does wobble from side to side a little as it's turning around the Earth facing us.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 21, 2019, 12:15:45 AM
True I just copied and pasted the details. I do know about minutes and second when rendering position and that is most odd about the 62" but that is what it came up with which is most odd as you mentioned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 21, 2019, 05:57:43 AM
Watanuki had Smoky in a head lock and was making him squeal there for a bit, that was amusing. Considering the havoc Smoky inflicts upon Watanuki's tail

That was played back in my brain as porn.
 :lostme:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 21, 2019, 08:26:05 AM
Would have been even better if they had been human :pervy:

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 21, 2019, 09:49:33 AM
Lorna and I got to see part of it happen but she had to get to bed as did I....Plus it started clouding over....but at least we saw something happen this year.....  Last year we struck out at every event....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2019, 08:13:54 AM
Glad you got to see some of it anyway, TL! :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 22, 2019, 08:31:46 AM
The rest of us got to see all of the moon! It was freaky!
 :OMFG:

We were looking at each others moon at the same time. Mine looked better though, less wrinkles!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2019, 08:37:48 AM
You're so funny...but looks aren't everything :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on January 22, 2019, 08:42:12 AM
 :nanana:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2019, 09:31:09 AM
"Wet clean-up on Aisle 4!"


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 22, 2019, 02:16:43 PM
LOL....I read all the posts and it looked like fun.....

By that time I was  :snore:

5AM comes damn early....wish I could make 5AM start a wee bit later but then Lorna would probably complain that it wouldn't really be 5 AM then or some silly thing like that :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 22, 2019, 04:01:28 PM
You can always insist it's 5 am when it's 6 am CDT, no matter what she thinks. :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 22, 2019, 05:05:57 PM
LOL.....Worth a try..........When I learn how to go back to bed after dropping her off.....I'll be happy.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 22, 2019, 07:48:07 PM
A METEOROID HITS THE MOON DURING LUNAR ECLIPSE: On Jan. 21st at 04:41:43 UT, a meteoroid slammed into the Moon. We know this because many amateur astronomers witnessed or photographed the explosion. Petr Horálek was one of them; he captured the fireball from Boa Vista, one of the islands of Cape Verde:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/22jan19/lunarmeteor_strip2.png)

"As I was sorting through my pictures of the eclipse, I was trying to avoid images with dusty specks or hot pixels," says Horálek. "Upon closer inspection, I realized this was no hot pixel. It was a flash of light on the Moon--and other astronomers had photographed it as well."

At least a dozen reliable still images and videos of the impact have surfaced so far. Analyzing a sharp image taken by Christian Fröschlin of the Netherlands, geologist and amateur astronomer Justin Cowart has estimated the selenographic coordinates of the impact site: 29.47S, 67.77W +/- 4km. This  puts it just to the west of the lunar crater Lagrange H. NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter may be able to use such coordinates to target its cameras and photograph the crater.

Meteoroids hit the Moon all the time. Literally. NASA has been observing the impact flashes since 2005. Recently, other groups in Europe have joined the hunt. Flashes are typically observed once every 2 or 3 hours of observing time. Impactors range in size from softballs to boulders, liberating energies equal to tons of TNT when they strike.


https://youtu.be/FNvfBCu-jjI (https://youtu.be/FNvfBCu-jjI)

Spain's MIDAS survey recorded this video of the Jan 21st lunar meteor strike

The rare thing about this strike is that it was photographed during a full Moon, when lunar glare usually overwhelms the glow of any fireball. During the eclipse, Earth's shadow turned lunar day into almost-night for an hour, allowing the fireball to be seen.

Readers, were you taking pictures of the eclipse around 04:41 UT? Inspect your images! You might have captured an explosion
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on January 28, 2019, 03:24:34 PM
Here is a pretty cool image of five different phases of the previous lunar eclipse all in one image:
https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap190126.html

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 30, 2019, 03:27:54 PM
It's amazing out there.....Thanks for the posts "J" and Ray.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 04, 2019, 02:30:09 PM

https://youtu.be/0EbCH7UGdIk (https://youtu.be/0EbCH7UGdIk)
Astronomers find a new, nearby galaxy (https://earthsky.org/space)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 10, 2019, 03:55:02 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2018/12/meteor-geminids-venus-12-15-2018-Kota-Belud-Sabah-Emma-Zulaiha-Zulkifli-e1545048674227.jpg)

Earthskys Meteor Shower Guide (https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/earthskys-meteor-shower-guide)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 10, 2019, 04:01:06 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2019/01/artificial-meteors-ALE-2020-e1549234532606.jpg)

A plan to create artificial meteors (https://earthsky.org/space/1st-artificial-meteor-shower-astrolive-experiences-japan)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 10, 2019, 04:19:34 PM
That link doesn't appear to go where it should.

:whuaat: ???

Nothing like fake flaming balls of death to get the crowd excited. Then when they really come you can be Chicken Little.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 10, 2019, 04:21:26 PM
A VISITOR FROM BEYOND THE KUIPER BELT: Comet Iwamoto (C/2018 Y1) is coming. On Feb. 12th and 13th, the dirty snowball will make a rare visit to the inner solar system, passing by our planet only 0.3 AU (45 million km) away. Here it is, approaching Earth on Feb. 7th from the constellation Virgo:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/09feb19/cometmovie_strip.gif)

Amateur astronomer Michael Jäger made the 41-minute movie at his private observatory in Jauerling, Austria. At the time, Comet Iwamoto was crossing the celestial equator, so there are many streaks in the movie from geostationary satellites. (Update: A new movie from Jäger shows even more satellites including one satellite flare.)

Discovered in Dec. 2018 by Japanese amateur astronomer Masayuki Iwamoto, this comet is a visitor from beyond the Kuiper Belt. It comes from the realm of Extreme Trans-Neptunian Objects (ETNOs) more than 5 times as far from the sun as Pluto. This means it could be a relative of other ETNOS such as Sedna, 2012 VP113 ("Biden"), and 2015 TG387 ("Goblin").
Comet Iwamoto doesn't visit us very often. Following a highly elliptical 1371-year orbit, its last passage through the inner solar system was around 648 AD (unrecorded), and its next won't happen until 3390 AD. Therefore, if you want to see the comet, now is the time to look.


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/08feb19/orbits_strip.png)


Above: Click to view an interactive 3D orbit of Comet Iwamoto, courtesy of NASA/JPL

Shining with an astronomical magnitude of +6.5, the comet is invisible to the unaided eye. Nevertheless, it will be an easy target for backyard telescopes in the nights ahead as it glides through the constellation Leo the Lion high in the midnight sky. If you have a GOTO telescope, use this ephemeris to point your optics--and submit your images here.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 10, 2019, 04:43:23 PM
That link doesn't appear to go where it should.

:whuaat: ???

Nothing like fake flaming balls of death to get the crowd excited. Then when they really come you can be Chicken Little.

My Bad....Hand and Brain aren't working together.  Fixed now.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 10, 2019, 04:46:01 PM
Dirty snowballs......... Tuesday and Wednesday.




Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 10, 2019, 04:58:14 PM
Thanks for fixing that TL!  I still think it's crazy but that's just me.

I don't know if we're going to be able to see that comet from our side of the world if its in Virgo. Maybe close to sunrise.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 14, 2019, 05:00:37 PM
THE SOLAR WIND IS HERE:


Earth's polar magnetic field is unsettled today, Feb. 14th, as our planet passes through a stream of solar wind blowing faster than 500 km/s. The gaseous material is coming from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 14, 2019, 05:03:12 PM
BIG ACTIVITY ON THE SUN: A gigantic filament of plasma is dancing along the northwestern edge of the sun, rising more than 150,000 km above the solar surface. How large is that? It's fully 1/10th of the sun's diameter and almost a dozen times taller than our entire planet. Click to view a 2-day movie from NASA's Solar Dynamic Observatory:

 Plasma Burst  (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/14feb19/20190214152624_512_aia_0304.mp4?PHPSESSID=td71b9bc2363qhu6mo5s36atc7)

This is called a "hedgerow prominence." Hot glowing plasma inside the structure is held aloft by unstable magnetic fields. If the magnetic support collapses, plasma can fall back to the solar surface, exploding in a Hyder flare--a type of solar flare that can occur with no underlying sunspot.

NASA and Japanese space telescopes have taken high resolution images of similar prominences and seen some amazing things such as (1) tadpole-shaped plumes that float up from the base of the prominence; (2) narrow streams of plasma that descend from the top like waterfalls; and (3) swirls and vortices that resemble van Gogh's Starry Night.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on February 14, 2019, 07:06:57 PM
THE SOLAR WIND IS HERE:


Earth's polar magnetic field is unsettled today, Feb. 14th, as our planet passes through a stream of solar wind blowing faster than 500 km/s. The gaseous material is coming from a southern hole in the sun's atmosphere. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras.

Sorry dude! It was the pork rinds, it'll pass in a few days.
 :whuaat:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 15, 2019, 03:53:16 AM
Well, that certainly explains it clearly
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 16, 2019, 11:43:02 AM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2019/02/opportunity-mars-rover-shadow-e1550101929174.jpg)

The Mars Opportunity rover, built to last 90 days, has ended its mission after 15 years on the red planet. (https://earthsky.org/space/mars-opportunity-rover-ends-mission-feb2019)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 16, 2019, 11:51:04 AM
Just read about this elsewhere tis amazing when you think about it, first predictions of 90 days and after fifteen years it was still going before it went belly up.

:thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 16, 2019, 12:30:07 PM
I think Marvin the Martian kept fixing it (http://thefantasiescastle.com/storage-shed/Gif-Storage-Locker/Gifs%2010_31_09/Toon_PDT_06.gif)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 16, 2019, 03:15:35 PM
:tearlaugh: Maybe
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 18, 2019, 03:20:03 PM
Kind of seems like someone did, didn't it? Either way that's a long time for a piece of equipment like that on THAT planet with a lot of dust to just keep going, and going. Maybe they'll find him one day and make him work again!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 19, 2019, 12:16:55 PM
Could work for sure Ray.....with the advances being made in deployment of these Bots why not have a Repair Bot.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 19, 2019, 01:18:57 PM
I was speaking more of when humans go to Mars.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 19, 2019, 04:30:57 PM
Wouldn't need the ol Rover then......Would we..... :shrug:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 19, 2019, 05:21:35 PM
Wouldn't need the ol Rover then......Would we..... :shrug:


Why not? We take soil samples here on earth all the time. It can be left to do work that a human doesn't have to do.

Even if not for that, some of it's parts could be used to cannibalize and build other things, like those solar panels.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 19, 2019, 07:33:08 PM
(http://en.es-static.us/upl/2019/02/opportunity-mars-rover-shadow-e1550101929174.jpg)
The Mars Opportunity rover, built to last 90 days, has ended its mission after 15 years on the red planet. (https://earthsky.org/space/mars-opportunity-rover-ends-mission-feb2019)


The little rover that could...…


Now, if I could get a computer to last 15 years....   :sure:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 20, 2019, 10:17:44 AM
LOLOL......I totally agree RodS.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 20, 2019, 10:18:34 AM
And Ray....The Govt doesn't recycle anything...so that theory is out the door  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 20, 2019, 10:53:16 AM
When push comes to shove, Humans do.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 20, 2019, 02:50:39 PM
There is never any pushing or shoving with the Government LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 20, 2019, 07:57:42 PM

All things are possibilities at this point because it hasn't happened yet. Say, for example:


https://youtu.be/V3L7rgzYJ50
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 09, 2019, 04:19:05 PM
THE CMEs ARE COMING. MAYBE: Earth is about to be sideswiped by a pair of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Maybe. The two solar storm clouds left the sun on March 8th when sunspot AR2734 erupted, producing a C1-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast:

This movie comes from SDO's extreme ultraviolet telescope--hence the strangely beautiful colors.

The explosion and its ultraviolet afterglow lasted for more than an hour. Such long-duration flares are notorious for producing "solar tsunamis" and CMEs. Indeed, in the global movie, below, a shadowy shockwave may be seen billowing away from the blast site like a ripple in a giant pond. That wave hurled two faint coronal mass ejections (CMEs) into space.
NOAA analysts have modeled the eruption and reached the following conclusions: On March 11th, one CME will pass just behind Earth while the other passes just in front. Both could deliver glancing blows to our planet's magnetic field. Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible when Earth splits the gap between these two solar storm clouds.

 Image  (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/08mar19/c1flare1024_anim.gif?PHPSESSID=qegercaoan9tm7bh7s5q6q7dl1)

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/08mar19/c1flare1024_anim.gif?PHPSESSID=qegercaoan9tm7bh7s5q6q7dl1)


In recent months, geomagnetic storms have been caused mainly by streams of solar wind flowing from holes in the sun's atmosphere. CMEs tend to be more effective instigators of geomagnetic storms and auroras. This is because of intense shocks and strong magnetic fields CMEs often contain.

There's no guarantee these CMEs will hit Earth. Just in case, Arctic sky watchers should be alert for bright lights on Monday night
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on March 09, 2019, 04:32:18 PM
Keep an eye out for a few earthquakes of some magnitude as well.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 09, 2019, 04:33:19 PM
No doubt
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 20, 2019, 04:53:47 PM
THE FULL WORM MOON:

According to folklore, tonight's full Moon has a special name--the Worm Moon. It signals the coming of northern spring, thawing earth, and the first stirrings of earthworms in long-dormant gardens. Step outside tonight and behold the wakening landscape. "Worm moonlight" is prettier than it sounds.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 20, 2019, 04:55:17 PM
EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR FLARE: New sunspot AR2736 is growing rapidly in the sun's northern hemisphere: movie. This morning at 1118 UT, it announced itself with a C4-class solar flare. The sunspot is inset in this extreme ultraviolet image of the explosion from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/20mar19/c4flare.jpg?PHPSESSID=o8t55d7ef65q5j2j0pbp4kju56)

The Earth-directed explosion sent minor waves of ionization rippling through Earth's upper atmosphere and caused a shortwave radio "brownout" over southern parts of Europe and all of Africa. Anomalies in radio propagation at frequencies below 20 MHz might have been noticed by, e.g., mariners and ham radio operators.

The explosion also hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. First-look images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) suggest that the CME is not heading directly for Earth. However, a glancing blow is possible on March 22nd or 23rd. If the CME does hit our planet's magnetic field--still a big IF--minor (G1) to moderate (G2) geomagnetic storms are possible.

NOAA analysts are modeling the shape and trajectory of the CME, and they will assess the likehood of an impact leter today
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 20, 2019, 05:35:55 PM
Keep an eye out for a few earthquakes of some magnitude as well.

I wonder if this has anything to do with the actions going on lately with Earthquakes....

PS....A glancing blow of the G1 or G2 CME it seems "J"...... Luckily......or at least it is now....unless they come up with new info...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 21, 2019, 06:02:29 PM
BIG SUNSPOT: Two days ago, sunspot AR2736 didn't exist. Now the rapidly-growing active region (movie) stretches across more than 100,000 km of the solar surface and contains multiple dark cores larger than Earth. Moreover, it has a complicated magnetic field that is crackling with C-class solar flares. The sunspot is inset in this magnetic map of the sun from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/21mar19/ar2736.jpg?PHPSESSID=bqcks0su63sa2rsgmdpe811hu4)

Sunspots are islands of magnetism floating on the surface of the sun. Most sunspots, like most magnets, have two poles + (N) and - (S). Sunspot ARorio2736, however, has multiple poles with areas of + and - jostling against one another. This is why the sunspot is crackling with flares. Magnetic field lines of opposing polarity criss-cross and explode--a process known as magnetic reconnection.

In the grand scheme of space weather, C-class solar flares are not considered to be major events. However, these explosions are noteworthy now because the sun has recently been so quiet. Solar Minimum is underway. In context, C-flares represent a real uptick in solar activity. They can ionize the top of Earth's atmosphere, disturb shortwave radio communications, and even hurl CMEs toward Earth. Indeed, one is heading our way now.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 21, 2019, 06:03:12 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WARNING: NOAA forecasters say that moderate G2-class geomagnetic storms are possible on March 23rd when a coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. The solar storm cloud was hurled in our direction by an explosion in the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2736 on March 20th. During G2-class storms, auroras may be seen in northern-tier US states as far south as New York and Idaho.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 22, 2019, 01:46:24 PM
Just read about that in my News......  They say we may see some of the auroras.  We shall wait and see I reckon.   Our luck here on seeing anything of late has been for the birds.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: parkdalegardener on March 23, 2019, 08:23:31 AM
If you want a look and you can't see anything this evening due to light pollution or overcast skies; you could always try this http://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/astronomy/auroramax/hd-480.asp
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 23, 2019, 09:20:11 AM
Well now....another bookmark added to my folders......  Super cool place and a great alternative.....

Thanks PDG......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: parkdalegardener on March 23, 2019, 02:04:28 PM
Any time.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 05, 2019, 07:20:32 PM
SPACE WEATHER PROBES SHATTER GPS RECORD: NASA's MMS probes, which use GPS signals to orbit Earth in tight formation, have just shattered the record for long-distance GPS navigation. The four probes recently located themselves 116,300 miles above Earth's surface, surprising experts who once thought that GPS could function no higher than about 22,000 miles.

"When we began the mission, we had no idea high-altitude GPS would be such a robust capability," says Trevor Williams, the MMS flight dynamics lead at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.


(https://eos.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/mms_NASA_EVox-800x600.jpg)


Above: an artist's concept of the 4 MMS spacecraft

MMS, short for "Magnetospheric Multiscale," is a constellation of 4 spacecraft launched in 2015. They are on a mission to study magnetic explosions in our planet's magnetosphere. High above Earth where the magnetic field is buffeted by solar wind, magnetic lines of force criss-cross, reconnect and—Bang! Magnetic energy is unleashed, with charged-particles flying off near the speed of light. The process is called "magnetic reconnection, and it serves as a power source for geomagnetic storms.

To study the inner physics of reconnection, the MMS probes must fly in precise formation, as close as 10 km apart, so that they can sample particles and fields inside the tight reconnection zone. With the aid of GPS, the fleet maintain formation with an accuracy of only 100 meters, which is crucial to their measurements.

GPS satellites are not designed to assist spacecraft. They focus their radio energy on Earth where we use the signals for terrestrial navigation. So how do the MMS probes do it? The answer is "side lobes." This diagram shows a simplified but typical GPS antenna pattern:


(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/05apr19/side_lobe_diagram_strip.jpg)


All GPS antennas allow a little bit of radio energy to leak out in unwanted directions through side lobes. Receivers on the MMS probes tap into the leaked signal and use it to locate themselves. The first time MMS attempted navigation at the extremes of its orbit, the satellites had as many as 12 GPS fixes, each requiring signals from four GPS satellites. Not bad for a "leak."

This type of navigation could reach all the way to the Moon. NASA analysts have run simulations suggesting that all six international GPS-like constellations (collectively known as GNSS) when working together could guide spacecraft in lunar orbit 238,000 miles from Earth. NASA is even considering adding GPS navigation to its proposed Gateway outpost, a space station for the Moon.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 05, 2019, 07:22:16 PM
SOLAR ECLIPSE ON MARS: When NASA's Curiosity rover landed on Mars in 2012, it brought along eclipse glasses. The solar filters on its Mast Camera (Mastcam) allow it to stare directly at the sun. On March 26th, the rover witnessed a distinctly Martian solar eclipse:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/05apr19/eclipse_strip.gif)


These images show the Martian moon Phobos crossing the sun over a period of about 35 seconds. Measuring only 25 km across, Phobos has an irregular silhouette that fails to blot out the entire solar disk. Nevertheless, Curiosity was able to see the moon's shadow sweeping across the landscape.

Fun fact: Phobos is doomed. Phobos orbits so close to Mars - about 5800 kilometers above the surface compared to 400,000 kilometers for our Moon - that gravitational tidal forces are dragging it down. The ultimate result will be for Phobos to break up in orbit and then crash down onto the Martian surface in about 50 million years.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 06, 2019, 02:04:11 AM
I think Deimos and Phobos both are most likely pieces of Mars that got blown off when it's top portion was blown away. Phobos will 'return home' one day.  :sure:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 06, 2019, 02:24:11 AM
I think Deimos and Phobos both are most likely pieces of Mars that got blown off when it's top portion was blown away. Phobos will 'return home' one day.  :sure:
According to some astronomers, Phobos and Deimos are captured asteroids; most likely related to each other in composition. They have determined that as Phobos orbit decays, Deimos orbit is increasing in distance from Mars, and before Phobos finally falls onto Mars, Deimos will escape the gravitational influence of Mars. But that is so far into the future we'll never see it happen. In that amount of time, anything can happen, as far as other influences in the Solar System go.


It is now known that Luna, the Moon of Earth is also getting farther away from its planetary companion. Someday in the distant future Luna may escape Earth's gravitational influence.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 12:47:40 PM
According to some astronomers, Phobos and Deimos are captured asteroids; most likely related to each other in composition. They have determined that as Phobos orbit decays, Deimos orbit is increasing in distance from Mars, and before Phobos finally falls onto Mars, Deimos will escape the gravitational influence of Mars. But that is so far into the future we'll never see it happen. In that amount of time, anything can happen, as far as other influences in the Solar System go.


It is now known that Luna, the Moon of Earth is also getting farther away from its planetary companion. Someday in the distant future Luna may escape Earth's gravitational influence.


They also think asteroids are 'dirty snowballs' and all the close up pictures we have gotten so far of asteroids show otherwise.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 12:49:53 PM
Has anyone seen the announcement that we are supposedly going to see the very first image of a black hole (Sag A to be precise) on Wednesday, April 10th?

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 12:54:23 PM
I agree with that Ray....Hard to change the minds of those that think their mind is the only mind that can figure things out.

The guy out in a open field with a telescope can see more than a scientist with a a billion dollar telescope and a closed mind and .
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 01:49:12 PM
I agree with that Ray....Hard to change the minds of those that think their mind is the only mind that can figure things out.

The guy out in a open field with a telescope can see more than a scientist with a a billion dollar telescope and a closed mind and .


Well yes, if that backyard mind is open to seeing something different than their perceived 'reality' ...... :winks:

They are apparently still processing the image or receiving it. I don't know which, because in the article they were talking about 'what they expected to see'. It's as if they haven't even seen it yet.

The Martian moons: As I recall, one of them - Deimos or Phobos is shaped rather similarly to Comet Chury (67P?) and the recently observed 'double lobed' Ultima Thule. There are a few others that look like that, as well. Ergo, I can see the temptation to say they are 'captured asteroids'.

However, there are a few other considerations of more plausible explanations as to how they got that shape, since that shape can be created in the laboratory. As I recall as well, there IS evidence on this planet that we were once upon a time, heavily bombarded by 'rocks from Mars' historically. And then there's the Mars/Nergal 'mythology' with it's very own interesting sets of parameters described that really don't make much sense, unless you take them into this 'realm' of looking at them.   

Is there even a difference between a comet and an asteroid? They don't know. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 02:16:45 PM
I don't think they HAVE "Seen it" yet.....

Ultima Thule is still mind blowing....

Don't know if you've ever been to the site below,  but this is a awesome place I try to visit a couple times a month.

What's the difference between a Comet and a Asteroid? (https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-s-difference-between-comet-asteroid-ncna925576)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 02:19:55 PM
Has anyone seen the announcement that we are supposedly going to see the very first image of a black hole (Sag A to be precise) on Wednesday, April 10th?



Read about it here:  First Ever Photo of Black Hole (https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/first-ever-photo-black-hole-may-be-coming-within-days-ncna990716)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 07, 2019, 02:39:18 PM
Looking forward to this event
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 03:49:42 PM
I don't think they HAVE "Seen it" yet.....

Ultima Thule is still mind blowing....

Don't know if you've ever been to the site below,  but this is a awesome place I try to visit a couple times a month.

What's the difference between a Comet and a Asteroid? (https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/what-s-difference-between-comet-asteroid-ncna925576)



A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star; astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides". Meteorites vary greatly in size. For geologists, a bolide is a meteorite large enough to create an impact crater. 

*****

Meteorites have traditionally been divided into three broad categories: stony meteorites that are rocks, mainly composed of silicate minerals; iron meteorites that are largely composed of metallic iron-nickel; and stony-iron meteorites that contain large amounts of both metallic and rocky material. Modern classification schemes divide meteorites into groups according to their structure, chemical and isotopic composition and mineralogy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite       (bolding is mine)

Yes, but I have to ask: if what is said above is true and either a comet or an asteroid will leave one of these 3 types of material, how do they know if it came from a comet or an asteroid? Doesn't this kind of dispute the definition of a comet as being a 'dirty snowball' composed of ice and gases? Where's the 'beef'? (metal)

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 03:53:59 PM
Don't you love those "Where's the Beef" moments.  Gotta love Wiki though....but I always second source everything LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 04:01:54 PM
Well, there is this:

https://www.crystalinks.com/meteors.html

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 04:09:00 PM
LOLOL..... Here I am trying to trim my bookmarks and now I add another one..... :thud:  :mwah:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 04:40:55 PM
I've gone to Crystalinks for years - when I remember. I find them to be reasonably written and presented. I haven't caught them in anything I know to be fallacious, yet. That being said, I certainly don't know everything, but I trust their articles.

You know finding alternate sources is easy when one types "******* definition" into your search parameters. You get at least 3-4 definitions if not more, and if they all say pretty much the same thing - you're good. :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 07, 2019, 05:17:52 PM
Looks to be a good place for info...will explore it more.

Yup on the Search parameters.  I have fun with searches.....

Duck Duck Go has been great....


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 07, 2019, 08:51:09 PM

They also think asteroids are 'dirty snowballs' and all the close up pictures we have gotten so far of asteroids show otherwise.
I'm not subscribing to the dirty snowball theory; not even for comets.  What scientists think something is made of is so often being proven wrong, I choose to take the wait and see attitude.


We have already seen some things on a comet that scientists thought could not exist on such a body. In fact, the comet that a probe was crashed into (or more accurately a controlled crash landing), wound up actually having its own weather, it was double lobed, and the ice or snow they thought would be there was not present. That mission posed more questions than it answered. Then there was the probe that was sent and parked next to an asteroid, and it proved to have some peculiar and mysterious features, such as the bright spots that seem to actually emit light. Again, it was a mission that posed more questions than it answered. Subsequent scrutiny of other asteroids revealed that they too have bright spots; and this includes a couple of the ones now deemed Dwarf Planets, like for instance Ceres.


It should not be so surprising to the scientific community that these objects are not as much ice as they thought. When we get meteorites hitting Earth, they have hardly any evidence at all of ice being in their composition. So I think it wise to wait until a good physical investigation reveals real results.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 07, 2019, 08:57:23 PM
Has anyone seen the announcement that we are supposedly going to see the very first image of a black hole (Sag A to be precise) on Wednesday, April 10th?
I have. I will be watching to see how that turns out. I don't think we'll see the actual black hole itself, but what we will see is the effects on all the matter near it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 07, 2019, 10:02:55 PM

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon. When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors such as friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy. It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star; astronomers call the brightest examples "bolides". Meteorites vary greatly in size. For geologists, a bolide is a meteorite large enough to create an impact crater. 

*****

Meteorites have traditionally been divided into three broad categories: stony meteorites that are rocks, mainly composed of silicate minerals; iron meteorites that are largely composed of metallic iron-nickel; and stony-iron meteorites that contain large amounts of both metallic and rocky material. Modern classification schemes divide meteorites into groups according to their structure, chemical and isotopic composition and mineralogy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteorite)       (bolding is mine)

Yes, but I have to ask: if what is said above is true and either a comet or an asteroid will leave one of these 3 types of material, how do they know if it came from a comet or an asteroid? Doesn't this kind of dispute the definition of a comet as being a 'dirty snowball' composed of ice and gases? Where's the 'beef'? (metal)
When I was just 8 years old, a small meteorite fell into the back field behind our apartment building. I watched it fall and Mom did too. We both went out to where it had fallen and there was the most small crater, no more than a yard wide, not really circular in shape. Right in the center was a small stone made mostly of metal, and what we thought was steam coming off of it. It was not steam, however. It was condensation that was freezing on the stone as we watched, and the outer layer of moisture in the air was settling to the ground visibly. I did not understand that at first, which is why I was too quick to try picking the stone up. It was really cold, and I had to jerk my hand away. Mom asked me what was wrong. I said it was very cold. Well after a couple of hours it had warmed up enough to pick up, and I put it in a large matchbox, like the ones that have kitchen matches in them.


Mom and I went to the local library and looked for information on meteorites. There was a special section in what we found that dealt with the smallest rocks to reach the ground, and the description was surprisingly exactly like what we witnessed.


I kept that little meteorite for thirty or more years, and then it was stolen.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 10:15:55 PM
I'm not subscribing to the dirty snowball theory; not even for comets.  What scientists think something is made of is so often being proven wrong, I choose to take the wait and see attitude.


We have already seen some things on a comet that scientists thought could not exist on such a body. In fact, the comet that a probe was crashed into (or more accurately a controlled crash landing), wound up actually having its own weather, it was double lobed, and the ice or snow they thought would be there was not present. That mission posed more questions than it answered. Then there was the probe that was sent and parked next to an asteroid, and it proved to have some peculiar and mysterious features, such as the bright spots that seem to actually emit light. Again, it was a mission that posed more questions than it answered. Subsequent scrutiny of other asteroids revealed that they too have bright spots; and this includes a couple of the ones now deemed Dwarf Planets, like for instance Ceres.


It should not be so surprising to the scientific community that these objects are not as much ice as they thought. When we get meteorites hitting Earth, they have hardly any evidence at all of ice being in their composition. So I think it wise to wait until a good physical investigation reveals real results.


Glad to hear that! :smiley: That was Comet 67P I was speaking of above. The probe was called Philemon. Definitely rocky and it was outgasing from the inside, not because it was 'melting' ice blowing off as it traveled. Yes, it definitely left more questions than it answered!

Um....why would there be evidence of ice in their composition? They just burnt up on their way in through the atmosphere? Became a fireball. Would there be some sort of residue to tell?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 10:19:15 PM
I have. I will be watching to see how that turns out. I don't think we'll see the actual black hole itself, but what we will see is the effects on all the matter near it.

Hard to tell what we'll see, if anything.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 07, 2019, 10:32:49 PM

Glad to hear that! :smiley: That was Comet 67P I was speaking of above. The probe was called Philemon. Definitely rocky and it was outgasing from the inside, not because it was 'melting' ice blowing off as it traveled. Yes, it definitely left more questions than it answered!

Um....why would there be evidence of ice in their composition? They just burnt up on their way in through the atmosphere? Became a fireball. Would there be some sort of residue to tell?
From what I gather even water leave a signature the radio-isotopic analysis should be able to detect. Also most that reach the ground are colder than you might think due to the cold vacuum of space. Witness my comment about my mom and I.  We just happened to be in the right place at the right time for that experience. It was what got me so interested in Astronomy. I was in the libraries almost every day for years learning all I could find. The Meteorite may have started my interest, but it was the beauty in space that enthralled me, and kept me coming back for more. Needless to say, I never made a bad grade in that part of science.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 07, 2019, 10:35:59 PM
When I was just 8 years old, a small meteorite fell into the back field behind our apartment building. I watched it fall and Mom did too. We both went out to where it had fallen and there was the most small crater, no more than a yard wide, not really circular in shape. Right in the center was a small stone made mostly of metal, and what we thought was steam coming off of it. It was not steam, however. It was condensation that was freezing on the stone as we watched, and the outer layer of moisture in the air was settling to the ground visibly. I did not understand that at first, which is why I was too quick to try picking the stone up. It was really cold, and I had to jerk my hand away. Mom asked me what was wrong. I said it was very cold. Well after a couple of hours it had warmed up enough to pick up, and I put it in a large matchbox, like the ones that have kitchen matches in them.


Mom and I went to the local library and looked for information on meteorites. There was a special section in what we found that dealt with the smallest rocks to reach the ground, and the description was surprisingly exactly like what we witnessed.


I kept that little meteorite for thirty or more years, and then it was stolen.

That was a once a lifetime thing! Cool. I did find something at a link that is longer than my arm (not really but it's looooong) at Cornell.edu

It says:

Many astronomers believe that small rocks hitting the ground should not be hot. In a Science@NASA article about the recent fireball over Pennsylvania, written by Tony Phillips, the planetary scientist Don Yeomans is quoted as saying,"Rocky asteroids are poor conductors of heat. Their central regions remain cool even as the hot outer layers are ablated away... Small rocky meteorites found immediately after landing will not be hot to the touch."

Only one issue: you say yours was metal, not rock?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 08, 2019, 01:02:12 AM
That was a once a lifetime thing! Cool. I did find something at a link that is longer than my arm (not really but it's looooong) at Cornell.edu

It says:

Many astronomers believe that small rocks hitting the ground should not be hot. In a Science@NASA article about the recent fireball over Pennsylvania, written by Tony Phillips, the planetary scientist Don Yeomans is quoted as saying,"Rocky asteroids are poor conductors of heat. Their central regions remain cool even as the hot outer layers are ablated away... Small rocky meteorites found immediately after landing will not be hot to the touch."

Only one issue: you say yours was metal, not rock?
What I said was that it was mostly metal. That could have been the way it looked due to the smelting of the outer layer from passing through the atmosphere. Sometimes rock can appear metallic if it has been blasted by high temperatures. Of course that would depend on the type of rock it is. I suspect that it had a fair amount of metal in it, but maybe it had only a small amount? I do know it was cold when I first touched it. I never did cut into it or try to break it open to see what the interior was like. I wanted it to remain intact, just the way we found it. The stone was about 3 or 4 inches across on the long axis, in the rough shape of an egg. Its surface was kind of worn down rough, no sharp points. The color was a kind of metallic dark grey with tiny areas of a fairly dark rusty color.


When it hit, it threw up a small amount of sandy Earth. I'd say the angle of the impact was about 15 degrees off the vertical from my viewpoint. The trail of fire was a very light yellowish orange, and if it left a smoke trail, we could not see it. After all it was around 8:00 PM when it fell, a good bit after Sunset.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 08, 2019, 01:07:28 AM
By the way, we were living in Charleston S.C. at the time of the meteorite incident.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 08, 2019, 06:04:32 AM
Read about it here:  First Ever Photo of Black Hole (https://www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/first-ever-photo-black-hole-may-be-coming-within-days-ncna990716)

One of the first statements in that article jumps out to me to be further proof that all this 'black hole' nonsense is just that....Nonsense!

(We've seen countless illustrations and simulations of black holes in recent years but never an actual close-up photo of one.)

We have up to this point been led to believe that black holes are real, yet Hawking disputed his own math on the existence of black holes. How do we know that these new images are not yet another lie? We don't.
 :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 08, 2019, 01:11:21 PM
Very true.....but it's got me sitting on the edge of my seat.....LOLOLOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 08, 2019, 02:33:36 PM
Very true.....but it's got me sitting on the edge of my seat.....LOLOLOLOLOL

So does dredzilla!
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 08, 2019, 08:34:15 PM
:o_go_on:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 09, 2019, 04:49:23 PM
What I said was that it was mostly metal. That could have been the way it looked due to the smelting of the outer layer from passing through the atmosphere. Sometimes rock can appear metallic if it has been blasted by high temperatures. Of course that would depend on the type of rock it is. I suspect that it had a fair amount of metal in it, but maybe it had only a small amount? I do know it was cold when I first touched it. I never did cut into it or try to break it open to see what the interior was like. I wanted it to remain intact, just the way we found it. The stone was about 3 or 4 inches across on the long axis, in the rough shape of an egg. Its surface was kind of worn down rough, no sharp points. The color was a kind of metallic dark grey with tiny areas of a fairly dark rusty color.


When it hit, it threw up a small amount of sandy Earth. I'd say the angle of the impact was about 15 degrees off the vertical from my viewpoint. The trail of fire was a very light yellowish orange, and if it left a smoke trail, we could not see it. After all it was around 8:00 PM when it fell, a good bit after Sunset.

A friend of mine showed me two small iron meteorites he had. He then showed me how if he wet his thumb and index finger with spit and rubbed them on the meteorites, the 'bled'. They actually do. It turns a blood red oxide color and it will transfer onto your skin. You could theoretically paint your face with it. It stays on for a couple of days. When they're dry, they just look like little slate grey rocks of satiny looking iron (maybe an inch and a half around).

The dark rusty color on yours would have been an indication of some iron bits in there.

I have a tektite that I got at a rock shop. Tektites are a glass that is supposed to be 'splatter' from meteorite impacts. I guess they're considered semi-precious stones. It was thrown into a rock tumbler long ago, so don't really remember what the outside looked like. Polished, it's smooth, black and satiny shiny. Maybe an inch and a quarter long and 1/2" wide. It's pretty hard because I remember we ended up having to tumble it through two batches of rocks to to get THAT. A good cutter could likely get several cabuchons out of it.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 09, 2019, 04:51:15 PM
I'm just going to wait and see what there is to see. Speculation at this point is futile.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 09, 2019, 05:09:53 PM
A friend of mine showed me two small iron meteorites he had. He then showed me how if he wet his thumb and index finger with spit and rubbed them on the meteorites, the 'bled'. They actually do. It turns a blood red oxide color and it will transfer onto your skin. You could theoretically paint your face with it. It stays on for a couple of days. When they're dry, they just look like little slate grey rocks of satiny looking iron (maybe an inch and a half around).

The dark rusty color on yours would have been an indication of some iron bits in there.

I have a tektite that I got at a rock shop. Tektites are a glass that is supposed to be 'splatter' from meteorite impacts. I guess they're considered semi-precious stones. It was thrown into a rock tumbler long ago, so don't really remember what the outside looked like. Polished, it's smooth, black and satiny shiny. Maybe an inch and a quarter long and 1/2" wide. It's pretty hard because I remember we ended up having to tumble it through two batches of rocks to to get THAT. A good cutter could likely get several cabuchons out of it.
We went to a museum in Texas, can't recall what city, but might have been Houston or near there. They had a collection of meteorites, and quite a few tectites. Some of each had been cut open, and I got to see the a variety of each's interiors.


I learned at that time that certain meteorites found in the Mexico through Texas and Arizona area and a bit farther north were magnetized. I think the name for those is magnetite. The small ones I was allowed to hold would pick up a stainless steel spoon or fork. Rather strong little magnets. Never learned how they gained to magnetic properties, but I know they had to be mostly iron in composition.


That was a very interesting trip for a 16 year old.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 09, 2019, 05:42:56 PM
Magnetite is ferrous oxide mineral mined here on Earth. It's FE3O4
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 09, 2019, 05:59:01 PM
Magnetite is ferrous oxide mineral mined here on Earth. It's FE3O4
Thanks for that info, Rayvn. In that case, I don't know what magnetized meteorites are called.


Hold a bit, looking it up...


Well my research comes up empty. Perhaps you can find it better than I?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 09, 2019, 06:34:42 PM
Thanks for that info, Rayvn. In that case, I don't know what magnetized meteorites are called.


Hold a bit, looking it up...


Well my research comes up empty. Perhaps you can find it better than I?


Magnetite may have been what he had but didn't know what it was and assumed he knew??? Ya'll may have been 'put on'  by the guide, owner or whomever. Which is weird because magnetite is a crystalline structure, predominantly. It does have other things in it as a matrix, but visually crystalline structure.

Chondrite (iron) meteorites can be detected by magnets but are not magnets in themselves.

My search was "can meteorites be magnetized?"

I got this:

http://www.meteorites.wustl.edu/id/magnetic.htm
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 09, 2019, 06:37:51 PM
Magnetite is also known as 'loadstone' because of the ability to expose it to magnets and magnetize it. It's structure is apparently 'di-polar', so it can both repel and attract.  Not from the same end, obviously. Lol. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 09, 2019, 08:56:05 PM
Magnetite is also known as 'loadstone' because of the ability to expose it to magnets and magnetize it. It's structure is apparently 'di-polar', so it can both repel and attract.  Not from the same end, obviously. Lol.

Wow, that's exactly like my sister Lora Ann. A whole chicken is attracted to her mouth and repelled out the other end! Sooooo....she's a loadstone???
 :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 09, 2019, 09:03:24 PM
That is certainly a "film at eleven" I don't want to see
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 09, 2019, 09:45:18 PM
That is certainly a "film at eleven" I don't want to see

Oh come now, you know you wanna!
 :pervy:

Fits right in with the black hole theory.
 :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 09, 2019, 10:22:18 PM

Magnetite may have been what he had but didn't know what it was and assumed he knew??? Ya'll may have been 'put on'  by the guide, owner or whomever. Which is weird because magnetite is a crystalline structure, predominantly. It does have other things in it as a matrix, but visually crystalline structure.

Chondrite (iron) meteorites can be detected by magnets but are not magnets in themselves.

My search was "can meteorites be magnetized?"

I got this:

http://www.meteorites.wustl.edu/id/magnetic.htm (http://www.meteorites.wustl.edu/id/magnetic.htm)
So this article is saying iron/nickle meteorites cannot be magnets, however there is no reason in the article that explains why. If I may hazard a guess, I would say the most likely reason would be that the heat generated by the fall through the atmosphere might demagnetize such a meteorite? But if that is the case, how is it that the Earth's core generates the planet's own magnetic field? The core is known to be under extreme pressure and heat, and is at least partially in a molten state.


There are lots of things in space that have yet to be discovered, so I will take the wait and see position. We just may be delivered a big surprise on this as well.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 09, 2019, 11:00:01 PM
Wow, that's exactly like my sister Lora Ann. A whole chicken is attracted to her mouth and repelled out the other end! Sooooo....she's a loadstone???
 :OMFG:
Where's the giant tear laugh emoji? That is so funny!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 12:48:37 AM
So this article is saying iron/nickle meteorites cannot be magnets, however there is no reason in the article that explains why. If I may hazard a guess, I would say the most likely reason would be that the heat generated by the fall through the atmosphere might demagnetize such a meteorite? But if that is the case, how is it that the Earth's core generates the planet's own magnetic field? The core is known to be under extreme pressure and heat, and is at least partially in a molten state.


There are lots of things in space that have yet to be discovered, so I will take the wait and see position. We just may be delivered a big surprise on this as well.


In order for something to be magnetized, it has to be exposed to a magnetic field. Since the Earth is not only in the Heliosphere, the meteorites are in the Heliosphere and so is the Earth's *note* Electro-Magnetic-Field (EMF) I don't know that answer. Maybe something cancels something else out. 

The Heliosphere is an EMF and it has an electrical connection to several of our system neighbors via Birkland Currents. Not Mars, and so it's theorized it has a dead core. Not sure how they'll deal with that. Maybe it's not dead. Don't know.

What's an easy way to tell what's connected - presumably? Which ones have auroral displays? Earth, Jupiter, Saturn for certain. We can see them. Pluto is even within the Heliosphere. That is the electrical connection at our poles and it's what generates our (Earth's) own electro-magnetic field that protects us from CMES and other solar preturbations. That electricity goes through the poles. The EMF of Jupiter goes past Earth, so we are in yet another EMF. As I said, maybe they cancel one another out, somehow. All those fields might cause the magnetic 'domains' to become discombobulated and out of whack. When they are out of whack, you couldn't magnetize anything and it weakens the magnetic potential in the objects that are magnetized. Do it enough times, it may become de-magnetized.

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 12:53:11 AM
Wow, that's exactly like my sister Lora Ann. A whole chicken is attracted to her mouth and repelled out the other end! Sooooo....she's a loadstone???
 :OMFG:


Such a talented family!! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 10, 2019, 03:39:14 AM

In order for something to be magnetized, it has to be exposed to a magnetic field. Since the Earth is not only in the Heliosphere, the meteorites are in the Heliosphere and so is the Earth's *note* Electro-Magnetic-Field (EMF) I don't know that answer. Maybe something cancels something else out. 

The Heliosphere is an EMF and it has an electrical connection to several of our system neighbors via Birkland Currents. Not Mars, and so it's theorized it has a dead core. Not sure how they'll deal with that. Maybe it's not dead. Don't know.

What's an easy way to tell what's connected - presumably? Which ones have auroral displays? Earth, Jupiter, Saturn for certain. We can see them. Pluto is even within the Heliosphere. That is the electrical connection at our poles and it's what generates our (Earth's) own electro-magnetic field that protects us from CMES and other solar preturbations. That electricity goes through the poles. The EMF of Jupiter goes past Earth, so we are in yet another EMF. As I said, maybe they cancel one another out, somehow. All those fields might cause the magnetic 'domains' to become discombobulated and out of whack. When they are out of whack, you couldn't magnetize anything and it weakens the magnetic potential in the objects that are magnetized. Do it enough times, it may become de-magnetized.

 
I know the arguments concerning this. At one time I was on the side of mainstream science concerning this and other things, but I have seen many things since that time that make me question the established school of thought. If they can be so wrong about one thing, and another, and another, ad nauseum, who's to say they are not wrong about these things also.


As for magnetics, I have played a lot with magnets, performing experiments and so forth. If the electromagnetic fields of different bodies in Sol System could cancel out the ability for lesser objects to be magnetized, it seems to me that the same would be true on Earth. Physics do not change based on locations, with the possible exception of near a black hole, which we really do not know as much as we think about them. My experience with magnets has shown that magnetism can be spread through ferrous metal objects from one magnet allowing each magnetically attached ferrous object to act as a magnet also. I used thousands of ball bearings to do one of my experiments and a speaker magnet as the main magnet. All of the ball bearings were sharing the magnet's properties, despite the configuration I forced them to take. Introducing a second speaker magnet as a nearby separate object only caused the conglomerate magnet to spin and orient it self along its poles. If anything, a magnet will magnetize other ferrous object over time. My ball bearings exhibited magnetism after being separated from the main magnet.


And that is just one of several experiments sessions I did with magnetism.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 10, 2019, 07:10:35 AM
I'm sorry, but to say that 'physics do not change based on locations, with the possible exception of near a black hole.' is slightly misguided. We have discovered in recent years that physics in space is a strange creature.

Just one of many examples would be a planet composed entirely of carbon. (diamond) We know how diamonds are made. So how do you explain an entire planet made of diamond???

A giant space blob died and got covered by rock and dust until it got so massive the weight & pressure compressed it into a diamond??? That makes as much sense as my right testicle evolving into an entire race of ballchinians.

Magnetic energy is just that...'energy' and we do know that a magnet can indeed loose said energy and become just another paperweight. It is possible that a larger magnetic field can indeed rob a smaller magnetic object of it's energy and thus increase the larger objects magnetic field.
 :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: parkdalegardener on April 10, 2019, 07:56:50 AM
The black hole pics are going live now if anyone is interested.

https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/blackholes/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 10, 2019, 08:38:58 AM
Thank you, my friend. I'll check them out later this morning. Gotta make a trip across the river to 'mothmanville' and will be back later on.
 :java:

Interested to see what they think they have found.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: parkdalegardener on April 10, 2019, 08:43:15 AM
There is a documentary on the whole thing on the Smithsonian Channel this weekend. Multiple showings over multiple days.https://www.smithsonianchannel.com/shows/black-hole-hunters/0/3470276
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 10, 2019, 09:06:02 AM
I'll be watching it....thanks PDG.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 10, 2019, 10:38:18 AM
I'm sorry, but to say that 'physics do not change based on locations, with the possible exception of near a black hole.' is slightly misguided. We have discovered in recent years that physics in space is a strange creature.

Just one of many examples would be a planet composed entirely of carbon. (diamond) We know how diamonds are made. So how do you explain an entire planet made of diamond???

A giant space blob died and got covered by rock and dust until it got so massive the weight & pressure compressed it into a diamond??? That makes as much sense as my right testicle evolving into an entire race of ballchinians.

Magnetic energy is just that...'energy' and we do know that a magnet can indeed loose said energy and become just another paperweight. It is possible that a larger magnetic field can indeed rob a smaller magnetic object of it's energy and thus increase the larger objects magnetic field.
 :java:
Mayhaps I don't know a lot about physics, but I do know that large magnetic fields tend to lend magnetic properties to smaller objects. I also know that certain object might lose their magnetism over time, but their molecular alignment  will usually be preserved unless something happens to disrupt that. At any rate, most iron based metal objects can be magnetized. I know two ways to do this, one is by inducing an electrical current that sets up an electromagnetic field in and around the object. The other is by using existing magnets to magnetize the object. The first is used by industries to move heavy iron, such as is used in junkyards across America. Those can be turned on and off. While the current is flowing, the magnet will pick heavy iron based metals up. When it is interrupted the iron based metal is released. This has been in use for perhaps 3/4 of a century, if not more.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 11:03:39 AM


https://youtu.be/jq8WOUFeCcg
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 10, 2019, 11:24:16 AM
Great vid Ray..... Knew some of it....but not all of it....which is a good thing....Gotta learn something new each day....keeps life interesting LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 12:24:44 PM
Great vid Ray..... Knew some of it....but not all of it....which is a good thing....Gotta learn something new each day....keeps life interesting LOL

I learned more about magnetic domains yesterday than I previously knew. Seeing a diagram with up arrows and down arrows (before) isn't the same as what he did there (today) and it demonstrated it even better so it's completely understandable.

I do try to learn things every day but that doesn't mean I'll remember them. :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 12:26:43 PM
Now I'm wondering if the planetary EMFs have poles.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 10, 2019, 12:38:53 PM
I remember making coffee in the morning......because the coffee pot reminds me.....

All else leaves the mind as quick as it can LOLOL

I'm gonna have to get that stuff made from jellyfish to keep my memory from swimming away....  Oh wait....Jellyfish don't swim.....  Never mind.... :java:


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 12:42:25 PM
Yes, must depend on visual clues.

There's the cat. Oh yeah feed the cat. Water the cat.

Coffee pot. Make coffee. Coffee wake me up! Ugh!

Eyewitness weather! Take umbrella!

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 01:25:52 PM
Stay dry and good luck with doing what you need to do TL!

Well, seen the M87 black hole image. Looks like an orange Halloween glazed cake-doughnut heavily blurred.

That was exciting, so far.

Where's Sag A*?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 10, 2019, 05:29:08 PM

https://youtu.be/jq8WOUFeCcg (https://youtu.be/jq8WOUFeCcg)
Not contradicting what I was saying. These are things I know about magnetism. You can bet that I studied written pieces on Magnetism when I was performing my experiments. That paperclip that he used heat to demagnetize could be magnetized again when it has cooled. After all its still made of the same element it was before it was heated, and all that has to happen is the alignment of the magnetic domains as he calls them. The one thing I did not know in his video was about those magnetic domains. But as you could see in the video, it is really quite simple to get them to align.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 10, 2019, 05:46:28 PM
Now I'm wondering if the planetary EMFs have poles.
Well they would have to, don't you think? I mean if they did not our compasses would not work.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 06:03:23 PM
Not contradicting what I was saying. These are things I know about magnetism. You can bet that I studied written pieces on Magnetism when I was performing my experiments. That paperclip that he used heat to demagnetize could be magnetized again when it has cooled. After all its still made of the same element it was before it was heated, and all that has to happen is the alignment of the magnetic domains as he calls them. The one thing I did not know in his video was about those magnetic domains. But as you could see in the video, it is really quite simple to get them to align.

You asked if perhaps the fall of meteorites through the entry into the atmosphere might demagnetize them. That and the domains were the point.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 10, 2019, 06:12:04 PM
Well they would have to, don't you think? I mean if they did not our compasses would not work.

I don't know. Soon's I learn ta cipher I'm gonna be a Rocket Scientist. 

I believe compasses point at the geo-magnetic pole of the Earth, don't they?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 11, 2019, 12:09:02 AM
I don't know. Soon's I learn ta cipher I'm gonna be a Rocket Scientist. 

I believe compasses point at the geo-magnetic pole of the Earth, don't they?
That would be the poles of the electromagnetic field of the Earth also. The big clue is how energy outbursts from the Sun are channeled to the poles via that electromagnetic field.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 11, 2019, 10:42:12 AM


https://youtu.be/ieW7Hzrr8pw

 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 11, 2019, 11:13:53 AM
Gotta love YouTube....it has an answer for everything..... LOLOL


Thanks for this Ray.....  :yesway: I relearn what I've forgotten each time you put one of these up LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 11, 2019, 12:00:26 PM
You're welcome :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 12, 2019, 11:05:09 AM
Reminds me of the geomagnetic fart derived from a party size bag of pork skins yesterday morning...damn near set my southern pole on fire and generated a killer electromagnetic field!

 :crazysmile:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 12, 2019, 02:19:54 PM
Reminds me of the geomagnetic fart derived from a party size bag of pork skins yesterday morning...damn near set my southern pole on fire and generated a killer electromagnetic field!

 :crazysmile:
DrX, you're a riot! LOLOL


Were the aurora colors awesome  or awful? :tearlaugh::tearlaugh::tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 12, 2019, 03:27:23 PM
DrX, you're a riot! LOLOL


Were the aurora colors awesome  or awful? :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:

Well now, that's kinda like what covers an old ladies bottom. It 'depends' on how ya look at it!
 :java: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 12, 2019, 07:33:14 PM
Reminds me of the geomagnetic fart derived from a party size bag of pork skins yesterday morning...damn near set my southern pole on fire and generated a killer electromagnetic field!

 :crazysmile:

My wife ate those darn things and I'd send her out to the porch when she was done.  She'd come back in earlier then she should and then blame the poor dog on the gas attack :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on April 12, 2019, 08:38:41 PM
Well now, that's kinda like what covers an old ladies bottom. It 'depends' on how ya look at it!
 :java: :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
(http://www.thefantasiesattic.net/attic/Smileys/default/tearlaugh.gif)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: dRaCX on April 12, 2019, 10:24:04 PM

My wife ate those darn things and I'd send her out to the porch when she was done.  She'd come back in earlier then she should and then blame the poor dog on the gas attack :tearlaugh:


My relationship with porkies is kinda like being married to a woman who cooks better in her own mind then she does in reality. Will give ya the shits, gas and hemorrhoids, but you love her anyways.
 :java: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 13, 2019, 09:08:41 AM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:   Yup.....that about sums it up.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 16, 2019, 05:00:14 PM
It seems we now have planet Kepler-47d. The video below was made before this discovery, but you can see an artist's concept of the system.

https://www.space.com/third-alien-planet-in-tatooine-system-kepler-47.html



https://youtu.be/_0aZeqnCo8Q
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 18, 2019, 11:44:34 AM
Close one for sure:

Asteroid 2019 GN20...... (https://watchers.news/2019/04/15/asteroid-2019-gn20/)





(https://watchers.news/data/thumbs/798_296/2019/04/asteroid-2019-gn20.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 18, 2019, 06:10:19 PM
Just keep that thing goin' straight ahead!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 20, 2019, 11:47:29 AM
They say it will get closer and closer each time it makes a visit.....

The sad thing is....it wasn't spotted till it was this close to earth due to the limited resources to cover the skies....

Just one little bump into anything out there could have changed it's course......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 20, 2019, 11:54:57 AM
Yes, I know they get closer each time. That's why I asked!

Limited resources...but we can be out filming images of supposed black holes that are light years away.

Riiiight.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 20, 2019, 12:18:49 PM
Amazing.....isn't it.   Our governments at work.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on April 20, 2019, 12:22:54 PM
Ooops, a mistake I made. We weren't flying around on that one.

Instead all the major telescopes were trained on M87 and Sag A*
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 20, 2019, 12:26:34 PM
LOLOLOL......  You hit it on the head LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 02, 2019, 05:41:49 PM
WHAT IS A GEOMAGNETIC JERK?: Earth's magnetic field is notoriously inconstant. The north pole itself has been wandering across the Arctic for centuries. Currently, it is racing from northern Canada toward Siberia on an unpredictable path that has prompted hurried updates to world magnetic models. And then there are the "geomagnetic jerks." Every 3 to 12 years, Earth's magnetic field suddenly accelerates in one direction or another, a phenomenon that has puzzled scientists since it was recognized in the late 1970s.

(http://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2019/05/tracking_geomagnetic_jerks/19371157-1-eng-GB/Tracking_geomagnetic_jerks_node_full_image_2.jpg)

Above: The rate of change in vertical magnetic fields at the Honolulu observatory (blue) and in Earth's orbit (red). Sudden changes in the slope indicate geomagnetic jerks. [More]

The most recent jerk occurred in 2017 following a rapid-fire sequence of similar disturbances in 2008, 2011, and 2014. There is evidence for jerks going all the way back to 1901. Some are global, felt everywhere, while others are regional, spanning single continents or less. The unpredictability of jerks has complicated efforts to forecast geomagnetism.
A new study may solve the mystery. In a paper published on April 22nd in Nature Geoscience, Julien Aubert (Paris Institute of Earth Physics) and Christopher C. Finlay (Technical University of Denmark), describe how they created a computer model for geomagnetic jerks based on the physics of hydrodynamic waves in Earth's molten core. According to their model, jerks originate in rising blobs of metal that form deep inside our planet. These slow-moving blobs can take 25 years to rise to the top of the convection zone. As they buoy upwards, the blobs disrupt the normal flow of magnetic field-generating currents and, in turn, cause jerks. The model successfully reproduces the form and timing of recent events.

Geomagnetic jerks are just one aspect of Earth's magnetic variability. Globally, Earth's magnetic field has weakened by more than 10% since the 19th century with an even faster decline in the 2000s. Satellite data show the changes are uneven. According to CHAMP, Ørsted, and SWARM, the field has recently weakened by about 3.5% at high latitudes over North America, while it has strengthened about 2% over Asia. The region where the field is at its weakest – the South Atlantic Anomaly – has moved steadily westward and weakened further by about 2%.

At present, no one can predict these changes. However, Aubert and Finley's successful model of jerks suggests that a deeper understanding may be within reach. You can read their original research here.

Note: The name "jerk" was borrowed from dynamics, where it means the rate of change of the acceleration of a body--that is, the third derivative of its position with respect to time. Geomagnetic jerks are therefore the first derivative of magnetic acceleration.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 02, 2019, 08:03:31 PM
Space rock hit moon at 38,000 mph


https://youtu.be/5ir8nPSSLYQ (https://youtu.be/5ir8nPSSLYQ)

Observers watching the January 20-20, 2019. total eclipse of the moon saw a rare event, a short-lived flash as a meteorite hit the lunar surface.

Astronomers say it’s the first time an event of its kind has been filmed.

A new analysis by Spanish astronomers says the space rock collided with the moon at 38,000 miles per hour (61,000 km/hour) excavating a crater 33-50 feet (10-15 meters) across. The study was published April 27, 2019, in the peer-reviewed journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

The January 20-21 total lunar eclipse was the last one until May 2021, with observers in North and South America and western Europe enjoying the best view. At 4:41 UTC, just after the total phase of the eclipse began, there was a flash on the lunar surface. Widespread reports from amateur astronomers indicated the flash – attributed to a meteorite impact – was bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Meanwhile, researchers at the Moon Impacts Detection and Analysis System (MIDAS) in the south of Spain used eight telescopes to monitor the lunar surface. Video footage from MIDAS recorded the moment of impact. The impact flash lasted 0.28 seconds and is the first ever filmed during a lunar eclipse, despite a number of earlier attempts. MIDAS telescopes observed the impact flash at multiple wavelengths (different colors of light), improving the analysis of the event.

The MIDAS researchers concluded that the incoming rock had a mass of 99 lb (45 kg), measured 12-24 inches (30-60 cm) across, and hit the surface close to the crater close to the crater Lagrange H at 38,000 miles per hour (61,000 km/hour).

The scientists assessed the impact energy as equivalent to 1.5 tonnes (1.7 tons) of TNT, enough, they said, to create a crater about the size of two double decker buses side by side. They estimated that the debris that was ejected when the rock hit reached a peak temperature of 9,800 degrees F (5,400 degrees C), roughly the same temperature as the surface of the sun.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on May 02, 2019, 08:20:24 PM
Interesting stuff, both. Thank you, J.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 13, 2019, 08:04:11 PM
(https://en.es-static.us/upl/2019/05/asteroid-impact-Earth-illustration-2019-800x566.jpg)

I found this interesting.   Forgot they had these Defense Drills....

(https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/images/cneos_banner.png)

Center for Near Earth Object Studies ~ Planetary Defense Conferance...2019 (https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/pd/cs/pdc19/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 14, 2019, 03:53:36 AM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM UNDERWAY NOW: A surprise geomagnetic storm is underway on May 14th. Storm levels are currently at G2 (moderately strong), which means auroras may be visible in northern-tier US states such as Minnesota, Michigan, and upstate New York. The reason for the storm: A crack has opened in Earth's magnetic field, allowing solar wind to enter the magnetosphere. Aurora Alerts: SMS Text.

MULTIPLE CMEs ARE COMING: Three and possibly four CMEs are en route to Earth following a series of explosions near sunspot AR2741. The most potent so far occurred on May 12th when a filament of magnetism surrounding the sunspot became unstable and erupted. The blast zone was more than 200,000 km in diameter:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/13may19/explosion_strip2.jpg)

Similar eruptions on May 10th (twice) and May 13th have combined with this one to produce a train of faint coronal mass ejections (CMEs) heading in our direction. The incoming CMEs are lightweights compared to the bright massive CMEs typically seen during Solar Maximum. However, their combined effect could rattle Earth's magnetic field.

NOAA forecasters estimate a 55% to 60% chance of geomagnetic storms on May 15th and 16th when the CMEs arrive. Storm levels are expected to range between G1 (Minor) and G2 (Moderate). This means auroras could be sighted in northern-tier US states such as Montana, Minnesota, and upstate New York.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 14, 2019, 02:04:14 PM
"Sunny" is at it again.......  Thanks for the post "J".....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 21, 2019, 04:22:35 AM
IS THE GREAT RED SPOT UNRAVELING? Around the world, amateur astronomers are monitoring a strange phenomenon on the verge of Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS). The giant storm appears to be unraveling. "I haven't seen this before in my 17-or-so years of imaging Jupiter," reports veteran observer Anthony Wesley of Australia, who photographed a streamer of gas detaching itself from the GRS on May 19th:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/20may19/plume.jpg)

The plume of gas is enormous, stretching more than 10,000 km from the central storm to a nearby jet stream that appears to be carrying it away. Wesley says that currently such a streamer is peeling off every week or so.

The Great Red Spot is the biggest storm in the solar system–an anticyclone wider than Earth with winds blowing 350 mph. Astronomers have been observing it for hundreds of years. In recent decades, the Great Red Spot has been shrinking. Once it was wide enough to swallow three Earths; now only one of our planet could fit inside the maelstrom. This has led some researchers to wonder if the GRS could break up or disappear within our lifetimes. Perhaps the streamers are part of this process.

In fact, such unraveling clouds have been seen before. For instance, the Gemini North adaptive optics telescope on Maunakea saw a lesser but similar streamer in May of 2017:

(https://www.gemini.edu/images/pio/News/2017/pr2017_06/fig1.jpg)

"Events like this show that there's still much to learn about Jupiter's atmosphere," said Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in a press release about he 2017 streamer.

Wesley describes how the streamers are behaving now: "Each streamer appears to disconnect from the Great Red Spot and dissipate. Then, after about a week, a new streamer forms and the process repeats. You have to be lucky to catch it happening. Jupiter spins on its axis every 10 hours and the GRS is not always visible. A joint effort between many amateurs is underway to get clear images of the process."

Now is a great time to monitor the action. Jupiter is approaching Earth for a close encounter in June 2019. In the weeks ahead, Jupiter will shine 4 times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and even small telescopes will reveal its storms, moons, and cloud belts. You can find Jupiter in the constellation Ophiuchus in the southern sky at midnight: sky map (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/20may19/skymap_20may19.png).

A sharable version of this story is available here (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/05/20/is-the-great-red-spot-unraveling/).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on May 21, 2019, 11:21:05 AM
Astronomers have speculated on whether or not the GRS is a permanent feature. My thoughts have leaned toward the "Not" answer. I say that because all things come to an end.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 22, 2019, 10:46:12 AM
Somewhere I read where they stated "it's a weather system and all weather systems do come to an end.....sooner or later...." 

In our lifetime....???

Not in mine....but perhaps in my kids or grandkids or great grandkids lifetime. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 24, 2019, 05:52:12 PM
A CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH THE TAURID SWARM: In November 2032, Earth will pass through the Taurid Swarm, a cloud of debris from Comet 2P/Encke that makes brilliant fireballs when its gravelly particles occasionally hit Earth's atmosphere. Previous encounters with the Swarm in 2005 and 2015 produced showers of bright meteors observed around the world; in 1975 the Swarm contacted the Moon, making Apollo seismic sensors ring with evidence of objects hitting the lunar surface. If forecasters are correct, we're in for similar activity 22 years from now.

Some researchers are beginning to wonder if there might be more to the Taurid Swarm than the pebble-sized particles that make fireballs–something, say, that could level a forest. On June 30, 1908, a forest in Siberia did fall down when a 100-meter object fell out of the sky and exploded just above the Tunguska River. Back-tracking the trajectory of the impactor suggests it may have come from the Taurid Swarm.

(https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/1110/tunguska_kulik_900.jpg)

Trees felled by the Tunguska explosion. Credit: the Leonid Kulik Expedition

Why would the Swarm contain such big rocks? After all, comet debris is normally no bigger than specks of dust. The most popular theory holds that 10 or 20 thousand years ago, a giant 100-km wide comet fragmented in the inner solar system. The breakup produced a mixture of dust and asteroid-sized bodies that are still present today. Comet 2P/Encke itself may be just one of the fragments.

If the Taurid Swarm does indeed contain Tunguska-class impactors, the people of Earth need to know. A team of astronomers from the University of Western Ontario (UWO) suggests that this summer is a great time to find out.

"In June 2019 the Earth will approach within [0.06 AU or 9 million km] of the center of the Taurid swarm, its closest post-perihelion encounter with Earth since 1975," write UWO astronomers David Clark, Paul Wiegert and Peter Brown in a paper just accepted for publication in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. "This will be the best viewing geometry to detect and place limits on the number of Near-Earth Objects proposed to reside at the swarm center until the early 2030s."

https://youtu.be/_WRtLHS82cA (https://youtu.be/_WRtLHS82cA)

To be clear, the team won't be looking for fireballs disintegrating in Earth's atmosphere. Instead, they want to point powerful telescopes at the Swarm, peering deep inside it to see if they can find big, dangerous pieces of rock gliding among the pebbles.

"Seeing anything in the Taurid Swarm will be tough," says Wiegert. "It's faint, it's spread across a lot of sky, and it's moving fast. A fair dash of serendipity will be needed to catch a glimpse of it. But we have to try to strike when the iron is hot, and that's now."

"We've applied for 10 hours of time on the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope atop Mauna Kea," he adds. "And we're hoping other big telescopes will join the search as well."

To learn more about this year's close encounter with the Taurid Swarm, read the original research at https://arxiv.org/pdf/1905.01260.pdf (https://arxiv.org/pdf/1905.01260.pdf)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 24, 2019, 07:15:05 PM
I'll mark that date on my Calendar....LOL

But cool reading for sure.  I have no worries about this one....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 05, 2019, 04:28:40 PM
A DAYTIME METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY: Most people don't know it, but some of the strongest meteor showers of the year happen when the sun is up. One of them is underway now. Canada's Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) in western Ontario is pinging with activity on June 5th in response to a source only 20 degrees from the sun:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/05jun19/skymap-activity_crop.jpg?PHPSESSID=if4mfh0intv895dc4n6j60unj6)

"These are Arietid meteors," says professor Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario. "We believe they come from sungrazing Comet 96P/Machholz."

When the shower peaks on June 7th, Brown expects his radar to detect one Arietid every 20 seconds--a rate which ranks the Arietids among the top meteor showers of the year.

It is possible to see these meteors. The trick is knowing when to look.The best time, Brown advises, is just before dawn when the shower's radiant is barely above the horizon and the sun is barely below. "The Arietids an observer would see before dawn are quite impressive as they are all Earthgrazers, skimming the atmosphere almost horizontally overhead," he says.

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/05jun19/arietid_skymap.png?PHPSESSID=if4mfh0intv895dc4n6j60unj6)

It turns out that June is the best month of the year for daytime meteor showers. When the Arietids subside, another daytime shower will take over: The zeta Perseids peak on June 13th. And then another: The beta Taurids on June 29th.

The beta Taurids are particularly interesting because researchers suspect it may be responsible for the Tunguska Event of June 30, 1908, when a meteoroid leveled a forest in Russia. This June the Taurid debris swarm will make its closest approach to Earth since 1975. Many astronomers, including Brown, will use large telescopes to search for signs of hazardous objects as the swarm passes by.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 05, 2019, 07:03:10 PM
Here is a rare example where "Don't strain your eyes" has meaning LOLOL....  But very cool and something I didn't realize was happening....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 05, 2019, 08:45:13 PM
Well, I'll just have to hope it clears up overnight!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 06, 2019, 10:07:56 AM
At the moment....I'm enjoying my clouds LOLOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 07, 2019, 12:19:48 PM
WHAT'S HAPPENING TO THE GREAT RED SPOT? The biggest storm in the solar system is shrinking. Since mid-May, Jupiter's Great Red Spot has contracted a startling 3000 km, reducing the size of the anti-cyclone by more than 20%. This 10-day movie created by Marco Vedovato of the JUPOS Project shows what's happening:

(http://www.spaceweather.com/images2019/06jun19/unravel_opt2.gif)

Enormous rivulets of red gas are streaming away from the storm as it spins. "This is something we've never seen before," says Vedovato, who assembled the animation by stitching together images from nearly a dozen amateur astronomers.

Experienced observers say the storm is "getting a new shape every day" in a "dramatic metamorphasis" as the Red Spot "appears to be unravelling."

Consider it a case of perfect timing. Jupiter is about to make its annual closest approach to Earth--"only" 641 million km away on June 12th. Proximity makes the planet big and bright, shining almost four times brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Astrophotographers are therefore getting a fantastic view of the GRS.

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Paul-Martini-_DSC1610-2-1_1559668452_lg.jpg)

Jupiter rising over Bluff, Utah. Photo credit: Paul Martini

"The JUPOS Project manages the largest Jupiter database in the world," says Vedovato. "So far we have collected more than 1 million measurements, including old images and drawings from the 18th century, allowing us to plot very precise trends in the Great Red Spot." This plot, for instance, shows the sudden decrease in the storm's diameter since early May.

Observing tips: Finding Jupiter is easy. Because the giant planet is at opposition, it rises in the east at sunset and stays up all night long. The best time to look is around local midnight when Jupiter is hanging relatively high in the southern sky. Even small telescopes will reveal the planet's oblate disk and stormy cloud belts. And Jupiter's 4 largest moons can be seen using no more than handheld binoculars: sky map (http://www.spaceweather.com/images2019/06jun19/skymap.png?PHPSESSID=afa86a7n15cbav0havvd5alv33).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 07, 2019, 12:50:38 PM
Saw this earlier today and thought it was so cool.  Gotta love space.....

I'm almost tempted to put up the Space X Landing vids from You Tube .  Watched most them again this morning.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on June 10, 2019, 07:55:33 PM
A mysterious large mass of material has been discovered beneath the largest crater in our solar system—the Moon's South Pole-Aitken basin—and may contain metal from the asteroid that crashed into the Moon and formed the crater, according to a Baylor University study.

"Imagine taking a pile of metal five times larger than the Big Island of Hawaii and burying it underground. That's roughly how much unexpected mass we detected," said lead author Peter B. James, Ph.D., assistant professor of planetary geophysics in Baylor's College of Arts & Sciences.The crater itself is oval-shaped, as wide as 2,000 kilometers—roughly the distance between Waco, Texas, and Washington, D.C.—and several miles deep. Despite its size, it cannot be seen from Earth because it is on the far side of the Moon.

More here: https://phys.org/news/2019-06-mass-anomaly-moon-largest-crater.html
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 11, 2019, 12:11:26 PM
What amazes me always is how something that big can bang into the moon and doesn't knock it off course just a little.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 15, 2019, 04:28:32 PM
RECORD-SETTING NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: If you've never seen a cloud of frosted meteor smoke, now is the time to look. 2019 is shaping up to be the best year for noctilucent clouds (NLCs) ... maybe ever. Normally confined to near-Arctic latitudes, NLCs have been seen this month in most US states. On Friday morning, June 14th, Don Davis saw them, astonishingly, from the city of Joshua Tree not far from Los Angeles CA:

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Don-Davis-JTNOCTCLDS_1560521208.jpg)

Noctilucent clouds over Joshua Tree CA on June 14, 2019

"They were dim but distinct," says Davis. "I photographed them easily using a 4 second exposure at ISO 400."

Davis's sighting at +34.1 degrees sets the record for low-latitude observations of NLCs, breaking the previous record set only five days earlier by Brian Guyer at the National Weather Service in Albuquerque, New Mexico (+35.1 degrees).
"I'm shocked to report that I saw the noctilucent clouds while venturing outdoors for a weather observation shortly after sunset," says Guyer, who is a senior meteorologist. "When I noticed the faint blue wavy tendrils far off to the north, I asked myself, 'am I really seeing noctilucent clouds from here?' I'm happy to see that other folks are also seeing these beautiful spectacles of nature at lower latitudes."

(http://0e33611cb8e6da737d5c-e13b5a910e105e07f9070866adaae10b.r15.cf1.rackcdn.com/Ruslan-Merzlyakov-IMG_8430_1560507509_lg.jpg)

NLCs over Hjørring, Denmark, on June 13, 2019. Photo credit: Ruslan Merzlyakov

Noctilucent clouds form every year when wisps of summertime water vapor rise to the top of Earth's atmosphere and crystallize around specks of meteor smoke. The season typically starts in late May, peaks in July, and peters out in August. If NLCs are being seen in California and New Mexico in June, the season's peak in early July could be very special indeed.

Noctilucent clouds have been creeping south for years--a possible result of climate change and/or the solar cycle. 2019 has broken all the old records for southern sightings, bringing the clouds into the mainstream of mid- to low-latitude sky watching. Now everyone should be alert for NLCs.
Observing tips: Look west 30 to 60 minutes after sunset (or before sunrise) when the sun is just below the horizon. If you see luminous blue-white tendrils spreading across the sky, you may have spotted a noctilucent cloud.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 15, 2019, 04:50:28 PM
Cloud watchers go gaga over those clouds.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 15, 2019, 04:53:57 PM
Or should I say those whose hobby is Nephelococcygia
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 15, 2019, 04:56:16 PM
:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 25, 2019, 06:17:34 PM
SMALL ASTEROID EXPLODES NEAR PUERTO RICO--UPDATED: On June 22nd at 21:25 UT, a small asteroid entered Earth's atmosphere and exploded in broad daylight south of Puerto Rico. Airwaves recorded by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization's infrasound station in Bermuda pegged the blast energy between 3 and 5 kilotons of TNT--a fraction of a WW II atomic bomb. The explosion was clearly visible in images from NOAA's GOES-16 weather satellite:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/25jun19/bolide_strip_opt.gif)

This movie combines data from GOES-16's Global Lightning Mapper and water vapor infrared spectrometer

Meteor expert Peter Brown of the University of Western Ontario says the infrasound signal is consistent with a "small multi-meter sized near-Earth asteroid." According to data compiled by NASA's Center for Near Earth Object Studies, asteroids of this size and energy hit Earth's atmosphere about once a year. That means it's rare--but not exceptionally so.

The asteroid fragmented as it ripped through the atmosphere. This infrared image from the GOES-16 satellite shows the space rock splitting into at least 3 pieces:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2019/25jun19/william_straka_image2_strip.jpg)

Many more fragments undoubtedly sprayed from the explosion, but the resulting meteorites are now at the bottom of the Caribbean or (in the case of dust-sized debris) floating on the sea surface. Samples would be very difficult to recover.

Earth is currently approaching the Taurid Swarm--a stream of rocky debris associated with the Tunguska Impact of 1908. Astronomers are eager for the close encounter, which begins in late June, so they can peer inside the swarm in search of dangerous asteroids. This fireball, however, is not a Taurid.

"Based on a preliminary orbit for the fireball, it does not appear to be part of the Taurid swarm," says Paul Weigert of the University of Western Ontario. "Its orbit is typical of near-Earth asteroids which have escaped from the asteroid belt."

UPDATE: This asteroid may have been discovered shortly before it struck by an Atlas Project Survey (http://spaceweather.com/images2019/25jun19/william_straka_image2_strip.jpg) telescope: more. (https://remanzacco.blogspot.com/2019/06/small-asteroid-neocp-a10eom1-impacted.html?m=1)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 25, 2019, 07:48:07 PM
They just had a special on the Science Channel about this "Asteroid Mess" we will be going through....

I'm gong to see if I can hunt down that except of the program....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 31, 2019, 06:59:55 PM
THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY: Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak on Aug. 12-13 with many fireballs slicing through the light of a nearly full Moon. It's not even August yet, but NASA's network of all-sky cameras is already detecting a few Perseid fireballs every night--rates which will surely increase in the weeks ahead.

https://www.meteorshowers.org/view/Perseids (https://www.meteorshowers.org/view/Perseids)

Comet Swift-Tuttle is a giant. It's nucleus is 26 km in diameter, or two-and-a-half times the size of the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs. Most other comets are much smaller, with nuclei only a few kilometers across. As a result of its size, Comet Swift-Tuttle produces a large number of meteoroids, many of which are hefty enough to produce fireballs.

Indeed, a 6-year study by NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office found that the Perseids produce more fireballs than any other annual shower:


(http://spaceweather.com/repeat_images/histogram_strip.gif)



During the shower, which lasts for weeks, debris particles a few cm wide hit the atmosphere with a speed of 59.6 km/s (133,350 mph). The average magnitude of the resulting fireballs is -3.7, about as bright as Venus.

The luminosity of Perseids is important this year. In 2019 the shower peaks only a few nights before the full Moon, so meteors need to be extra bright to be seen through the glare. Some experts recommend watching a bit earlier than usual, on Aug. 9th, 10th, and 11th when the Moon is less full. The peak nights of Aug. 12th and 13th will be tempered by lunar interference. Whatever night you select, the best time to look is during the hours before sunrise when the shower's radiant is high in the sky
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 31, 2019, 07:13:57 PM
We all know that if you have two full moons in a month the later one is called a "Blue Moon".

But did you know that if we have two dark moons in a month, the later one is called a "Black Moon"?  Tonight, July 31st is going to be a Black Moon.

Not very exciting, however as you won't be able to see it! :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on July 31, 2019, 07:18:07 PM


Whatever night you select, the best time to look is during the hours before sunrise when the shower's radiant is high in the sky


If you can find the very recognizable constellation of Orion in the early morning sky, look up and
over his left shoulder for the constellation of Perseus, which is the radiant point! 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 31, 2019, 07:26:57 PM
Each and every time they say there is a meteor shower I spend an hour scanning the skies...and see nothing but clouds LOLOL

And yup Ray....A BLack Moon might be as impressive as a meteor shower one can't view :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 01, 2019, 12:38:13 AM
Each and every time they say there is a meteor shower I spend an hour scanning the skies...and see nothing but clouds LOLOL

And yup Ray....A BLack Moon might be as impressive as a meteor shower one can't view :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:



Well, you still gotta go out and look because you never know if you MIGHT see something and it could be rather spectacular but it only lasts less than 30 seconds - like the one time I saw an asteroid hit the Moon and watched the dust cloud rise up off of it. And then it was over but I was pretty thrilled :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 02, 2019, 03:49:20 PM
Oh believe me....I always look....The sky is one of most favorite motion pictures.... :mwah:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 05, 2019, 07:30:28 PM
Object Bigger than Pluto Discovered, Called 10th Planet
By Robert Roy Britt July 29, 2005 Science & Astronomy

 Eris larger PlutoArtist's rendering of Eris, announced in July 2005 by Mike Brown of Caltech. It is more massive than Pluto. The sun is in the background.(Image: © NASA/JPL/Caltech)

Astronomers have discovered an object in our solar system that is larger than Pluto. They are calling it the 10th planet, but already that claim is contested.

The new world's size is not at issue. But the very definition of planethood is.

It is the first time an object so big has been found in our solar system since the discovery of Pluto 75 years ago.

The announcement, made today by Mike Brown of Caltech, came just hours after another newfound object, one slightly smaller than Pluto, was revealed in a very confusing day for astronomers and the media.

The new object, temporarily named 2003 UB313, is about three times as far from the Sun as is Pluto.

"It's definitely bigger than Pluto," said Brown, a professor of planetary astronomy. The object is round and could be up to twice as large as Pluto, Brown told reporters in a hastily called NASA-run teleconference Friday evening.

His best estimate is that it is 2,100 miles wide, about 1-1/2 times the diameter of Pluto.

One of many?

The object is inclined by a whopping 45 degrees to the main plane of the solar system, where most of the other planets orbit. That's why it eluded discovery: nobody was looking there until now, Brown said.

Some astronomers view it as a Kuiper Belt object and not a planet. The Kuiper Belt is a region of frozen objects beyond Neptune.

Pluto is called a Kuiper Belt object by many astronomers. Brown himself has argued in the past for Pluto's demotion from planet status, because of its diminutive size and eccentric and inclined orbit.

But today he struck a different note.

"Pluto has been a planet for so long that the world is comfortable with that," Brown said in the teleconference. "It seems to me a logical extension that anything bigger than Pluto and farther out is a planet."

Offering additional justification, Brown said 2003 UB313 appears to be surfaced with methane ice, as is Pluto. That's not the case with other large Kuiper Belt objects, however.

"This object is in a class very much like Pluto," he said.

NASA effectively endorsed the idea in an official statement that referred to 2003 UB313 as the 10th planet.

Yet in recent years, a bevy of objects roughly half to three-fourths the size of Pluto have been found.

No definition for 'planet'

Brian Marsden, who runs the Minor Planet Center where data on objects like this are collected, says that if Pluto is a planet, then other round objects nearly as large as Pluto ought to be called planets. On that logic, 2003 UB313 would perhaps be a planet, but it would have to get in line behind a handful of others that were discovered previously.

"I would not call it the 10th planet," Marsden told SPACE.com.

Alan Boss, a planet-formation theorist at the

"To just call them planets does an injustice to the big guys in the solar system," Boss said in a telephone interview.

The very definition of what constitutes a planet is currently being debated by Boss and others in a working group of the International Astronomical Union. Boss said the group has not reached consensus after six months of discussion.

The debate actually stretches back more than five years and is rooted in the fact that astronomers have never had a definition for the word "planet," because the nine we knew seemed obvious.

"This discovery will likely re-ignite a healthy debate about what is and what is not a planet," Boss said.

Next up: Mars-sized objects?

Alan Stern, of the Southwest Research Institute and leader of NASA's New Horizons mission to Pluto, predicted in the early 1990s that there would be 1,000 Plutos out there. He has also contended, based on computer modeling, that there should be Mars-sized worlds hidden in the far corners of our solar system and even possibly other worlds as large as Earth.

In a telephone interview after Friday's announcement, Stern, who was not involved in the discovery, said he stands by those predictions and expects Mars-sized objects to be found within decades.

"I find this to be very satisfying," Stern said of 2003 UB313. "It's something we've been looking for for a long time."

Stern stopped short of calling it one of the greatest discoveries in astronomy, however, because he sees it as just one more of many findings of objects in this size range. Last year, for example, Brown's team found Sedna, which is about three-fourths as large as Pluto. Others include 2004 DW and Quaoar.

Stern sees the outer solar system as an attic full of undiscovered objects.

"Now we have the technology to see them," he said. "We're just barely scratching the surface."

Way out there

The new world is about 97 astronomical units from the Sun. An astronomical unit is the distance between the Sun and Earth. It becomes the farthest-known object in the solar system, and the third brightest of the Kuiper belt objects.

It is colder than Pluto and "not a very pleasant place to be."

It was found using the Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory.

Backyard astronomers with large telescopes, some experience and a map may be able to spot 2003 UB313.

Brown said it will be a very exciting object to explore since professionals and amateurs both have access to it.

"It will be visible over the next six months and is currently almost directly overhead in the early-morning eastern sky, in the constellation Cetus," says Brown, who made the discovery with colleagues Chad Trujillo, of the Gemini Observatory, and David Rabinowitz, of Yale University, on Jan. 8.

The team had hoped to analyze the data further before announcing the planet but were forced to do so Friday evening because word had leaked out, Brown said.

"Somebody hacked our website," he said, and "they were planning to make [the data] public."

Brown and Trujillo first photographed the new planet with the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope on Oct. 31, 2003. However, the object was so far away that its motion was not detected until they reanalyzed the data in January of this year. In the last seven months, the scientists have been studying the planet to better estimate its size and its motions.

Estimating size

Scientists infer the size of a solar-system object by its brightness and distance. The reflectiveness of the new planet is not known, however, which is why the estimate of its diameter ranges from one to two times the size of Pluto. But those constraints are well supported by the data, Brown said.

"Even if it reflected 100 percent of the light reaching it, it would still be as big as Pluto," says Brown. "I'd say it's probably one and a half times the size of Pluto, but we're not sure yet of the final size. But we are 100 percent confident that this is the first object bigger than Pluto ever found in the outer solar system."

The upper size limit is constrained by results from the Spitzer Space Telescope, which records heat in the form of infrared light. Because the Spitzer can't detect the new planet, the overall diameter must be less twice Pluto's size, Brown said.

Brown has had a running bet for five years with a friend that an object larger than Pluto would be found by Jan. 1 this year. 2003 UB313 was spotted on Jan. 8.

"My first reaction was, 'aw, I lost the bet by seven days,'" he said.

Brown's team has submitted a name proposal to the International Astronomical Union and has chosen not to divulge it until that body makes a decision.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 05, 2019, 09:26:13 PM
Quite interesting. It is however 14 years old. So maybe this would be more timely?

https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/dwarf-planets/eris/in-depth/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 06, 2019, 06:38:22 PM
Exquisite beginning and current discoveries all in one thread now this works for all who enjoy learning and educating themselves.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 07, 2019, 07:29:33 PM
What Is E-Rad (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2018/06/15/what-is-e-rad/)?

Here is a great explanation From Spaceweather (http://www.spaceweather.com/).....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 07, 2019, 10:07:20 PM
What Is E-Rad (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2018/06/15/what-is-e-rad/)?

Here is a great explanation From Spaceweather (http://www.spaceweather.com/).....


All remember that for the next time I fly on my broom across the pond.

I'll just sit on my balcony and watch them all fly by with big eyes going "ZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzztttt. ZZzzzzzt!         Zzztttt! "  :odd:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 08, 2019, 09:53:04 AM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:....


What got me is the fact I spent 35 years constantly flying here and there and everywhere.....and never even thought about this.....  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 08, 2019, 10:18:58 AM
:tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:....


What got me is the fact I spent 35 years constantly flying here and there and everywhere.....and never even thought about this.....  :thud:



I was just reading the other day about the most common form of female cancer going around now is Thyroid cancer.... Because of all the Mammon-grams ($$$) and chest xrays - because they are supposed to provide you with a throat shield BUT YOU HAVE TO ASK FOR IT, because they don't automatically use it. Thankfully, I haven't always gone when they tell me too. My doctor wants me to get one and I asked her in a PM if anything with breast cancer wouldn't show up on that lung-scan I just had last month. She didn't answer me. Don't know if it just skipped her mind or it was on purpose. :shrug:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 08, 2019, 11:01:04 AM
You know what I find very odd.   The last time I had a X-Ray was 13 years ago....now everything is Ultra sounds, Echos, Etc Etc Etc......

And that is strange about your Doctor not getting back to you.

(Sorry for the late reply...was making sure Mom took her pills...which takes a 1/2 hour minimum LOLOL)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 14, 2019, 10:28:40 AM
Went out early Monday morning to see if I could see any Perseids but no. Too many clouds for that.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on August 14, 2019, 10:31:43 AM


And that is strange about your Doctor not getting back to you.




Not really. Why not irradiate me again so they can charge more to Medicare and maybe cause me to be even sicker so they can really charge out the wazoo? No. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 14, 2019, 03:11:39 PM
One never knows nowadays.....the buck is the ruler of the world ..... was a time when people cared about people.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 13, 2019, 05:32:09 AM
WATCH OUT FOR THE HARVEST MOON:

Tonight's full Moon has a special name--the Harvest Moon. It's the full Moon closest to the northern autumnal equinox (Sept. 23rd). In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night. Post-Edison, we appreciate it mainly for its beauty.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 13, 2019, 05:33:54 AM
SPECTACULAR DOUBLE RAINBOW: Sometimes running out in the rain is a good idea. On the evening of Sept. 12th, Göran Strand of Östersund, Sweden, did just that. Here is what he saw:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Goran-Strand-GS_20190912_Rainbow_86350_Pan_1568310899.jpg)


"It was the most beautiful double rainbow I've ever seen," says Strand. "I was home when I noticed that there was some very special light outside, so I quickly grabbed my camera and went out in the rain to capture this photo."

Many people don't know it, but all rainbows are double. The bright primary arc is caused by sunlight reflecting once inside raindrops. The tall second rainbow is caused by sunlight reflecting twice. That second rainbow is always there, but often it is too dim to see against the bright background sky. This time, however, it was visible to the naked eye.
"This was a sunset rainbow," adds Strand, "and that made it extra special." Rainbows always appear opposite the sun, so when the sun is low, the rainbow is high. "Because the rainbow was visible at sunset we got the highest possible rainbow, 46° above the horizon."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 13, 2019, 05:44:43 AM
INTERSTELLAR COMET: 'Oumuamua is not alone. Another interstellar visitor appears to be passing through the solar system--and this time it's definitely a comet. Ukrainian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered the object, now named C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), approaching from beyond the orbit of Mars on Aug. 30th. Click to view a 3D visualization of Comet Borisov's orbit from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab:

 3D visual  (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C%2F2019%20Q4;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb)

Based on observations gathered since Borisov discovered the distant fuzzball, the comet seems to be following a hyperbolic orbit with an eccentricity greater than 3.5. This means the comet is unbound to the sun. Indeed, it is moving some 30.7 km/s (68,700 mph) too fast for the sun's gravity to hang onto it. Comet Borisov is a first time visitor to the inner solar system, and after this flyby it will return to deep space.

Comet Borisov will make its closest approach to the sun (2 AU) around Dec. 7th. Three weeks later, near the end of December, it will make its closest approach to Earth (also 2 AU). At the moment the comet is very dim, around magnitude +18. How bright it may become by December is anyone's guess.

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Graziano-Ventre-2019-09-12_-C-2019-Q4-Borisov_1568289244.jpg)
Above: Dim and distant, Comet Borisov was photographed in the constellation Cancer on Sept. 12th by Graziano Ventre using an 11-inch telescope.

The first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, 'Oumuamua, caused a sensation when it was discovered racing away from the sun in late 2017. Speculation about its nature ranged from an alien spacecraft to a fossil exocomet. Astronomers still aren't sure what it was. Comet Borisov, on the other hand, appears to have a fuzzy atmosphere (a "coma") and perhaps a stubby tail--signs that it really is a comet.

Because Comet Borisov is still just entering the solar system, astronomers will have plenty of time to study it in the months ahead. Is it truly interstellar? What are comets from other solar systems made of? Answers to these and many other questions are forthcoming.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 13, 2019, 12:06:15 PM
SPECTACULAR DOUBLE RAINBOW: Sometimes running out in the rain is a good idea. On the evening of Sept. 12th, Göran Strand of Östersund, Sweden, did just that. Here is what he saw:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Goran-Strand-GS_20190912_Rainbow_86350_Pan_1568310899.jpg)


"It was the most beautiful double rainbow I've ever seen," says Strand. "I was home when I noticed that there was some very special light outside, so I quickly grabbed my camera and went out in the rain to capture this photo."

Many people don't know it, but all rainbows are double. The bright primary arc is caused by sunlight reflecting once inside raindrops. The tall second rainbow is caused by sunlight reflecting twice. That second rainbow is always there, but often it is too dim to see against the bright background sky. This time, however, it was visible to the naked eye.
"This was a sunset rainbow," adds Strand, "and that made it extra special." Rainbows always appear opposite the sun, so when the sun is low, the rainbow is high. "Because the rainbow was visible at sunset we got the highest possible rainbow, 46° above the horizon."


That is indeed a gorgeous rainbow. Saw a very nice double one here Sunday night but unfortunately I can't see the whole thing where I am. Thanks for the 'pretty'.  :smiley:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 13, 2019, 12:09:57 PM
INTERSTELLAR COMET: 'Oumuamua is not alone. Another interstellar visitor appears to be passing through the solar system--and this time it's definitely a comet. Ukrainian amateur astronomer Gennady Borisov discovered the object, now named C/2019 Q4 (Borisov), approaching from beyond the orbit of Mars on Aug. 30th. Click to view a 3D visualization of Comet Borisov's orbit from NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab:

 3D visual  (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=C%2F2019%20Q4;old=0;orb=1;cov=0;log=0;cad=0#orb)

Based on observations gathered since Borisov discovered the distant fuzzball, the comet seems to be following a hyperbolic orbit with an eccentricity greater than 3.5. This means the comet is unbound to the sun. Indeed, it is moving some 30.7 km/s (68,700 mph) too fast for the sun's gravity to hang onto it. Comet Borisov is a first time visitor to the inner solar system, and after this flyby it will return to deep space.

Comet Borisov will make its closest approach to the sun (2 AU) around Dec. 7th. Three weeks later, near the end of December, it will make its closest approach to Earth (also 2 AU). At the moment the comet is very dim, around magnitude +18. How bright it may become by December is anyone's guess.

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Graziano-Ventre-2019-09-12_-C-2019-Q4-Borisov_1568289244.jpg)
Above: Dim and distant, Comet Borisov was photographed in the constellation Cancer on Sept. 12th by Graziano Ventre using an 11-inch telescope.

The first known interstellar object to visit our solar system, 'Oumuamua, caused a sensation when it was discovered racing away from the sun in late 2017. Speculation about its nature ranged from an alien spacecraft to a fossil exocomet. Astronomers still aren't sure what it was. Comet Borisov, on the other hand, appears to have a fuzzy atmosphere (a "coma") and perhaps a stubby tail--signs that it really is a comet.

Because Comet Borisov is still just entering the solar system, astronomers will have plenty of time to study it in the months ahead. Is it truly interstellar? What are comets from other solar systems made of? Answers to these and many other questions are forthcoming.


Don't you have to wonder now Why? Why suddenly are we getting interstellar visitors? Are we starting to merge with another galaxy? Just a thought.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 13, 2019, 02:20:11 PM

Don't you have to wonder now Why? Why suddenly are we getting interstellar visitors? Are we starting to merge with another galaxy? Just a thought.
I think you may be correct in your speculation here. Supposedly, certain astronomers have determined that the Milky Way is currently devouring a smaller galaxy. We on Earth cannot see it because it is on the other side of the galactic center. Infrared and radio telescopes seem to have detected this ongoing collision, which has been occurring for several thousand years already. The smaller galaxy seems to have already been mostly absorbed by the Milky Way.


What astronomers used to believe to be a very rare astronomical event actually turned out to be the normal way things work in this Universe. Indeed we are headed for a collision with the Great Galaxy in Andromeda. A few tens of millions of years from now, the largest two galaxies in our local group will begin to merge. The view for whomever is alive at that time will be spectacular, to say the least. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 13, 2019, 08:16:34 PM
I recall the Thunderbirds saying something about a small galaxy in Sagittarius. I wonder if that's the one. That *would* be behind Galactic Center.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on September 13, 2019, 11:54:35 PM
I recall the Thunderbirds saying something about a small galaxy in Sagittarius. I wonder if that's the one. That *would* be behind Galactic Center.
That would be the right position, I would think.


Large galaxies like the Milky Way grow larger by eating the smaller ones. From what I gathered, the galaxy being absorbed into our galaxy is a dwarf galaxy no larger than the Small Magellanic Cloud.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on September 14, 2019, 12:35:48 AM
This comet is apparently coming from somewhere between Cassiopeia and Perseus.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2019, 02:44:47 PM
THE ORIONIDS ARE COMING! Imagine waking up before sunrise on a brisk fall morning. The bright stars of Orion twinkle overhead. Flash! A fireball streaks across the sky, its smokey trail twisting in the wind as you sip your coffee. If this sounds like heaven, set your alarm before dawn on Oct. 22nd to catch the peak of the Orionid meteor shower.

 Display  (https://www.meteorshowers.org/)

Orionid meteors come from Halley's Comet. Every year around this time, Earth passes through a stream of debris from Halley, and meteors fly out of the constellation Orion. Forecasters expect the 2019 Orionids to peak on Tuesday, Oct. 22nd, with as many as 20 meteors per hour. The best time to look is during the hours before local sunrise when Orion the Hunter is high in the sky.

Some other showers produce more shooting stars, but the Orionids are second to none in beauty. They strike Earth's atmosphere traveling 66 km/s or 148,000 mph. Only the Leonids of November are faster at 72 km/s. Orionids often leave glowing "trains" (incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor) that last for minutes, swirling among the glittering stars of Orion, Gemini, and Taurus.


Wake up early and enjoy the show. More: photo gallery (https://spaceweathergallery.com/meteor_gallery.html), sky map (https://spaceweather.com/images2019/10oct19/skymap_orionids.png).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2019, 02:45:16 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH: G1-class geomagnetic storms are possible on Oct. 24-25 when a stream of solar wind hits Earth's magnetic field. The gaseous material is flowing ~700 km/s from a large hole in the sun's atmosphere. Auroras could descend into northern-tier US states from Maine to Washington
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 20, 2019, 03:27:38 PM
That was on my list of things to post but glad you did....

I'm going to post about Slooh shortly. 

Use to be free to use a telescope to view the skies but now it's $20 annually.....Yes, I'm cheap LOLOLOL.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 20, 2019, 03:28:06 PM
Me three
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 20, 2019, 03:45:44 PM
Slooh use to be Free but for $20 a year...it's still a great bargain.

Crew
(Individual)
STARTS TODAY
$20.00
USD | ANNUAL

PLAN DETAILS


With Slooh, you don't need to be an astrophysicist to explore the cosmos.  With support from the National Science Foundation, we have created an amazing new interface to space. Slooh is a network of online robotic telescopes situated on mountain tops around the world and patented software that makes it simple to see 1,000 featured celestial objects in the night sky.  Join our global community which has slewed the telescopes one million times and taken over five million images to date!

What you get

CONTROL ONLINE TELESCOPES   
At your command are six telescopes, including a solar telescope, situated at our flagship observatory, at the Institute of Astrophysics of the Canary Islands, four telescopes based in Santiago, Chile, offering complementary views of the southern skies and three new telescopes situated in the United Arab Emirates (coming 2020), offering 20+ hours of live observing per day and unlimited photo opportunities. Schedule Missions using our automated reservation system to see the 1,000 most intriguing objects in space.

ASK ASTRONOMERS ANYTHING   
Our astronomers are here to guide you. They've curated everything there is to know about anything you will see and will answer all of your questions as you explore. From recorded narration to live audio and video shows, they will help you develop your mind's eye so you can grasp the science and poetry of space.

PARTICIPATE IN A GLOBAL COMMUNITY   
Exploring space is more interesting with other people from all over the world. Members share their live missions with the community so everyone can look through the telescopes together and share their photos so others can see what they might have missed. You'll also join a variety of Astronomy Clubs based on your interests to interact with and learn from other members.

GO ON QUESTS   
Quests are designed to lead you through all sorts of exploration activities that will challenge you to hunt down phenomena in space, follow in the footsteps of famous discoveries or build image collections.

BUILD YOUR PERSONAL PROFILE   
Earn Gravity Points, collect Badges and MVP status as you enhance your capabilities and share what you know. When you're ready to become a Slooh Apprentice member, you'll gain access to four huge astronomical catalogs and be able to point the telescopes to any coordinates in the night sky.

MORE INFORMATION   
For more information click HERE (https://www.slooh.com/join/membershipPlanDetailsStep)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 05, 2019, 03:58:48 AM
JUST ONE WEEK UNTIL THE TRANSIT OF MERCURY: One of the biggest astronomy events of the year is just one week away: The Transit on Mercury. On Monday, Nov 11th, Mercury will pass directly in front the sun. The rare transit begins at 12:35 UT (7:35 am EST) and lasts for almost six hours. Mercury's tiny form—jet black and perfectly round—will glide slowly across the solar disk, like this:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/t/Tom-Polakis-mercury_transit_4_1462995969.gif)

Credit: Tom Polakis of Tempe AZ made this movie of a previous Mercury transit on May 9, 2016. [more]

People in every continent except Australia can see at least a portion of the crossing. In the USA, the best place to be is on the Atlantic coast, where the entire transit will be visible. On the Pacific coast the transit will already be in progress at sunrise.
Warning! Do not stare at the sun during the transit. Mercury covers only a tiny fraction of the solar disk, so the sun remains as bright as ever. Eye damage can occur.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2019/30mar19/visibilitymap.png?PHPSESSID=6uf96bfo3fs11ldsu7a0n8oj44)

Ordinary eclipse glasses will keep your eyes safe, but they won't do much to help you see tiny Mercury. The planet is only 1/194th of the sun's apparent diameter. To watch this event, a safely-filtered telescope with a magnification of 50x or more is recommended. Don't have a filter? No problem. Images of the transit may be easily projected onto a wall or screen through an unfiltered telescope. Just do not look through the eye piece!

Nothing beats a telescope equipped with an H-alpha filter. H-alpha filters are narrowly tuned to the red glow of solar hydrogen. They reveal the sun as a boiling inferno cross-crossed by dark seething magnetic filaments. On Nov. 11th, the tiny form of Mercury will navigate this starscape. Here's a sample H-alpha image taken during the last transit of Mercury on May 9, 2016:



Paul Andrew took the picture from his backyard observatory in St. Margarets at Cliffe, Dover, UK. "The background prominence made Mercury look like it had a comet's tail," he says. More images may be found here and here.


(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/p/Paul-Andrew-Comet-Mercury_1462859901.jpg)

Transits of Mercury occur only 13 times each century. The next one won't occur until Nov. 13, 2032. Don't miss this unusual event!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 07, 2019, 02:12:34 PM
SIGNS OF LIFE FROM SOLAR CYCLE 25: Big things have small beginnings. Years from now, observers may look back from the perch of a new Solar Maximum and realize that the action began on Nov. 5, 2019, with a very small solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast:

This is a B1-class solar flare--that is, relatively small. B-class flares are 1000 times weaker than the intense X-flares of Solar Maximum. It is significant not because of its intensity, but rather because of its origin. It came from AR2750, an active region belonging to the next solar cycle.

Sunspot AR2750 first appeared in the sun's southern hemisphere on Nov. 1st, breaking a string of 28 spotless days. A picture of the emerging sunspot is inset in this magnetic map of the sun's surface from the Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2019/01nov19/newspot_crop2.png)

How do we know AR2750 belongs to the next solar cycle? Its magnetic polarity tells us so. Southern sunspots from old Solar Cycle 24 have a -/+ polarity. This sunspot is the opposite: +/-. According to Hale's Law, sunspots switch polarities from one solar cycle to the next. AR2750 is therefore a member of new Solar Cycle 25.

Solar cycles always mix at their boundaries. So far this year, short-lived sunspots likely belonging to Solar Cycle 25 have been reported on May 28, July 1st, July 8th, and Nov. 1st. They were interspersed with a similar number of old Solar Cycle 24 spots. This type of mixing is normal.

The increasing frequency of new cycle sunspots does not mean Solar Minimum is finished. On the contrary, low solar activity will probably continue for at least another year. However, it does mean that new Solar Cycle 25 is slowly sputtering to life--a process that will accelerate in the years ahead. If forecasters are correct, Solar Cycle 25 sunspots will eventually dominate the solar disk, bringing a new Solar Maximum as early as 2023.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 07, 2019, 02:15:10 PM
A TAURID EXPLODES OVER AUSTRALIA: When the sun set over Swan Hill, Australia, on Nov. 6th, at first the sky began to darken as usual. And then ... it exploded. "I witnessed an incredible twilight fireball just as I just arrived home from work at 8:08 pm AEDT (9:08 UT) 7 minutes after local sunset," reports Michael Mattiazzo. "The fireball's magnitude was at least -8, closer to -10, and multiple outbursts were observed before it completely disintegrated."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Michael-Mattiazzo-fireball_20191106_mmatti2b_1573036560.jpg)

"The sonic boom arrived about 3 minutes later, sounding like the rumble of thunder," he adds. "Local dogs were even barking at the sound. The vapour trail (pictured above) lasted about 25 minutes."

Mattiazzo says the fireball streaked from east to west across the sky. The direction marks it as a likely earthgrazing Taurid fireball.

This week, Earth is passing through a stream of debris from Comet Encke, source of the annual Taurid meteor shower. Gravel-sized meteoroids hitting Earth's upper atmosphere at 65,000 mph are creating a spray of bright meteors from the constellation Taurus.

Taurids are sometimes called "the Halloween fireballs" because they are most often noticed by crowds outdoors after dark on Halloween. In fact, they may be seen on any night from mid-October to mid-November. Typical Taurid meteor rates are no more than a few per hour but, sometimes, as Mattiazzo observed, one fireball is enough.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 07, 2019, 02:20:23 PM
Can become a regular show the next years. I believe we'll be more 'inside heart' of the Taurids around 2029.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 07, 2019, 04:24:50 PM
Yup....might be a good show indeed....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 21, 2019, 05:47:44 PM
POSSIBLE OUTBURST OF ALPHA MONOCEROTID METEORS: This week, Earth will pass by a stream of dusty debris from an unnamed comet. Forecasters believe the close encounter could cause an outburst of alpha Monocerotid meteors. The time to look is 04:50 UT on Nov. 22nd (11:50 p.m. EST on Nov. 21st). This timing favors observers in western Europe and eastern parts of Canada and the USA. More: full story, sky map.

WHO CAN SEE THE METEOR OUTBURST? Tonight, Thursday, Nov. 21st, around 11:50  p.m. EST, Earth will pass by a filament of comet dust. This might produce a brief outburst of alpha Monocerotid meteors. Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office has prepared a map showing who in the USA can see the show:

(https://blogs.nasa.gov/Watch_the_Skies/wp-content/uploads/sites/193/2019/11/ZHRMap_2.png)


Sky watchers on the east coast are favored. They could potentially see 100 or more meteors during the event. Sky watchers on the west coast, however, are out of luck. The shower's radiant in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn) will be below the horizon.

Of course, there's no guarantee anyone will see anything. Only a handful of alpha Monocerotid outbursts have been observed in the past century, which means researchers are still mapping the filament of comet dust. Earth could hit a extra-dense spot, resulting in an amazing display, or pass through a void, producing nothing.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 21, 2019, 05:50:54 PM
THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED: Earth is entering a stream of solar wind flowing from a sprawling hole in the sun's atmosphere. First contact with the gaseous material on Nov. 20th produced an outburst of auroras over Scandinavia. Markus Varik sends this picture from Tromsø, Norway:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Markus-Varik-Greenlander.no--41_1574304122.jpg)

"Today we greeted some of the most beautiful Night Butterflies I have seen!" says Varik. "The first effects of the solar wind stream have arrived--and I am really, really keen to see what the upcoming days will bring. Maybe a dinosaur, a bear or why not even a unicorn?"

In Abisko, Sweden, off-duty aurora tour guides Oliver Wright and Chris Hodgson rushed outside to photograph the display. "We set up our cameras on the edge of Lake Torneträsk behind some ice-covered trees," says Wright. "I've wanted to take this picture for years."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/o/Oliver-Wright-D09A7432-Edit_1574291542.jpg)

"The place was lethal walking ... well, more crawling ... on uneven wet ice, above a big drop into the lake with waves crashing below! " says Wright. "Other than that, it was a magic night."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 21, 2019, 06:38:06 PM
Never seen one in real life....when they do get close to here...it's always in the Northern part of the State....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 24, 2019, 03:10:35 PM
VENUS-JUPITER CONJUNCTION AT SUNSET: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southwest. Venus and Jupiter are in conjunction little more than a degree apart. Try to catch them before the sky fades to black. The sight of the two brightest planets, side-by-side, surrounded by twilight blue is out of this world.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 24, 2019, 03:46:59 PM
Too late for France, if it was possible to see that from here :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 24, 2019, 06:05:14 PM
Saw it starting last night but to cloudy tonight to see anything.  Got a pisspoor picture of it .....when I find it I'll put it up
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on November 24, 2019, 06:29:40 PM
VENUS-JUPITER CONJUNCTION AT SUNSET: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southwest. Venus and Jupiter are in conjunction little more than a degree apart. Try to catch them before the sky fades to black. The sight of the two brightest planets, side-by-side, surrounded by twilight blue is out of this world.



I saw them earlier this evening - quite a sight! As a bonus the ISS passed right over my house. Which is why I was out freezing my butt off...  :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 24, 2019, 06:30:19 PM
 :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 01, 2019, 04:35:53 PM
I thought this was super cool.  Not use to Vimeo player but it does play well in here...

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/347565673?byline=0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<p>the Comet (https://vimeo.com/347565673) from Christian Stangl (https://vimeo.com/christianstangl) on Vimeo (https://vimeo.com).</p>
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 24, 2019, 03:02:36 PM
TWO SUNSPOTS FROM THE NEXT SOLAR CYCLE: Solar Cycle 25 really is coming. Today, for the first time, there are two new-cycle sunspots on the solar disk--one in each hemisphere. This map of solar magnetic fields from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows their location:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2019/24dec19/sunspots.jpg)


We know these sunspots belong to the next solar cycle because of their magnetic polarity. Simply put, they are backwards. According to Hale’s Law, sunspot polarities flip-flop from one solar cycle to the next. During old Solar Cycle 24, we grew accustomed to sunspots in the sun's southern hemisphere having a -/+ pattern. However, look at today's southern sunspot:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2019/24dec19/newspot_crop.jpg)

It is the opposite: +/-. This identifies it as a member of new Solar Cycle 25.

Likewise, today's northern sunspot has a reversed polarity compared to northern spots from old Solar Cycle 24. It, too, therefore, belongs to Solar Cycle 25.

The sun is currently in Solar Minimum--the nadir of the 11-year sunspot cycle. It's a deep Minimum, century-class according to sunspot counts. The scarcity of sunspots has been so remarkable that it has prompted discussion of a possible "extended Minimum" akin to the Maunder Minimum of the 17th century when sunspots were absent for decades. Such an event could have implications for terrestrial climate.

Today's new-cycle sunspots (along with isolated new-cycle spots earlier this year) suggest that the solar cycle is, in fact, unfolding normally. A new Maunder Minimum does not appear to be in the offing. Forecasters expect Solar Cycle 25 to slowly gain strength in the years ahead and reach a peak in July 2025.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 24, 2019, 08:21:43 PM
https://www.noradsanta.org/ (https://www.noradsanta.org/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Wizzard on December 24, 2019, 09:31:14 PM
Pay no attentiom to the high atmosphere explosions.... THey missed anyways..
Cheers
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 24, 2019, 09:38:05 PM
Keep in mind....Coal is flammable..... :xmas2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 25, 2019, 06:16:03 PM
'RING OF FIRE' SOLAR ECLIPSE: It's about to begin. On Dec. 26th--just hours from now--millions of people on the Indian-Asian side of Earth will witness a "ring of fire" solar eclipse.

This is an annular solar eclipse, not a total one. The Moon is in a distant part of its orbit that makes it just a little too small to cover the entire solar disk. At maximum, only 97% of the sun's surface will be eclipsed, leaving a bright annulus visible around the edge of the Moon--that is, the ring of fire.

The action begins at 02:30 UT on Dec. 26th (09:30 pm EST on Dec. 25th). Stay tuned for photos from the eclipse zone. Live webcasts: #1, (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4foL-OEnLpk&feature=youtu.be) #2, #3.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 28, 2019, 11:03:58 AM
MOON-VENUS CONJUNCTION TONIGHT: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southwest. Venus and the slender crescent Moon will be beautifully close together--less than 2 degrees apart over the Americas. Try to catch them before the sky fades to black. The sight of a Venus-Moon conjunction framed by twilight blue is out of this world.


(https://spaceweather.com/images2019/28dec19/skymap.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 28, 2019, 11:25:31 AM
And another one I'll be missing.....  Snow, Rain, Rain, Snow, plus a little snow and rain all day...all night....MaryAnn....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 30, 2019, 01:02:22 PM
"ONCE IN A LIFETIME" STRATOSPHERIC CLOUDS: A spectacular outbreak of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) is underway around the Arctic Circle. "This is a once in a lifetime event," says Chad Blakley, who runs the Lights over Lapland aurora tour service in Abisko, Sweden. "No question, this is the best that any of us have ever seen." Tour guide Paige Ellis took this video showing the clouds' aurora-like colors on Dec. 29th:

https://vimeo.com/382043289 (https://vimeo.com/382043289)

"They were so intense that lots of the tourists on the ground thought they were looking at daytime auroras. I had to explain that they were actually clouds in the stratosphere," says Blakley.

Polar stratospheric clouds are newsworthy because normally the stratosphere has no clouds at all. Home to the ozone layer, the stratosphere is arid and almost always transparent. Only when the temperature drops to a staggeringly cold -85C can sparse water molecules assemble themselves into icy stratospheric clouds. PSCs are far more rare than auroras.
"Local villagers in both Abisko and Kiruna who are more than 70 years old confirmed they have never seen anything of the size, scale, or intensity," reports Blakley. "At one point I would say that close to 25% of the sky was filled with the clouds. PSCs in previous winters have been closer to 1% or 2%."

The outbreak has continued on Dec. 30th. "Today I got to see some of the brightest PSCs I've ever seen during all of my years watching the sky," reports Göran Strand, who sends this picture from Jämtland, Sweden:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Goran-Strand-GS_20191230_PSCclouds_89869_1577724570.jpg)

"They were so bright, they even lit up the surrounding landscape," he marveled.

PSCs are intensely colorful because they are made of a special type of ice. High-altitude sunlight shining through microscopic crystals only ~10µm across produce a bright iridescent glow unlike the lesser iridescence of ordinary tropospheric clouds.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 31, 2019, 12:38:05 PM
Coooool.....or is that COOOOOLD.....   :sno2:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 31, 2019, 01:17:44 PM
Since it is Sweden I am going to go with :sno2:

:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 03, 2020, 04:19:24 PM
QUADRANTID METEOR SHOWER: Earth is approaching a stream of debris from shattered comet 2003 EH1, source of the annual Quadrantid meteor  (https://spaceweather.com/meteors/quadrantids/quadrantids2.htm)shower. Forecasters expect the shower to peak at 8:20 UT (3:20 a.m. EST) on Saturday, Jan. 4th. The timing favors observers in North America, who could see dozens of meteors streaking out of the obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis (http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/quadrans.htm), not far from the Big Dipper: sky map. (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/02jan20/skymap_north_quadrantids.gif)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 13, 2020, 09:42:55 PM
THE SUN SWALLOWS A COMET: A new comet was discovered today, and it's already history. "The first comet discovery of the decade goes to... SOHO!" reports Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. During the early hours of Jan. 13th, coronagraphs onboard SOHO (the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) spotted the tiny comet plunging into the sun, where it rapidly evaporated:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/13jan20/FirstCometof2020.gif)

SOHO is the most prolific comet hunter in history. "It's actually quite unusual that it has taken 13 days for SOHO to find a comet," notes Battams. "This is the furthest we've gone into a new calendar year without a discovery since 2008. We're closing in on 3,900 comets discovered, and should comfortably pass 4,000 sometime this year!"

The doomed comet, R.I.P., was a member of the Kreutz family. Kreutz sungrazers are fragments from the breakup of a single giant comet many centuries ago. They get their name from 19th century German astronomer Heinrich Kreutz, who studied them in detail. Hundreds of Kreutz fragments pass by the sun and disintegrate every year--a fact that has helped SOHO pad its totals. In fact, the second comet of the new decade will probably be a Kreutz sungrazer, too. Stay tuned :)

Note: When SOHO discovers a comet, it always has help. A human watching coronagraph images is required to spot the sungrazer. In this case, says Battams, "The comet was noticed by Worachate Boonplod (Thailand) - one of our most successful amateur comet hunters."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 15, 2020, 01:38:19 PM
(https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2020/01/13/15/23343376-7882049-image-a-15_1578927615226.jpg)

Guess what caused this?

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READ HERE (https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7882049/Purple-haze-Stunning-photo-shows-night-sky-Arizona-marijuana-farm-glowing-ultraviolet.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 16, 2020, 06:41:25 PM
A MAGNETIC EXPLOSION ON EARTH'S DOORSTEP:

Yes, there are explosions in Earth’s magnetic field. They happen all the time. Gusts of solar wind press against Earth’s magnetosphere, squeezing lines of magnetic force together. The lines criss-cross and reconnect, literally exploding and propelling high energy particles toward Earth.  Auroras are the afterglow of this process.

On Dec. 20, 2015, such an explosion occurred closer to Earth than anyone had seen before.  It has taken researchers 4 years to fully wrap their minds around what happened, and the results were published just this week in the Jan. 13, 2020, edition of Nature Physics.

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/j/Joseph-Bradley-_MG_8407_1450760666.jpg)

Above: Auroras sparked by a near-Earth magnetic explosion on Dec. 20, 2015: more.

Lead author Vassilis Angelopoulos of UCLA explains: "Usually, these explosions happen at least 100,000 miles from Earth, far downstream in our planet’s magnetic tail. On Dec. 20, 2015, however, we observed a reconnection event only 30,000 miles away–more than 3 times closer than normal."

It was a case of good luck and perfect timing. NASA's swarm of three THEMIS spacecraft were passing through the area, and they were able to pinpoint the explosion’s location "right on the doorstep" of the geosynchronous satellite belt. This showed reconnection events may pose a previously overlooked threat to Earth-orbiting satellites. The nearby blast caused a strong G2-class geomagnetic storm and intense auroras around the Arctic Circle.


(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/15jan20/magnetosphere_w_caption.jpg)


Above: "X" marks the spot of the Dec. 20, 2015, near-Earth magnetic explosion: more.

Angelopoulos estimated the energy involved. "The explosion and subsequent storm delivered as much as ~88 PetaJoules (88 x 1015 Joules) of energy to the near-Earth environment. That’s more than 10 times the energy of the largest US nuclear bomb and about 20 times the energy of a magnitude 7 earthquake."

Before this event, many researchers felt that reconnection at such proximity was impossible. Earth’s nearby magnetic field was too stable for such explosions … or so the thinking went.

"Now we know better," Angelopoulos says"“The THEMIS multipoint observations are iron-clad. It really happened, and this is going to make a big impact on future studies of geomagnetic storms."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 08, 2020, 08:25:37 PM
THE CONTINUING MYSTERY OF BETELGEUSE: For months, astronomers have been keeping a wary eye on Betelgeuse, the bright red star in Orion's shoulder. What's attracting their attention? All of a sudden, Betelgeuse isn't bright anymore. Its luminosity has "fallen off a cliff"--a sign that the star could be on the verge of going supernova.

"The most recent measurements put the visual magnitude of Betelgeuse at about +1.66, the dimmest its been in our 25 years of photometry," says Edward Guinan of Villanova University.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/08feb20/lightcurve_strip.png)

Above: The horizontal axis is Heliospheric Julian Date (HJD). For reference, Jan. 30, 2020, the date of the most recent measurement, has an HJD of 2458879.

Betelgeuse is a highly evolved red supergiant--the type of star that could collapse and explode at any moment. Indeed, the dimming of Betelgeuse could be explained if the star has suddenly contracted to about 92% of its previous radius. But that's not the only possibility. Betelgeuse might be dimmed by a giant starspot--or maybe it is shrouded by an outburst of stardust from its own cool outer layers--or something else entirely. No one knows.

Answers might be forthcoming on Feb. 21st. Astronomers have long known that Betelgeuse is a variable star. It pulsates with many periods, as shown in this Fourier analysis of Betelgeuse's light curve:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/08feb20/fourier_strip.png)

Above: A period analysis of 23 years (1995-2018) of Betelgeuse photometry. Credit: Peranso.

"This shows a dominant (probable pulsation) period of P = 430 days," note Guinan and colleague Richard Wasatonic in a recent Astronomical Telegram. Given this result, "the minimum brightness is expected on 21 (+/-7d) February 2020."

If Betelegeuse starts to bounce back on Feb. 21st, this whole episode might just be a deeper-than-average pulsation, and perhaps the supernova watch can be called off. However, notes Guinan, "even if the 430-day period is still working, this would indicate a minimum brightness near 0.9 mag--much brighter than the current value near 1.6 mag. So something very unusual is going on."

Stay tuned for updates as Feb. 21st approaches
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on February 08, 2020, 08:35:44 PM
Can also be Aliens!  :woohoo: :cheer:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 08, 2020, 08:39:57 PM
:tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Chiron on February 09, 2020, 04:56:51 AM
Don't worry too much: whatever it is, it's old hat anyway - the light we're seeing now has left Betelgeuse about 700 years ago, in the good old days when Dante hadn't even begun to write his Divina Commedia... :winks:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 09, 2020, 07:57:06 AM
The one point that very few remember to take into account or even know about ... yes I have students in my class that cannot grasp the concept.

Yet my neighbors kid across the street that is on the verge of the dreaded teen years understands the concept with ease.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on February 09, 2020, 08:48:52 AM
 :shh2:  Aliens Changing the light bulb on their night light!  :cheer:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 09, 2020, 10:49:55 AM
If Betelgeuse has gone supernova, and we can see it in our lifetime, it being so far away would have very little effect on our planet. It definitely would be brighter than the full Moon and be visible during the day, if it is at that time of the year, and it would change it's color to bright blueish white. Other than that, it is not close enough to affect life on Earth disastrously.


In 1054 AD a supernova was reported that had similar characteristics, and had no ill effect on life. It is likely the one that created the Crab Nebula, AKA M-1, in the catalog of Messier. There is no reason to expect a different result from Betelgeuse.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 09, 2020, 07:10:17 PM
Betelgeuse 640 light years away
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on February 09, 2020, 07:41:58 PM
What it is only 238,380,600,000,000,000,000 inches!  :woohoo: :cheer:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 09, 2020, 08:31:27 PM
:tearlaugh: :cheer:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 12, 2020, 01:43:48 AM
One light year is approximately 6,000,000,000,000 miles. One mile is 5,280 feet. One foot is 12 inches. Calculate properly to learn how many inches are in one light year, and then multiply that result by 640. This will give you the approximate distance to Betelgeuse in inches.


I'd do it myself, but my computer's calculator cannot handle numbers so large in an understandable manner, and I do not have a pen and paper handy to do it manually. I can do it manually, and will when I get the time, but it seems Radkres has already done it. I don't know if he used the actual true amount of miles in a light year, or the approximate amount. I will find the actual amount and get an accurate value, if I can.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Chiron on February 12, 2020, 02:08:46 AM
Ever wondered how many µm a dog is long, nose to tail? :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2020, 05:07:19 AM
Ever wondered how many µm a dog is long, nose to tail? :tearlaugh:

Not till now :tearlaugh:

let us see at 25400 to an inch it certainly will be a fantastic number depending on the breed
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Chiron on February 12, 2020, 06:39:37 AM
Not till now :tearlaugh:

let us see at 25400 to an inch it certainly will be a fantastic number depending on the breed

... not to mention the state of the specimen: the ideal dog's conditions for an accurate measurement would be dead and frozen, and even then one might argue ceaselessly and successfully about reliability and accuracy of the measuring method   :haha:


And the universe appears to be slightly more dynamic than a lively dog, and way more difficult to measure accurately - at least for the time being...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2020, 07:51:31 AM

And the universe appears to be slightly more dynamic than a lively dog, and way more difficult to measure accurately - at least for the time being...

That is certainly true
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on February 12, 2020, 09:24:28 AM
Simpsons Grandpa On The Metric System  :(ROFLMAO:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5-s-4KPtD8
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 12, 2020, 02:08:14 PM
My idea of calculating is saying "It's FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR AWAY....

There may be a couple more FAR'S in there...but whose counting.....
:woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 12, 2020, 02:52:40 PM
It's all about the Answer to "Life, The Universe, & Everything In It!"


"42!"


& the question is "What is 6 times 7?"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2020, 09:04:22 PM
My idea of calculating is saying "It's FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR AWAY....

There may be a couple more FAR'S in there...but whose counting.....
:woohoo:

:tearlaugh: Possibly not thyself :ummm:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Chiron on February 13, 2020, 01:21:39 AM
My idea of calculating is saying "It's FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR FAR AWAY....

There may be a couple more FAR'S in there...but whose counting.....
:woohoo:

In astropsychics a more compact notation is commonly used: "It's FARt away", where t is the time in seconds (not sure if imperial or metric) required to utter all the necessary FAR's :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 13, 2020, 03:04:20 AM
In astropsychics a more compact notation is commonly used: "It's FARt away", where t is the time in seconds (not sure if imperial or metric) required to utter all the necessary FAR's :tearlaugh:
LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 13, 2020, 04:14:13 AM
SURFING THE JET STREAM REDUCES AVIATION RADIATION: Something strange is happening in the North Atlantic. For the past three years, airplanes have been flying across the ocean in record time. Credit the jet stream. It's revved up, possibly by climate change, and planes that surf it are flying faster than ever before. The latest record was set just days ago. On Feb. 8, 2020, British Airways Flight 112 (BA 112) rocketed from New York to London in a mere 4 hours 56 minutes, at one point traveling faster than 825 mph.

This is good news, because airplanes surfing the jet stream absorb significantly less cosmic radiation.

https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ba112#23cda523 (https://www.flightradar24.com/data/flights/ba112#23cda523)

(Top)The flight path of British Airways 112 and (Bottom) the transatlantic jet stream on Feb. 8, 2020. Credit: FlightRadar24.com

Researchers have long known that air travelers are exposed to cosmic rays. At typical cruising altitudes, passengers absorb 50 to 100 times more radiation than they would at sea level. This has led the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) to classify pilots and flight attendants as occupational radiation workers.

The jet stream can reduce this exposure. By propelling the passengers of BA 112 across the Atlantic at record speed, the jet stream lowered their dose by about 30%. Two Virgin Atlantic flights following close behind the British Airways Boeing 747 experienced similar reductions.

These conclusions are based on E-RAD, a new model for aviation radiation. Since 2015, we (Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus) have been collecting X-ray, gamma-ray, and neutron radiation data onboard airplanes. Our database contains more than 25,000 radiation measurements over 27 countries, 5 continents, and 2 oceans. E-RAD uses these measurements to predict dose rates on flights anywhere in the world.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/12feb20/erad_strip.png)

British Airways flies from New York to London every day. We applied E-RAD to Flight 112 on several dates, comparing dosages on Feb. 8th, when the plane surfed the jet stream, to nearby dates when it didn’t. Surfing the jet stream shaved 6 to 10 uSv (microSieverts) off the total radiation dose, a reduction equivalent to about 1 dental X-ray.

It’s not all good news, though. The jet stream can cause trouble. An active, fast-moving jet stream is often filled with turbulence, making flights miserable for buckled-in passengers. Planes dodging the rough air can actually increase their flight times, boosting cosmic ray exposure instead of reducing it.

Oh, and did you want to go home? Passengers returning to New York from London have to cross the Atlantic against the jet stream. Their flights will be slower, increasing exposure time. Indeed, we calculated the radiation exposure for British Airways flight 177 on Feb 8th, which flew in the opposite direction, from London to New York. Passengers onboard that aircraft received double the dosage: 34.4 uSv (London to New York) instead of the 17.7 uSv (New York to London) received by passengers on the BA 112 flight earlier in the day.

Climate change research suggests that all of these effects will intensify in the years ahead. A seminal study in 2016 found that changes in atmospheric dynamics would increase round-trip times between London and New York despite the quickening jet stream. Unless you fly to London and remain there, you’re going to absorb more and more rads on a plane.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 14, 2020, 02:28:09 PM
That's another reason why I like Space Weather.com.......they give you facts no one else wondered about.  I flew often....thankfully the majority were flights that were State To State.  But have flown to China, Scotland, Japan and other overseas places and the flights were LONG....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 14, 2020, 02:59:10 PM
NEW IAU STATEMENT ON SATELLITE MEGA-CONSTELLATIONS: The night sky is in danger. This has been true for years as urban landscapes became increasingly light-polluted. But now there's a new threat, one you can't escape by driving into the countryside. It's the "mega-constellation." Some companies are planning to launch tens of thousands of internet satellites into low-Earth orbit. The recent launch by Space X of just 240 Starlink satellites has already ruined many astronomical observations.

(https://www.iau.org/static/archives/images/screen/iau2001a.jpg)

Above: Astronomers at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory were trying to photograph nearby galaxies when 19 Starlink satellites intervened. [Full Story]

This week the International Astronomical Union (IAU) issued a new press release describing the impact of satellite mega-constellations on astronomy. IAU astronomers simulated 25,000 satellites similar in type to the satellites of SpaceX, Amazon, and OneWeb, and here are their results:
1. The number of satellites above the horizon at any given time would be between ~1500 and a few thousand. Most will appear very close to the horizon, with only a relative few passing directly overhead.
2. When the sun is 18 degrees below the horizon--that is, when the night becomes dark--the number of illuminated satellites above the horizon would be around 1000. These numbers will decrease during the hours around midnight when many satellites fall into Earth's shadow.
3. At the moment it is difficult to predict how many of the illuminated satellites will be visible to the naked eye because of uncertainties in their reflectivity. Probably, the vast majority will be too faint to see. This depends to some degree on experiments such as those being carried out by SpaceX to reduce the reflectivity of their satellites with different coatings.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/14feb20/ann19035a_strip.jpg)


Above: Starlink satellites photobomb the NGC 5353/4 galaxy group at Lowell Observatory [more]

4. Even if most satellites are invisible to the naked eye, mega-constellations pose a serious problem for professional astronomy. The trails of these satellites are bright enough to saturate modern detectors on large telescopes, and wide-field scientific astronomical observations will be severely affected.

5. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory currently under construction in Chile will be particularly hard-hit. The innovative observatory will scan large swaths of the sky, looking for near-Earth asteroids, studying dark energy, and much more. According to the IAU, up to 30% of the 30-second images during twilight hours will be affected. In theory, the effects of the new satellites could be mitigated by accurately predicting their orbits and interrupting observations, when necessary, during their passage, but this is a burdensome procedure.

There are no international rules governing the brightness of orbiting manmade objects. Until now, they didn't seem to be necessary. Mega-constellations, however, threaten "the uncontaminated view of the night sky from dark places, which should be considered a non-renounceable world human heritage," says the press release. Therefore the IAU will present its findings at meetings of the UN Committee for Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, bringing the attention of this problem to world leaders.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 14, 2020, 03:01:27 PM
THE CHANGING SHAPE OF BETELGEUSE: Betelgeuse isn't just dimming, it's also changing shape. Today, the European Southern Observatory released new images of Betelgeuse from the Very Large Telescope (VLT) in Chile's Atacama desert. The unstable red supergiant is definitely lopsided:

https://youtu.be/o1ls7Gr9LTE

A team led by Miguel Montargès of KU Leuven in Belgium took the picture in Dec. 2019, shortly after the star began its unprecedented dimming. They were able to compare it to a "normal" picture of Betelgeuse taken 11 months earlier. The change in shape is striking.

What's going on? The researchers aren't sure why Betelgeuse looks so different, but they suspect the involvement of dust. Red supergiants like Betelgeuse create and eject vast amounts of dusty material, losing mass even before they explode as supernovas. The lopsided shape and dimming of Betelgeuse might be explained if a cloud of dust is partially blocking its disk. Indeed, VLT infrared observations of Betelgeuse at the same time reveal lots of dust around the star.

Mystery solved? Not necessarily. "Our knowledge of red supergiants remains incomplete, and this is still a work in progress, so a surprise can still happen," notes Montargès. Other possibilities include magnetic activity on Betelgeuse's surface (such as a giant starspot) and, of course, the early stages of a supernova explosion.

The Very Large Telescope with its adaptive optics instruments is one of the few facilities in the world capable of imaging the surface of Betelgeuse, located more than 600 light years away. More images from the Atacama desert may yet reveal what's happening--if Betelgeuse doesn't tell us first! (https://astronomy.com/news/2020/02/when-betelgeuse-goes-supernova-what-will-it-look-like-from-earth)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 14, 2020, 03:21:48 PM


Scientists detect an unexplainable radio signal from outer space that repeats every 16 days

For the first time, scientists have detected a radio signal from outer space that repeats at regular intervals.

The series of so-called "fast radio bursts" – which are very short-lived pulses of radio waves that come from across the universe – were detected approximately once an hour for four days and then suddenly stopped, only to start up again 12 days later.

This cycle repeated every 16.35 days for over a year, according to a new paper about the research. 

The bursts originated from a distant galaxy some 500 million light-years away.

"The discovery of a 16.35-day periodicity in a repeating FRB source is an important clue to the nature of this object," the scientists said in the paper.

The repeating pattern, reports Science X Network, "suggests the source could be a celestial body of some kind orbiting around a star or another body. In such a scenario, the signals would cease when they are obstructed by the other body.

"But that still does not explain how a celestial body could be sending out such signals on a regular basis," Science X said. "Another possibility is that stellar winds might be alternately boosting or blocking signals from a body behind them. Or it could be that the source is a celestial body that is rotating."

It's not likely to be aliens, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said in a statement, because the signals are a sign of energetic events that are on the extreme scale of the cosmos. "Even a highly intelligent species would be very unlikely to produce energies like this. And there is no detectable pattern so far that would suggest there’s a sentient hand at play," MIT said.

Fast radio bursts last only a few milliseconds, making it difficult to accurately determine where they have come from.

"One of the greatest mysteries in astronomy right now is the origin of short, dramatic bursts of radio light seen across the universe, known as fast radio bursts or FRBs," said the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy, in a statement.

"Although they last for only a thousandth of a second, there are now hundreds of records of these enigmatic sources," the Institute said.

Since 2007, according to MIT, most of the radio bursts are “one-offs” but a small amount are “repeaters” which recur in the same place.

The fast radio burst that repeats every 16 days was detected by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment, a radio telescope designed and built by several groups of Canadian scientists to study outer space phenomena.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 27, 2020, 05:37:54 AM
SUPERNOVA WATCH, CANCELLED:
Call off the supernova watch. Betelgeuse is brightening again. Researchers from Villanova University, who have been leading the study of Betelegeuse's unprecedented decline, have confirmed in a new Astronomical Telegram that the star has reversed itself. The turnaround was actually predicted, and suggests the recent dimming was an unusually deep excursion of the star's natural 430-day periodicity.
Here are the latest data from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO):
(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/24feb20/lightcurve_strip.png)
According to the light curve, Betelgeuse hit bottom during the week of Feb. 7th - 13th with a V magnitude slightly greater than +1.6. "Based on these and additional observations, Betelgeuse has definitely stopped dimming and has started to slowly brighten," says Ed Guinan of Villanova University. "Thus, this 'fainting' episode is over."
The monitoring should continue, however. Sensational images captured last month by the ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile revealed that one half of Betelgeuse was dimming more than the other. No one knows why. Additional imaging during Betelgeuse's recovery might unravel the mystery.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 27, 2020, 01:38:23 PM
What I saw today on yahoo (I found for you an english article)

Earth has picked a tiny second Moon (https://newatlas.com/space/earth-tiny-second-moon/)

The Minor Planet Center has announced that Earth now has two moons. But don’t bother running outside to check – this second satellite is tiny and temporary.

The newcomer, designated 2020 CD3, measures between 1.9 and 3.5 m (6.2 and 11.5 ft) wide, which obviously pales in size compared to our main Moon’s massive 3,474 km (2,159 mi) diameter. That’s because it’s little more than an asteroid that just wandered too close, and got tangled up in Earth’s gravitational pull.

Follow the link above to read more.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 27, 2020, 05:09:32 PM
I saw that on the new and thought it was so cool.  But I guess it won't hang around to long.   Cute little thing though LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 27, 2020, 08:12:53 PM
SUPERNOVA WATCH, CANCELLED:
Call off the supernova watch. Betelgeuse is brightening again. Researchers from Villanova University, who have been leading the study of Betelegeuse's unprecedented decline, have confirmed in a new Astronomical Telegram that the star has reversed itself. The turnaround was actually predicted, and suggests the recent dimming was an unusually deep excursion of the star's natural 430-day periodicity.
Here are the latest data from the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO):
(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/24feb20/lightcurve_strip.png)
According to the light curve, Betelgeuse hit bottom during the week of Feb. 7th - 13th with a V magnitude slightly greater than +1.6. "Based on these and additional observations, Betelgeuse has definitely stopped dimming and has started to slowly brighten," says Ed Guinan of Villanova University. "Thus, this 'fainting' episode is over."
The monitoring should continue, however. Sensational images captured last month by the ESO's Very Large Telescope in Chile revealed that one half of Betelgeuse was dimming more than the other. No one knows why. Additional imaging during Betelgeuse's recovery might unravel the mystery.



"Here are the latest data from the American Association of VARIABLE STAR Observers"

Isn't the answer to Betelgeuse's behavior right there? It's a Variable Star? Variable stars do that sorta thing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Variable_star
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 28, 2020, 02:26:27 PM
Good thing we just cut and paste this stuff or we'd all be accused of giving out so so facts.   :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 28, 2020, 07:13:45 PM
Good thing we just cut and paste this stuff or we'd all be accused of giving out so so facts.   :iminnocent:

I just have a special place in my heart for 'Mr. O' (Orion) and I'd be kind of bummed if Betelgeuse disappeared - so I went and looked up stuff about Betelgeuse and that was the most logical thing to explain all it's dimming and brightening to me. Which made me very relieved - :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 29, 2020, 03:56:10 AM
I just have a special place in my heart for 'Mr. O' (Orion) and I'd be kind of bummed if Betelgeuse disappeared - so I went and looked up stuff about Betelgeuse and that was the most logical thing to explain all it's dimming and brightening to me. Which made me very relieved - :tearlaugh:
Indeed, Orion would look odd without Betelgeuse. The supernova will happen sometime in the future, but for now, most don't expect it anytime soon.


Another reason for the dimming of unprecedented magnitude loss is quite likely to be a vast dust cloud that came between the star and we on Earth that observe it. Indeed some of the spectral analyses have indicated that. Where did the dust cloud originate? Large coronal mass ejections from Betelgeuse itself could easily account for that. Betelgeuse is known for such events.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sidherose on February 29, 2020, 02:55:36 PM
Indeed, Orion would look odd without Betelgeuse. The supernova will happen sometime in the future, but for now, most don't expect it anytime soon.


Another reason for the dimming of unprecedented magnitude loss is quite likely to be a vast dust cloud that came between the star and we on Earth that observe it. Indeed some of the spectral analyses have indicated that. Where did the dust cloud originate? Large coronal mass ejections from Betelgeuse itself could easily account for that. Betelgeuse is known for such events.

Yes, he would look odd. He's already lost his eyes, according to myth - and he's in so many!

I'd read about the possibility of it being a dust cloud from they didn't know what or where. Hard to say, but it certainly brought great attention to this particular variable dimming sequence, didn't it? 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 29, 2020, 04:38:16 PM
I just have a special place in my heart for 'Mr. O' (Orion) and I'd be kind of bummed if Betelgeuse disappeared - so I went and looked up stuff about Betelgeuse and that was the most logical thing to explain all it's dimming and brightening to me. Which made me very relieved - :tearlaugh:

Yup....I know.....but I always get a kick out of what scientist and observers A, B and C say while looking at the same object.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 29, 2020, 05:18:47 PM
Tis the only way to learn ... listen to all and make your own decision
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 29, 2020, 07:15:16 PM
Yip.....and I won't publish my findings so all are safe  :tearlaugh: :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 29, 2020, 07:35:26 PM
Yes, he would look odd. He's already lost his eyes, according to myth - and he's in so many!

I'd read about the possibility of it being a dust cloud from they didn't know what or where. Hard to say, but it certainly brought great attention to this particular variable dimming sequence, didn't it?
Most definitely!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on February 29, 2020, 07:42:45 PM
 :iminnocent: :whatthe:

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 01, 2020, 10:47:24 AM
My Daughters Favorite Alien Hunter LOLOL....  She is a Ancient Aliens fanatic.  I like some of what they come up with....but not all....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on March 05, 2020, 03:38:34 AM

2 Mile Wide Asteroid Headed Earth's Direction at 19,000 Miles Per Hour - About the Size of a Volcano

https://youtu.be/MgNtK2hZlGw
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on March 07, 2020, 12:36:24 PM
Just a reminder of the Super Moon this coming Monday. 


Here is a link to the story from CNET.


https://www.cnet.com/news/marchs-supermoon-called-a-worm-moon-will-dazzle-skies-monday/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 07, 2020, 01:19:57 PM
Thanks for the super moon reminder M-C.....   :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 09, 2020, 04:39:12 PM
A SUNSPOT FROM THE NEXT SOLAR CYCLE: A new sunspot is emerging in the sun's southern hemisphere, and it looks like a member of new Solar Cycle 25. Numbered "AR2758," the sunspot is inset in this magnetic map of the sun's surface from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/08mar20/latest_4096_HMIBC_crop.jpg)

How do we know this sunspot belongs to Solar Cycle 25? Its magnetic polarity tells us so. Southern sunspots from old Solar Cycle 24 have a -/+ polarity. This sunspot is the opposite: +/-. According to Hale’s Law, sunspots switch polarities from one solar cycle to the next. AR2744 is therefore a member of Solar Cycle 25.

AR2758 continues a trend of increasing Solar Cycle 25 activity. So far this year, there have been 4 numbered sunspots. Three of them (75%) have been from Solar Cycle 25. This compares to only 17% in 2019 and 0% in 2018. Solar Cycle 25 is still weak, but it is coming.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 18, 2020, 07:26:49 PM
COMET ATLAS IS BRIGHTENING FASTER THAN EXPECTED: Get ready for a wild ride. Comet ATLAS (C2019 Y4) is plunging toward the sun and, if it doesn't fly apart first, it could become one of the brightest comets in years.

"Comet ATLAS continues to brighten much faster than expected," says Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. "Some predictions for its peak brightness now border on the absurd."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/r/rolando-ligustri-C2019Y4_200318_FB_1584546962.jpg)
Above: Comet Atlas (upper left) glides by spiral galaxy M81 on March 18th. Credit: Rolando Ligustri [more]

The comet was discovered in December 2019 by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) in Hawaii. Astronomers quickly realized it might be special. On May 31, 2020, Comet ATLAS will pass deep inside the orbit of Mercury only 0.25 AU from the sun. If it can survive the blast furnace of solar heating, it could put on a good show.

However, no one expected the show to start this soon. More than 2 months before perihelion (closest approach to the sun), Comet ATLAS is already "heating up." The worldwide Comet Observation Database shows it jumping from magnitude +17 in early February to +8 in mid-March–a 4000-fold increase in brightness. It could become visible to the naked eye in early April.

"Right now the comet is releasing huge amounts of its frozen volatiles (gases)," says Battams. "That’s why it’s brightening so fast."

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/18mar20/lightcurve_strip.png)

Can ATLAS sustain this crazy pace? If it has a big nucleus w ith large stores of frozen gas, then yes; we could get a very bright comet. Otherwise, Comet ATLAS might run out of gas, crumbling and fading as it approaches the sun.

Current best estimates of the comet’s peak brightness in May range from magnitude +1 to -5. If Comet ATLAS hits the high end of that range, a bit brighter than Venus, it could become visible in broad daylight.

Comet McNaught (C/2006 P1) performed that very trick 13 years ago. On Jan. 13, 2007, it swooped past the sun shining at magnitude -5. The absurdly-bright comet was visible at high noon with its tail jutting across blue sky:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/18mar20/rosen1_strip.jpg)

Above: Comet McNaught in broad daylight on Jan. 13, 2007. Photo credit: Peter Rosen. [more]

Battams is not optimistic, though: "My personal intuition is that Comet ATLAS is over-achieving, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it fade rapidly and possibly even disintegrate before reaching the sun," he says.

Come to think of it, that would be a good show, too. Fortunately, NASA has spacecraft with cameras that specialize in seeing things close to the sun.

"The Heliospheric Imager on NASA's STEREO spacecraft will get a great view of ATLAS from mid-May through early June," says Battams. "The camera is very sensitive, so we might be able to observe ATLAS’s tail interacting with the solar wind and outflows–as well as any potential breakup events."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on March 18, 2020, 07:42:30 PM
 :iminnocent:
Lifeforce (1985)



[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Wizzard on March 18, 2020, 07:46:41 PM
Steve Railsback, Great movie, lovely alien played by Ms May.
Thanx for the reminder Rad..... NOw where's that tape.....?
Cheers 8 )
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 28, 2020, 01:58:30 PM
SUNSET SKY SHOW--TONIGHT! When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. There's a heavenly triangle in the sunset sky. The vertices are Venus, the crescent Moon and the Pleiades. Venus and the Moon pop out of the twilight first, followed by the Seven Sisters as the sky fades to black. Ruslan Merzlyakov photographed the convergence last night from Nykøbing Mors, Denmark:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/28mar20/conjunction_strip.jpg)

"I enjoyed the beautiful conjunction on March 27th before the fog rolled in over the by the Limfjord [fjord]," says Merzlyakov. "March 28th will be even better as the Moon moves closer to Venus and the Pleiades."

This event kicks off a must-see conjunction between Venus and the Pleiades. During the next week, Venus and the Pleiades will inch closer and closer together until, on April 3rd, Venus is actually inside the star cluster. For full effect, binoculars are recommmended.

To say this is a mixture of dissimilar things would be an understatement. The Pleiades are elusive. You rarely find them on purpose. They're best seen out of the corner of your eye, a pretty little surprise that pops out of the night sky when you're staring elsewhere. Venus is just the opposite. Bright enough to cast faint shadows, it beams down from the heavens and grabs you when you're not even looking.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/28mar20/skymap_28mar20_strip.png)

This will be the best (https://earthsky.org/?p=326661) Venus-Pleiades conjunction of the 21st century, so far. Don't miss it! Sky maps: March 28 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/28mar20/skymap_28mar20.png), 29 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/29mar20/skymap_29mar20.png), 30, 31, April 1 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/01apr20/skymap_01apr20.png), 2, 3.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 28, 2020, 02:39:41 PM
Visibility of the Pleiades depends on the clarity of the sky and the level of light pollution.


That said, I have been able to identify up to 14 stars in the cluster with the naked eye with moderate light pollution in the area. My eyesight was exceptional in those days. Nowadays with less light pollution where I live I can see the Pleiades fairly well without binoculars. There is another star cluster in Taurus where the Pleiades live, called the Hyades. They form the head of the bull, and the Pleiades form the big humped shoulder of the bull.

[attachment deleted by admin]
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 28, 2020, 04:35:36 PM
So many new things you can use nowadays for Stargazing....From binoculars to smartphone telescopes.  The naked eye is now obsolete LOLOL.....

Check this out.  Got it on my wish list for Christmas.  Have a couple of telescopes but want to have something with me in case I spot something.  Hard to do that with a telescope....


MOBILE PHONE TELESCOPE (https://shoppingavenue.co/products/ultimate-mobile-phone-telescope-20x-zoom-lens-4k-hd?variant=30237510893614&gclid=Cj0KCQjw6_vzBRCIARIsAOs54z7kKbX16w72p8MlwnjNGvsUV22ScsLuSzt5AVKsjXZ6I1YMOyjbNm8aAqC9EALw_wcB)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on March 28, 2020, 05:27:55 PM
Sometimes naked eye astronomy is all you need. I use it when making observations of certain events. I also use it to give me an idea of what part of the sky to point my instruments at. If you don't have auto tracking, that becomes one of the other options.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 03, 2020, 03:53:10 AM
VENUS AND THE PLEIADES: If a supernova went off inside the Pleiades star cluster, what would it look like? Tonight, we find out. Venus and the Pleiades are having a rare conjunction, with supernova-bright Venus apparently inside the star cluster on April 3rd. Fred Espenak of Portal, Arizona, captured this preview on April 1st:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/f/Fred-Espenak-VenusM45-2020Apr01-10x_1585856250.jpg)

"It was beautiful," says Espenak. And it will be even better tonight when the conjunction tightens.

Venus is about 1000 times brighter than the individual stars of the Pleiades. So, when you look at the conjunction with the unaided eye, you mainly see Venus. Try binoculars. Even a small amount of magnification reveals the delicate star cluster surrounding the bright planet. It'll look like a supernova has gone off among the Seven Sisters.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 15, 2020, 02:08:10 PM
INTRODUCING COMET SWAN: Warning: This story may give you a sense of déjà vu. A new comet has been discovered, and in late May it will pass by the sun near the orbit of Mercury. No, it's not Comet ATLAS (C/2019 Y4), which is currently falling apart on a similar trajectory. Instead, this is Comet SWAN (C/2020 F8):

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Michael-Mattiazzo-2020f8_20200413_1915UT_mmatti5_1586913194_lg.jpg)

Michael Mattiazzo of Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia, took the picture on April 13th. "This is a 5 minute exposure through my 11-inch Celestron telescope," says Mattiazzo. "A visual observation using 15x70mm binoculars gave a magnitude of 8.1."

Mattiazzo discovered the comet two days earlier when he was looking at data from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). It suddenly appeared in images from SOHO's SWAN instrument. "This is my 8th discovery credit for SWAN comets since 2004 and I do check the data on most days," says Mattiazzo.

Post-discovery images taken by Italian astronomer Ernest Guido and colleagues confirm that the comet is bright (8th magnitude), green, and has a long tail:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/e/Ernesto-Guido-a-Marco-Rocchetto-a-Adriano-Valvasori-C2020F8_SWAN_20200411_rev1_data_1586800493_lg.jpg)

"We took this picture on April 11th--the same day Mattiazzo found the comet in SWAN data," says Guido. "We couldn't see it from Italy, so we used a remote-controlled 0.1 meter telescope in Australia."

SOHO's SWAN instrument was not designed to find comets. Its job is to survey the solar system for hydrogen. When the solar wind blows into a cloud of hydrogen-bearing compounds, the impact produces UV photons that SWAN can photograph.
"For SWAN to see a comet, it means the comet must be producing a fairly significant amount of hydrogen," explains Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. "This is usually in the form of water-ice."

"It's extremely likely that Comet SWAN is in 'outburst' mode," he continues. "That is, some major eruption happened to this otherwise small and faint comet, releasing a massive cloud of hydrogen-rich volatiles. SWAN is picking up on this sudden dump of hydrogen into the inner solar system."

http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2020F8 (http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2020F8)

Click to view an interactive preliminary orbit of Comet SWAN. Credit: Gideon van Buitenen

If the outburst continues, Comet SWAN could become visible to the naked eye next month. Preliminary light curves suggest that it could reach 3rd magnitude--dim, but visible without optics. However, Battams, who correctly predicted the demise of Comet ATLAS, is not so sure.
"I doubt that the comet will maintain its current impressive appearance, and will quite possibly fade away soon," he says. "But we've only been viewing it for a couple of days, so no one knows."

Comet SWAN is currently located in southern skies, best seen by telescopes in Australia, New Zealand, southern Africa and South America. Preliminary orbital elements are available here. Stay tuned for updates.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on April 15, 2020, 02:20:55 PM
 :iminnocent: Nice 4,000 Dollar telescope!  :woohoo:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 24, 2020, 07:24:20 AM
This Exoplanet Disappeared From Hubble Observations. Now, We Finally Know Why

In 2004 and 2006, the Hubble Space Telescope captured something incredible. There seemed to be a planet orbiting a star called Fomalhaut 25 light-years away, and it was directly detectable in visible light: extremely rare for exoplanets, which are usually too small and faint to be seen.


The object, formally named Fomalhaut b or Dagon, was announced in 2008, and confirmed in 2012, thought to be a gas giant on a 1,700-year, highly elliptical orbit around its host star.

But while examining previously unpublished Hubble images taken back in 2014, astronomers got a shock. The putative planet hadn't just changed. It wasn't that its orbit was not as expected.

Dagon had vanished altogether.

(https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2020-04/dagon-planet.jpg)
dagon planet
(NASA, ESA, P. Kalas/UC Berkeley)

In its place was... nothing, leading astronomers to the conclusion that the spot was never an exoplanet at all. Instead, they now believe the bright spot visible in those early Hubble images was an even rarer sight - the aftermath of a collision between two asteroid-sized planetesimals.

"These collisions are exceedingly rare and so this is a big deal that we actually get to see one," said astronomer András Gáspár of the University of Arizona. "We believe that we were at the right place at the right time to have witnessed such an unlikely event with the Hubble Space Telescope."

The identification of Dagon as an exoplanet was never problem free. Fomalhaut is quite a young star, around 440 million years old, and still surrounded by an icy ring of dust and gas, the remnants of a circumstellar disc.


That means any planets orbiting the star should also be quite young, and therefore warm, emitting infrared radiation - yet no infrared radiation was detected emitting from Dagon. It was also unusually bright in blue optical wavelengths, which isn't consistent with our models of planet formation.

To explain these peculiarities, astronomers proposed that the planet was shrouded by a huge ring or cloud of dust, perhaps as the result of collisions with other objects, or a smaller planet with a huge ring system. Some even proposed that Dagon may be a neutron star.

But none of these explanations were conclusive, and there was another huge problem: Dagon's orbit seemed to cross the ring of debris around the star without disturbing it gravitationally, as a planet should. So astronomers have continued to watch the system.

(https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2020-04/dagon-smear.jpg)
dagon smear
(NASA, ESA, and A. Gáspár and G. Rieke/University of Arizona))

"Our study, which analysed all available archival Hubble data on Fomalhaut b, including the most recent images taken by Hubble, revealed several characteristics that together paint a picture that the planet-sized object may never have existed in the first place," Gáspár said.

When they discovered Dagon's astonishing absence in the 2014 Hubble data, Gáspár and his colleague, astronomer George Rieke of the University of Arizona, scurried to reexamine the previous observations.


And they found, astonishingly, that the object seems to have been fading over time - which directly contradicts that 2012 study that validated Dagon's exoplanet status by finding no change in the object's brightness between observations.

"Clearly, Fomalhaut b was doing things a bona fide planet should not be doing," Gáspár said.

Based on their analysis of the data, Gáspár and Rieke believe that the collision took place not long before that first Hubble image in 2004. The two objects would have each been around 200 kilometres (125 miles) across, and likely made up of rock and ice, like Solar System comets.

The two objects came together in a colossal smash-up that was briefly visible, but has been expanding and dissipating over time. By now, the particles will be far too small to be picked up by Hubble, so tracking it further won't really be possible.

However, based on the data, the team was able to ascertain that Dagon - or what's left of it - isn't orbiting the star after all. Rather, it's on an escape trajectory away from Fomalhaut.

"A recently created massive dust cloud, experiencing considerable radiative forces from the central star Fomalhaut, would be placed on such a trajectory," Gáspár explained. "Our model is naturally able to explain all independent observable parameters of the system: its expansion rate, its fading and its trajectory."

The research has been published in PNAS.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 24, 2020, 07:27:42 AM
Astronomers Find First-Ever Collision of Black Holes With a Strange Mass Discrepancy

Just over a year ago, on 12 April 2019, the LIGO-Virgo collaboration made a detection of gravitational waves, rippling out across space-time from the epic collision of two black holes from 2.4 billion light-years away. By now, marvelously, this is nothing out of the ordinary in and of itself.


But, as astronomers have now revealed, the actual GW 190412 collision was something we have never seen before. Rather than two roughly equal-mass black holes between 20 and 40 times the mass of the Sun, GW 190412 was produced by a wildly uneven binary.

Based on analysis of those rippling gravitational waves, astronomers have discovered that one of the black holes tipped the scales at around 29.7 solar masses, while the other was over three times smaller - just 8.4 solar masses.

This is also the lowest-mass black hole binary detected to date - which is tremendously exciting, because it means their merger produced a longer signal than any other black hole merger - a wealth of data to probe.

"Neither of these masses is too surprising on their own. We know black holes come in these sizes. What is new is the ratio of the masses," explained astronomer Christopher Berry of Northwestern University and the LIGO Collaboration in a blog post.

"This observation lets us test our predictions for gravitational wave signals in a new way, and is another piece in the puzzle of understanding how binary black holes form."


The Collaboration's findings were presented at the Virtual April Meeting of the American Physical Society.


Because other gravitational wave events have been generated by roughly equal-mass black hole binaries, this is reflected in the signal. Because the black holes are the same mass, they return to the same relative position with each orbit.

This results in a gravitational wave frequency that's around twice the orbital frequency of the binary system, that is, how long it takes the black holes to orbit each other. But when the system has a significant mass imbalance, the orbit is uneven. This produces a second, weaker gravitational wave frequency.

https://youtu.be/5AkT4bPk-00

This was observed in GW 190412, which produced (among the family of chirps usually found in a black hole merger) two distinct frequencies, as though two guitar strings were vibrating simultaneously, a dyad of frequencies.

Amazingly, these frequencies were the equivalent of five notes apart - what is known as a perfect fifth. When you start singing Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, the first two twinkles constitute this musical interval.

As well as being really awesome, these frequencies allowed the team to perform yet another test of general relativity, too. Basically, they split the gravitational wave signal into an earlier part and a later part, and used equations based on general relativity to calculate the other part of the signal for each half.


The halves matched up with the calculations, producing some of the most robust results from this test to date.

Based on the merger's unusual signal, the team was able to make a few more measurements, too. They were able to determine that the larger of the black holes was spinning - usually quite a difficult thing to measure, and only achieved previously (and tentatively) in two other mergers.

In GW 190412, this spin seemed to be quite fast, which could be a clue as to how such an uneven binary came to exist. You see, there are several astrophysical models for the formation of black hole binaries, but most of them result in more-or-less equal-mass pairs.

The most obvious one is a binary star system in which each star collapses into a black hole. However, it's thought that these can't produce binary black holes with large mass discrepancies, ruling out GW 190412.

It's possible that the black holes formed separately, then somehow came together, capturing each other in orbit. But the high spin of the larger black hole suggests that it could have merged with other black holes previously, before GW 190412.

If the black holes were in a triple or quadruple system, it could be that the larger black hole had already merged with the others. If they were just floating around in normal space, the recoil kick from the merger would disrupt the system - but there's one scenario where it could work: in the disc around an active supermassive black hole at the heart of a galaxy.

There, the extreme gravitational environment could allow stellar-mass black holes to go through several successive mergers without being booted out by the recoil kick.

It's impossible to know for certain at this stage, but with the LIGO-Virgo collaboration making detections every few days, we may not have to wait too long for answers.

The dyad wasn't the only coincidence produced by GW 190412, by the way. The mass ratio between the two black holes is "roughly equal to the ratio of filling in a regular Oreo to in a Mega Stuf Oreo," Berry noted.

"Investigations of connections between Oreos and black hole formation are ongoing."

You can read the team's full paper on the LIGO website.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 24, 2020, 02:40:07 PM
Read about that....I wanna live in space....so much going on.....oh wait....I DO live in space....Never mind  :java:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 27, 2020, 05:53:05 PM
TWO SOLAR CYCLES ARE ACTIVE AT ONCE: Today, there are two sunspots in the sun's southern hemisphere. Their magnetic polarity reveals something interesting: They come from different solar cycles. Take a look at this magnetic map of the sun's surface (with sunspots inset) from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/27apr20/latest_4096_HMIBC_labelled_strip.jpg)

One sunspot (AR2760) belongs to old Solar Cycle 24, while the other (AR2761) belongs to new Solar Cycle 25. We know this because of Hale's polarity law. AR2760 is +/- while AR2761 is -/+, reversed signs that mark them as belonging to different cycles.

This is actually normal. Solar cycles always overlap at their boundaries, sprinkling Solar Minimum with a mixture of old- and new-cycle sunspots. Sometimes, like today, they pop up simultaneously. We might see more such combinations in the months ahead as we slowly grind our way through one of the deepest Solar Minima in a century.
The simultaneous appearance of two solar cycles suggests a type of temporary balance. In fact, the tipping point may have already been reached. So far this year, there have been 7 numbered sunspots. Five of them (71%) have come from Solar Cycle 25. This compares to only 17% in 2019 and 0% in 2018. Slowly but surely, Solar Cycle 25 is coming to life. (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2019/11/02/solar-cycle-25-is-slowly-coming-to-life/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 29, 2020, 09:39:07 AM
https://youtu.be/vWsmp4o-qVg
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 09, 2020, 10:59:47 AM
For those of us who love Space.....NASA has a new site for all to enjoy.....

Take a peek.  It you have kids that love space....they will love this also....I love it...and I'm not a kid LOLOL....



NASA AT HOME (https://www.nasa.gov/specials/nasaathome/index.html)

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 20, 2020, 05:07:00 PM
SUNSET SKY SHOW--VENUS, MERCURY AND THE MOON:

When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. See Venus? She's about to have company. Mercury is approaching for a 1o conjunction on May 21st and 22nd. The planets will be so close together, you can hide them behind a fingertip held at arm's length. Then, on May 23rd and 24th the crescent Moon joins the show. It's a great way to end the day.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 20, 2020, 05:09:14 PM
INFERIOR CONJUNCTION OF VENUS: On June 3rd, Venus will pass almost directly between Earth and the sun--an event astronomers call "inferior conjunction." This is changing the face of Venus in an extraordinary way. The planet has become an slender crescent, growing thinner every night. Dave Eagle sends these pictures from Raunds, United Kingdom:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/d/Dave-Eagle-Venus-Comparison-Compact-20200519_1589957307.png)

"Watching Venus grow in size and the crescent get steadily thinner has been amazing over the past few weeks," says Eagle. "It will change even quicker now as it approaches inferior conjunction."

Venus is "slenderizing" because it is turning its night side toward Earth. As Venus approaches the sun, only an increasingly narrow sliver of Venus's dayside is visible. It's like a miniature version of the crescent Moon.
Amateur astronomers are encouraged to monitor Venus in the lead-up to inferior conjunction. Only a little magnification is required to see the crescent; binoculars or a small telescope will do the trick. In the nights ahead, the planet's shape will become increasingly thin and circular. The horns of the crescent might actually touch when the Venus-sun angle is least on June 3rd. Stay tuned!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 20, 2020, 05:09:59 PM
WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES A RAINBOW: Raindrops are marvelous things. And if you think all they do is make you wet, think again. Yesterday in Atwater, California, Richard Sears captured two beautiful manifestations of rain in a single shot--a rainbow and lightning:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/r/Richard-Sears-17083227-033A-40C2-9344-5A456A8CE6A2_1589859656.jpg)

"A rapidly developing thundercell announced itself with a wild thunderstorm," says Sears. "Just as the setting sun broke through the clouds in the west, a rainbow appeared and a lightning bolt passed through it."

Peaceful rainbows and violent lightning may seem like unlikely relatives, but they do have a common origin. Raindrops make rainbows by reflecting sunlight, breaking the beams of light into their constituent RGB colors. Raindrops also make lightning. Frozen droplets in convective thunderclouds bump and rub together, creating electric charges akin to woolen socks rubbing against carpet. When the charge builds up enough--crack! A white-hot bolt lances across the sky.

"I was lucky to catch them both," says Sears. "What a spectacular show!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 22, 2020, 12:23:45 PM
Wish it was a vid....but that is a cool picture...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 26, 2020, 06:57:40 PM
Just a reminder to all.....Space X will be making a historic launch tomorrow is the weather holds out....

You can view it HERE (https://www.spacex.com/launches/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on May 29, 2020, 06:40:45 PM
Three Events for June star watchers. (North America)


June 5: Strawberry Moon.  It will be in the eastern sky around sunset for onlookers in North America. 


June 7 and 8:  The moon Jupiter and Saturn will shine brightly in the sky. You will be able to see this one without telescope.  It will happen late at night just before midnight. (earthsky.org)


June 20: Summer Solstice
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2020, 07:40:21 AM
'RING OF FIRE' SOLAR ECLIPSE: The sun is about to turn into a "ring of fire." On June 21st, the Moon will pass directly in front of the sun, producing an annular solar eclipse over Earth's eastern hemisphere. Graphic artist Larry Koehn created this animated preview:

https://youtu.be/P849cDvcVp8

Annular eclipses are not total. Only about 99% of the solar disk will be covered. The remainder juts out around the Moon, creating a "ring of fire." The narrow path of angularity stretches from east Africa to the Pacific Ocean, with greatest coverage occurring over the Himalaya of northern India at 06:41 UT.

A partial eclipse, in which a smaller fraction of the sun is covered, can be seen across a much wider area including parts of Europe, the Middle East, India, almost all of Asia, and northernmost Australia. Observers, be careful! A partially eclipsed sun is still dangerously bright and should not be looked at through magnifying optics. Try projection techniques instead.

Because annular eclipses are not, technically, total, they are sometimes considered to be lesser events. Decide for yourself ... after watching this video of an annular eclipse at sunrise over western Australia on May 10, 2013:

https://youtu.be/UJfpqSj7cCs

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many eclipse chasers are "grounded" for this event. However, it is still possible to watch the eclipse thanks to a number of live webcasts: #1 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5t14F-ivNY&feature=youtu.be), #2 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=du1JNrFD0M0&feature=youtu.be), #3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DnLP7e3XX0&feature=youtu.be).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2020, 07:41:40 AM
LUNAR OCCULTATION OF VENUS: Yesterday morning (June 19th) in Europe, astronomers witnessed a lunar occultation of Venus in broad daylight. Surrounded by blue sky, the Moon eclipsed the second planet. Didier Favre of Brétigny-sur-Orge, France, photographed the event moments before Venus disappeared behind the sunlit edge of the Moon:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/d/Didier-Favre-19-juin-2020---07h40mn15sec---Occultation-Venus-par-Lune-_1592555259.png)

"This was an extraordinary astronomical event--the first lunar occultation of Venus I I have observed in 13 years," says Favre.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 20, 2020, 09:03:28 AM
That is pretty cool indeed.   
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 20, 2020, 03:41:49 PM
I thought so too
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 25, 2020, 09:10:49 PM
A GLOBAL MAGNETIC ANOMALY: Lately, Earth’s magnetic field has been quiet. Very quiet. The sun is in the pits of what may turn out to be the deepest Solar Minimum in a century. Geomagnetic storms just aren’t happening.

"That’s why I was so surprised on June 23rd when my instruments picked up a magnetic anomaly," reports Stuart Green, who operates a research-grade magnetometer in his backyard in Preston UK. "For more than 30 minutes, the local magnetic field oscillated like a sine wave."

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/25jun20/20200623_PC5%20_Wave.jpg)

Green quickly checked solar wind data from NOAA's DSCOVR satellite. "There was nothing–no uptick in the solar wind speed or other factors that might explain the disturbance," he says.

He wasn't the only one who noticed. In the Lofoten islands of Norway, Rob Stammes detected a similar anomaly on his magnetometer. "It was remarkable,” says Stammes. "Our magnetic field swung back and forth by about 1/3rd of a degree. I also detected ground currents with the same 10 minute period."

What happened? Space physicists call this phenomenon a "pulsation continuous" or "Pc" for short. Imagine blowing across a piece of paper, making it flutter with your breath. Solar wind can have a similar effect on magnetic fields. Pc waves are essentially flutters propagating down the flanks of Earth's magnetosphere excited by the breath of the sun. During more active phases of the solar cycle, these flutters are easily lost in the noise of rambunctious geomagnetic activity. But during the extreme quiet of Solar Minimum, such waves can make themselves "heard" like a pin dropping in an silent room.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/24jun20/anomaly3_strip.png)

Earth's magnetic field was so quiet on June 23rd, the ripple was heard all around the world. INTERMAGNET's global network of magnetic observatories picked up wave activity at the same time from Hawaii to China to the Arctic Circle. There's even a hint of it in Antarctica (note Scott Base in the plot, above).

Pc waves are classified into 5 types depending on their period. The 10-minute wave on June 23rd falls into category Pc5. Slow Pc5 waves have been linked to a loss of particles from the van Allen radiation belts. Energetic electrons surf these waves down into Earth’s atmosphere, where they dissipate harmlessly.

With Solar Minimum in full swing, there’s never been a better time to study these waves. Keep quiet … and stay tuned for more.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 26, 2020, 09:29:16 AM
Interesting and then some.....Gotta get one of those for the yard to go along with my Weather Station.....

Hummmm, or maybe not.   "Inexpensive" to them is $3,483......  I'll stick with my weather station....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on June 29, 2020, 03:17:14 PM
I don't know if anyone mention this but we will have a Lunar Eclipse on the 4th of July this year.  It will begin at 11:07 EDT  and last until 1:52 am EDT.  The best view will be at 12:30 am EDT.  It will be seen my most of the United States (North America) and all of South America.


In the middle of July Jupiter and Saturn will reach the peak brightness.


At the end of the month there will be meteor showers on the 28th and 29th of July. 


Information was gathered from AccuWeather. 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 29, 2020, 03:57:18 PM
Even if it was mentioned it's always good to get reminders...>Thanks
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2020, 05:31:07 AM
Well, that is nice to know since Sunday is the birthing day for me. Not a bad light show to say the least
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 30, 2020, 09:41:29 AM
Then that will work out well indeed....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 03, 2020, 02:54:58 PM
COMET NEOWISE AT PERIHELION: Today, Comet NEOWISE (C/2020 F3) is at perihelion (closest approach to the sun) near the orbit of Mercury. Fierce solar heat has brightened the comet so much, it was visible this morning in dawn twilight. Chris Schur sends this picture from Payson, Arizona:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/c/Chris-Schur-CometNeowiseF3-070320Schur-1_1593778733.jpg)

"Playing hide and seek with monsoon clouds this morning, I finally got my first glimpse of Comet NEOWISE at 4:29am," says Schur. "This is a 0.5 second exposure shot using my 6 inch telescope and Canon Xti digital camera (ISO 400). How often do we get a shot of a comet with a nearly overexposed nucleus in that short time!?"

Val Italo of Auburn, Alabama, tracked the comet using a Celestron 8SE telescope and stacked a series of three 2-sec exposures to reveal a V-shaped tail:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/v/Val-Italo-Comet-Stack-3_1593780927.jpg)
"It's a really nice-looking comet, although not quite naked eye amidst all the glare," says Italo. "I was able to track it in the eyepiece (with a visible tail!) until about 30 minutes before sunrise."

How bright is Comet NEOWISE? It's hard to know because there are no reference stars in the glow of dawn for comparison. However, experienced observers are making educated guesses. The consensus seems to be between magnitude +1 and 0--that is, very bright.

Although the comet is technically very bright, you probably can't see it without using binoculars or a telescope. Blame the twilight. The situation could improve in the mornings ahead as the comet begins to move away from the sun. Wake up early and start looking about an hour before local sunrise. Venus and the bright star Capella can help you triangulate the position of the comet.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 03, 2020, 02:57:21 PM
4TH OF JULY LUNAR ECLIPSE: Spoiler alert: This is a minor eclipse. On the night of July 4th, the full Moon will pass through the pale outskirts of Earth's shadow, producing a penumbral lunar eclipse. The northern half of the full Moon will be only slightly darkened during the 3 hour event, which begins just after 11 pm EDT (8 pm PDT). Most people won't notice, but if you know the eclipse is happening, you can see it. Happy 4th of July!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V160Vv-GzKo&feature=youtu.be (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V160Vv-GzKo&feature=youtu.be)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 04, 2020, 01:04:23 PM
We'll see how the night sky looks....so far...they say clear....we shall see.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 04, 2020, 04:00:47 PM
Scattered showers at the moment for me
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 13, 2020, 07:10:05 AM
To add a little to the comet that J talked about recently.
Neowise comet (https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-wiltshire-53383007) was taken by a camera above Stonehenge
(https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/976/cpsprodpb/AFA4/production/_113346944_dsc_6420al.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 13, 2020, 06:20:52 PM
Beautiful, since I was born not more then 20 miles from Stonehenge
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2020, 12:10:01 PM
Never got to see it at all.  To many cloudy nights......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2020, 12:12:03 PM
Beautiful, since I was born not more then 20 miles from Stonehenge

I think you were BORN at Stonehenge and they moved you 20 miles away LOL....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on July 15, 2020, 12:31:44 PM
 :shh2:  he is an Isekai Character who forgot his past life and is now living as a Side character in some other World!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2020, 12:43:56 PM
My lips are sealed...... :zipit:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2020, 01:43:57 PM
:ummm: Now hang on half a millisecond ... oh wait, if there was any truth to such an outlandish and absurd claim .... it might explain a few things.

:thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2020, 03:34:46 PM
And how do you know it ISN'T the truth....I'm sure they wouldn't have put Stonehenge on the Birth Certificate....You would have been harassed for the rest of your life LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Wizzard on July 15, 2020, 04:18:53 PM
It would just say Salisbury, maybe with Plain.
8 )
Cheers
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 15, 2020, 04:25:06 PM
 :tearlaugh: :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2020, 06:40:21 PM
Technically it says Swindon; county of Wilts or (Wiltshire)

Stonehenge just happens to be in the county of Wilts or (Wiltshire) and where I was born was approx. 20 miles from that edifice.

Finger it out :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Wizzard on July 15, 2020, 06:54:19 PM
Yeah, but Swindon isn't as funny as Salisbury with Plain or Stake.
8 )
Cheers
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 15, 2020, 06:58:19 PM
:duh: Valid point  ... I bow to thy sense of humor :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 16, 2020, 11:07:08 AM
Case Closed LOLOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 13, 2020, 02:58:20 PM
SOMETHING UNUSUAL JUST FLEW PAST THE SUN: On August 7th, an unusual object flew past the sun. (Spoiler Alert: It's not an alien armada.) "It was a triple comet," says Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC, who made this animation using coronagraph images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO):

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/13aug20/triplecomet_anim_strip.gif)

"The two main components are easy to spot, with the third, a very faint, diffuse fragment following alongside the leading piece," he says.

SOHO finds comets all the time. Most are Kreutz sungrazers, fragments of a giant comet that broke up more than 1000 years ago. Since the observatory was launched in 1995, SOHO has discovered more than 3000 members of the Kreutz family dive-bombing the sun.

And that's what makes this comet unusual. "It is not a member of the Kreutz family," says Battams. "Its orbit doesn't match. We're not yet sure where it came from."

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/13aug20/c2_pretty_strip.jpg)

Shortly after the comet cluster showed up in SOHO images, a rumor began to spread on social media: Spaceships are sling-shotting around the sun. "No," says Battams. "It's a comet. If it waddles like a duck, and quacks like a duck... chances are it's a duck! This object shows all the classic signs of being a comet: diffuse, elongated, has a tail, and follows a path that is clearly dominated by the sun's gravity."

The triple comet is now receding from the sun, fading rapidly from view. There's a slim chance that large ground-based telescopes might be able to track it. If so, they could find clues to its make-up and origin.
"Unfortunately, the prognosis for small fragmenting comets like this is not good," says Battams. "This was probably this comet's first and last pass by the sun, as it has likely now crumbled away entirely. But SOHO will continue to keep watching the sun, and waiting for our next special cometary offering to come along."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 13, 2020, 02:59:15 PM
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER--UPDATE: Preliminary counts by members of the International Meteor Organization suggest that the Perseid meteor shower peaked on August 12th with ~100 meteors per hour. Now, activity is decreasing as Earth exits the debris stream of comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The shower will continue at reduced rates for several nights, finally stopping sometime early next week.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on August 13, 2020, 03:07:28 PM
 :whatthe:
Scientific Method explained using Monty Python's "We Found A Witch"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdVOZ8Gbf-c

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 13, 2020, 04:37:15 PM
Did you see any of it "J"...... I didn't see a one.....weather has been shit....and then some.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 13, 2020, 04:55:45 PM
Cloudy and rain last night, we shall see if there is any change tonight, as I have had the pleasure of seeing them in the past.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 13, 2020, 04:59:10 PM
I have also...in the past.....but this year I've seen NOTHING in the skies that I wanted to see all due to crappy weather.  Mother Nature is flexing her muscles this year...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 17, 2020, 12:40:52 PM
A SLOW-MOTION SOLAR FLARE: You know an explosion is powerful when it lasts for two hours. Yesterday, Aug. 16th (1726 UT), a B1-class solar flare took even longer to unfold. The 2.5 hr blast sent a powerful shock wave rippling through the sun's atmosphere, shown here in a time-lapse movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/16aug20/wave_strip.gif)

No sunspot was involved. The explosion occurred in a spotless region of the sun's southern hemisphere. A magnetic filament snapped, hurling debris far and wide. Some of that debris formed the core of a coronal mass ejection (CME), which has escaped the sun and is now billowing into the Solar System.

Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are tracking the CME:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/16aug20/c3_anim.gif)

Clearly, the storm cloud is not heading directly for Earth. However, NOAA models of the CME's trajectory suggest it could deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on August 20th. Minor geomagnetic storms and high-latitude auroras are possible when the CME arrives.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2020, 11:53:35 AM
Unexpected and then some...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on August 18, 2020, 01:21:23 PM
I heard an asteroid crossed at less than 3000 kilometers from us the last weekend. Toward South hemisphere. Was discovered... 6 hours after he crossed us :hypno:
His name is 2020 QG.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 18, 2020, 05:38:38 PM
I read something about that today as well, the space weenies didn't catch it until after the fact
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2020, 06:12:41 PM
To small to spot since their budget only allows them to track the "BIG STUFF"....Sad but true....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 18, 2020, 06:15:29 PM
(https://www.sciencealert.com/images/2020-08/processed/010-nasa-south-atlantic-anomaly_1024.jpg)

NASA is actively monitoring a strange anomaly in Earth's magnetic field: a giant region of lower magnetic intensity in the skies above the planet, stretching out between South America and southwest Africa.

For more on this story....Read HERE (https://www.sciencealert.com/nasa-is-tracking-the-mysterious-evolving-anomaly-in-earth-s-magnetic-field)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 01, 2020, 07:18:02 AM
ASTEROID FLYBY: Today, Sept. 1st, asteroid 2011 ES4 (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=2011%20ES4&orb=1) is flying through the Earth-Moon system only 72,000 miles from Earth. The space rock is 30 meters in diameter. For comparison, that's about the same size as the famous Chelyabinsk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelyabinsk_meteor) meteor of 2013, which broke windows and knocked down parts of buildings in six Russian cities when it exploded in the atmosphere east of the Ural Mountains. Unlike Chelyabinsk, however, 2011 ES4 will not hit Earth. Maybe next time. (https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/sentry/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 01, 2020, 07:21:55 AM
A WARNING FROM HISTORY--THE CARRINGTON EVENT WAS NOT UNIQUE: On Sept. 1st, 1859, the most ferocious solar storm in recorded history engulfed our planet. It was "the Carrington Event," named after British scientist Richard Carrington, who witnessed the flare that started it. The storm rocked Earth's magnetic field, sparked auroras over Cuba, the Bahamas and Hawaii, set fire to telegraph stations, and wrote itself into history books as the Biggest. Solar. Storm. Ever.

But, sometimes, what you read in history books is wrong.

"The Carrington Event was not unique," says Hisashi Hayakawa of Japan's Nagoya University, whose recent study of solar storms has uncovered other events of comparable intensity. "While the Carrington Event has long been considered a once-in-a-century catastrophe, historical observations warn us that this may be something that occurs much more frequently."

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/31aug20/carringtonsunspot.jpg)

Above: Drawings of the Carrington sunspot by Richard Carrington on Sept. 1, 1859, and (inset) Heinrich Schwabe on Aug. 27, 1859. [Ref]

To generations of space weather forecasters who learned in school that the Carrington Event was one of a kind, these are unsettling thoughts. Modern technology is far more vulnerable to solar storms than 19th-century telegraphs. Think about GPS, the internet, and transcontinental power grids that can carry geomagnetic storm surges from coast to coast in a matter of minutes. A modern-day Carrington Event could cause widespread power outages along with disruptions to navigation, air travel, banking, and all forms of digital communication.

Many previous studies of solar superstorms leaned heavily on Western Hemisphere accounts, omitting data from the Eastern Hemisphere. This skewed perceptions of the Carrington Event, highlighting its importance while causing other superstorms to be overlooked.

A good example is the great storm of mid-September 1770, when extremely bright red auroras blanketed Japan and parts of China. Captain Cook himself saw the display from near Timor Island, south of Indonesia. Hayakawa and colleagues recently found drawings of the instigating sunspot, and it is twice the size of the Carrington sunspot group. Paintings, dairy entries, and other newfound records, especially from China, depict some of the lowest-latitude auroras ever, spread over a period of 9 days.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/31aug20/redauroras1770.jpg)

Above: An eyewitness sketch of red auroras over Japan in mid-September 1770. [Ref]

"We conclude that the 1770 magnetic storm was comparable to the Carrington Event, at least in terms of auroral visibility," wrote Hayakawa and colleagues in a 2017 Astrophysical Journal Letter. Moreover, "the duration of the storm activity was much longer than usual."

Hayakawa's team has delved into the history of other storms as well, examining Japanese diaries, Chinese and Korean government records, archives of the Russian Central Observatory, and log-books from ships at sea--all helping to form a more complete picture of events.

They found that superstorms in February 1872 and May 1921 were also comparable to the Carrington Event, with similar magnetic amplitudes and widespread auroras. Two more storms are nipping at Carrington's heels: The Quebec Blackout of March 13, 1989, and an unnamed storm on Sept. 25, 1909, were only a factor of ~2 less intense. (Check Table 1 of Hayakawa et al's 2019 paper for details (https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2019SW002269).)

"This is likely happening much more often than previously thought," says Hayakawa.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/31aug20/nakedeyesunspotreport.jpg)

Above: Chinese report of a giant naked-eye sunspot group on February 9, 1872. [Ref]

Are we overdue for another Carrington Event? Maybe. In fact, we might have just missed one.

In July 2012, NASA and European spacecraft watched an extreme solar storm erupt from the sun and narrowly miss Earth. "If it had hit, we would still be picking up the pieces," announced Daniel Baker of the University of Colorado at a NOAA Space Weather Workshop 2 years later. "It might have been stronger than the Carrington Event itself."

History books, let the re-write begin.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 10, 2020, 12:28:32 PM
RETROGRADE MARS: For months, astronomers have been watching Mars creep eastward among the stars of Pisces. Yesterday, Sept. 9th, Mars reversed course. Now the planet is moving westward. Astronomers call this "retrograde motion." It's a sign that Earth and Mars are about to have a close encounter.

The video, above, created by graphic artist Larry Koehn, shows why Mars "goes retrograde." Basically, Earth is lapping Mars in a two-way race around the sun. Our planet is faster, so Mars seems to go backwards during the weeks of closest approach.
On Oct. 6th, Earth and Mars will be only 62 million km apart--a small distance by interplanetary standards. In fact, its one of the finest close encounters in years. Mars will be up all night long, outshining every star in the sky with a piercing burnt-orange hue.
Mars is already a lovely sight. It is now shining almost twice as brightly as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, and its disk has swollen so large that even backyard telescopes reveal astonishing details:
(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/09sep20/nars_strip.png)
Amateur astronomer Maximilian Teodorescu of Romania took these pictures on Sept. 7th using a 14-inch telescope. "It is possible to photograph craters on Mars as small as 150 km wide," says Teodorescu. Not bad for "amateur" astronomy.
No telescope? No problem. The red light of Mars is easy to see with the unaided eye. Simply step outside between midnight and dawn, and look south. You can't miss it! And remember... the best is yet to come.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on September 10, 2020, 02:06:59 PM
 :whatthe: Earth's Magnetic Field Is Weakening 10 Times Faster Now and that was 2014! So the Question would be if this is as strong as the  Carrington Event And we are more susceptible to it's effects now days.  :whack: Going back to Rocks and Sticks.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 11, 2020, 11:52:20 AM
Earth's magnetic field can change 10 times faster than previously thought, study suggests (https://news.sky.com/story/earths-magnetic-field-can-change-10-times-faster-than-previously-thought-study-suggests-12022267#:~:text=The%20Earth's%20magnetic%20field%20can,according%20to%20a%20new%20study.&text=Their%20work%20found%20a%20sharp,than%20was%20previously%20believed%20possible.)

(https://e3.365dm.com/20/05/1600x900/skynews-esa-european-space_4995314.jpg?bypass-service-worker&20200521103021)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 14, 2020, 04:04:07 PM
GREEN CLOUDS OVER SWEDEN: Last night, auroras unexpectedly exploded over Abisko, Sweden. "It was a great display," says Chad Blakley of local tour guide service Lights Over Lapland. "But it wasn't the auroras that caught our eye." It was the clouds:

They turned green. Eye-witness Bjorn Vardling of Abisko says "I've been working here for 2 years, and this is the first time I've seen auroras so intense that the clouds themselves were green. It was amazing!" The same phenomenon was sighted in northern Norway.

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/c/Chad-Blakley-99879ae8-3aca-49da-aba0-25026b844c2c_1600062345_lg.jpg)

What happened? A crack opened in Earth's magnetic field. Solar wind poured in to fuel the display. Such cracks form often during weeks around equinoxes--a phenomenon known as the "Russell-McPherron effect." With the autumnal equinox only 1 week away, more green clouds are in the offing. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 14, 2020, 04:11:40 PM
Terrific!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 22, 2020, 03:10:01 PM
(https://spaceweatherarchive.files.wordpress.com/2020/09/67p.jpg)

Aurora Cometalis: The Northern Lights of Comet 67P (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2020/09/22/discovered-auroras-on-a-comet/)

Sept. 22, 2020: Imagine putting your thumb on a garden hose and sending a jet of water into the sky. At the apex of the stream, auroras form. It turns out, some comets can actually perform this trick.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 23, 2020, 03:01:18 PM
(https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/jEa9yWtvrMRBN2bNgAtCoc-650-80.jpg.webp)
 

Astronauts take shelter as space station dodges orbital junk (https://www.space.com/space-station-dodges-debris-astronauts-soyuz-shelter)

The International Space Station just dodged a fast-moving hunk of orbiting junk.

Controllers maneuvered the station away from a potential collision with a piece of debris today (Sept. 22) at 5:19 p.m. EDT (2119 GMT). They did so by firing the thrusters on a Russian Progress cargo spacecraft that's docked to the orbiting lab's Zvezda service module, NASA officials said in an update today.

The three astronauts currently living aboard the station — NASA's Chris Cassidy and cosmonauts Anatoli Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner — sheltered in the station's Russian segment during the maneuver to be closer to their Soyuz spacecraft, the NASA update stated. 

This was done "out of an abundance of caution," the update said. "At no time was the crew in any danger."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 22, 2020, 12:19:54 PM
STRANGE RED AURORAS: Spoiler alert: We do not know the answer to this question. Where did all the red auroras come from? For much of mid-October, Earth's magnetic field has been very quiet. Extremely quiet. There should have been almost no auroras at all, yet around the Arctic Circle, photographers recorded scenes like this:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/r/Rayann-Elzein-2010172252_RE5_9345_1603011316.jpg)

Rayann Elzein of Utsjoki, Finland, took the picture on Oct. 17th. "I saw red almost every night for a whole week with similar displays on Oct. 12th, 13th, 14th, and 15th," says Elzein. "On each occasion, geomagnetic activity was very low (with K-indices no greater than 0 or 1)."

Red auroras are rare. They form near the top of Earth's atmosphere when particles from space strike oxygen atoms 150 km to 500 km high--much higher than normal green auroras. As Les Cowley explains, at that high altitude, very slow atomic transitions which produce red photons are easily interrupted. Even experienced observers rarely see them.

Elzein has been chasing auroras in Finland for 10 years. He prides himself on going out in all conditions--even when geomagnetic activity is low. "I can't recall ever seeing so much red on top of the green layer before," he says.
In Tromsø, Norway, aurora tour guide Markus Varik had a similar experience. "Activity was extremely low on Oct. 17th when these pink and red colors appeared. After years of guiding, I have never seen anything like it."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Markus-Varik-Greenlander.no-1001_1603014422.jpg)

"The auroras appeared milky-white to the naked eye, but on the camera they were vivid pink," says Varik.

The common denominator seems to be ... quiet. "The red was most apparent during the lowest geomagnetic activity--that is, when Bz was positive and the solar wind speed was slow (at or below 300 km/s)," notes Elzein. "The solar wind was also dense, with proton densities above 15 p/cm3."

It's a mystery. Aurora experts with bright (red) ideas may submit their explanations
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 22, 2020, 12:21:18 PM
SUNSET SKY SHOW: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look south. The Moon, Saturn and Jupiter have converged to form a bright triangle in the constellation Sagittarius. It's a great way to end the day: Sky map (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/22oct20/skymap.png).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 22, 2020, 01:23:05 PM
:thud: Too late for France to see that show at sunset :thud:

My only regret is not so long ago I hadn't my camera to go at job. We had a crescent of moon with almost a planet (at least I suppose it was one) between the horns. Was cool.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 22, 2020, 02:18:03 PM
As usual....Nothing but clouds here.....I'm beginning to wonder if there really IS a sun... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 25, 2020, 12:42:30 PM
RED AURORAS OVER DENMARK: Earth is inside a stream of high-speed solar wind flowing from a northern hole in the sun's atmosphere. First contact on Oct. 23rd sparked a surprising display of red auroras over Denmark:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/full_image.php?image_name=Ruslan-Merzlyakov-IMG_5450a_1603560245.jpg)

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/r/Ruslan-Merzlyakov-IMG_5450a_1603560245.jpg)

"Last night, this unexpected beauty appeared over Hammershus Castle Ruins in Bornholm," says photographer Ruslan Merzlyakov. "So crazy to experience Northern Lights at 55°N!"

Forecasters expect Earth to remain inside the solar wind stream for days. High latitude sky watchers (especially in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia) should remain alert for auroras through Oct. 26th
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 25, 2020, 12:42:56 PM
MINOR GEOMAGNETIC STORM PREDICTED:

NOAA forecasters say that a minor G1-class geomagnetic storm is likely on Oct. 26th. That's when Earth will pass through a new stream of solar wind flowing from a northern hole in the sun's atmosphere. Bright auroras may be seen in Alaska, Canada, and the countries of Scandinavia.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 25, 2020, 12:47:58 PM
SUDDENLY, A DARK FEATURE ON MARS: On Friday night, longtime Mars photographer Maximilian Teodorescu of Magurele, Romania, looked at the Red Planet and noticed something he hadn't seen before. "There is a dark streak in the Tharsis volcanic plateau," he says. The mystery smudge is circled in these two images separated by about 40 minutes:


(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Maximilian-Teodorescu-MarsOct22darkspot_1603450866.jpg)


"The feature was not visible just a few nights ago when I photographed the same region," says Teodorescu, who offers an Oct. 19th image for comparison. "Now, I have seen it two nights in a row (Oct. 22nd and 23rd), and other observers have seen it too."
What is it? Teodorescu's first thought was "it must be some kind of cloud or streamer of dust." Indeed, it is located in the same general area where a long icy cloud sometimes forms when wind whips around the summit of Arsia Mons, a huge extinct volcano.

To investigate further, Teodorescu projected the streak down onto a Mars Orbiter image of the region:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/24oct20/projection_strip.jpg)

"The streak is about 600 km long," he says. "It is close to Arsia Mons, but not a perfect match. Perhaps it is a shadow of the volcano's ice cloud projected down onto lower Tharsis clouds."

Mars photographers everywhere are encouraged to keep an eye out for this dark feature whenever the Tharsis volcanoes are facing Earth
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 27, 2020, 12:44:56 PM
BIG SUNSPOT, CRACKLING WITH FLARES: New sunspot AR2778 sharply increased in size overnight, and it is now crackling with C-class solar flares. Here is the ultraviolet flash from the strongest so far, a C4-class flare photographed by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/27oct20/20201027_061520_4096_0131.jpg)

A pulse of radiation from this flare briefly ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, disturbing shortwave radio propagation around the Indian Ocean: blackout map. The sunspot has been producing similar flares every few hours since then (0615 UT on Oct. 27th).

AR2778 is the biggest sunspot of young Solar Cycle 25 with nearly a dozen dark cores spawling almost 100,000 km across the solar surface. Astronomer Mohammad Talafha sends this picture of the growing region from the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Mohammad-Talafha-2778-Full_1603791947.jpg)

"When I looked on the morning of Oct. 27th, the sunspot group was almost 8 times wider than Earth," says Talafha, "and it may have grown since then."

These dimensions make AR2778 an easy target for backyard solar telescopes. Amateur astronomers with safely-filtered optics are encouraged to monitor developments.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 27, 2020, 02:50:39 PM
Looks like Sol is giving a show.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 27, 2020, 05:36:15 PM
In more ways then one
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 28, 2020, 09:01:33 AM
Since it's October I enjoy watching "End of Earth" movies and the majority have to do with the Sun.  Solar Flare, exploding, burning out, etc, etc, etc LOL.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 03, 2020, 01:27:32 PM
ANOTHER BIG SUNSPOT: A new sunspot group is rotating into view over the sun's southeastern limb--and it's a big one. At least three dark cores the size of Earth are inset in this magnetic map from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2020/03nov20/alatest_4096_HMIBC_lab_crop.jpg)

The +/- polarity of the sunspot group marks it as a member of Solar Cycle 25. This comes as no surprise. Almost every sunspot this year has belonged to the new solar cycle. Solar Cycle 25 is taking a firm hold on the sun.

Earlier today (Nov. 3rd at 0703 UT) the sunspot produced a minor C1-class solar flare. A pulse of UV radiation from the flare briefly ionized Earth's upper atmosphere, causing a low-frequency radio blackout over the Indian Ocean: map. Mariners and ham radio operators in the area may have noticed unusual propagation effects at frequencies below ~5 MHz.

This sunspot, if it holds itself together, will face Earth for the next two weeks as it rotates across the face of the sun, potentially setting the stage for a sustained stretch of solar activity. Amateur astronomers with safely-filtered telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 03, 2020, 01:28:58 PM
'ELECTION DAY ASTEROID' MISSES EARTH:

Asteroid 2018 VP1 approached Earth on Nov. 2nd ... and missed. The 3-meter wide space rock had a 1 in 240 (0.41%) chance of hitting our planet on the eve of US Election Day, but no fireballs or impact-infrasounds were detected. Break out the Oreos and let the election begin!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 04, 2020, 10:20:00 AM
LOL......
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 21, 2020, 01:23:15 PM
BRIGHTENING COMET ERASMUS: Every 2000 years, Comet Erasmus (http://astro.vanbuitenen.nl/comet/2020S3) (C/2020 S3) visits the inner Solar System. News Flash: It's back. Discovered on Sept. 17, 2020, by South African astronomer Nicolas Erasmus, the dirty snowball is plunging toward the sun for a close encounter inside the orbit of Mercury on Dec. 12th. This is what it looks like:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/g/Gerald-Rhemann-612_2020S3_20_11_1605898793.jpg)

Gerald Rhemann took the picture Friday morning, Nov. 20th, using a 12-inch telescope in Farm Tivoli, Namibia. "The tail is magnificent," he says. "In fact, I couldn't fit it in a single field of view. This two-panel composite shows the first 3 degrees--and it keeps going well past the edge of the photo."

Comet Erasmus is brightening as it approaches the sun. Right now it is 7th magnitude--an easy target for backyard telescopes. Forecasters believe it will more than triple in brightness to 5th magnitude by the time it dips inside the orbit of Mercury next month. Only the glare of the nearby sun will prevent it from being visible to the naked eye.

Where should you look? If you can find Venus, you can find the comet. Look low and southeast before sunrise. Comet Erasmus is in the constellation Hydra just to the right of Venus in neighboring Virgo. The bright star Spica is nearby, too, providing another useful reference point. Sky maps: Nov. 22 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/22nov20/skymap_22nov20.png), 23 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/23nov20/skymap_23nov20.png), 24, (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/24nov20/skymap_24nov20.png) 25 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/25nov20/skymap_25nov20.png), 26 (https://spaceweather.com/images2020/26nov20/skymap_26nov20.png).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 21, 2020, 02:09:20 PM
To date....haven't seen a one of this years space objects due to shitty weather.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 21, 2020, 03:35:02 PM
There are months like that to say the least
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2020, 03:15:32 PM
EVENING PLANET SHOW:

When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southeast. The gibbous Moon is passing Mars in the constellation Pisces. Although Mars has dimmed a little since its close approach to Earth last month, it is still as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, so it will have no trouble shining through the lunar glare
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 25, 2020, 03:42:11 PM
EVENING PLANET SHOW:

When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look southeast. The gibbous Moon is passing Mars in the constellation Pisces. Although Mars has dimmed a little since its close approach to Earth last month, it is still as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, so it will have no trouble shining through the lunar glare
Too late, the sun is sleeping here since hours :tearlaugh: But it doesn't matter, we have a big hill hidding the sunset. And another hidding the sunrise :psycho:
But should be a great show for those looking it!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2020, 05:24:37 PM
And as always.....I see RAIN......Rain.....and more rain ....so much so.....that I can't even see the clouds LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 27, 2021, 08:07:51 AM
This should make one "pucker up"


A perfect solar storm ... :OMFG:

 Perfect CME Storm  (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2021/01/21/what-if-a-perfect-cme-hit-earth/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 27, 2021, 08:29:18 AM
Indeed.  I just watched a movie whose ending showed a solar storm wiping out everything....  "Knowing" is the movie.  It stars Nicolas Cage.  It's actually a very good movie.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 03, 2021, 08:42:27 PM
CO-ROTATING INTERACTION REGION:
What made the auroras of Feb. 2nd so good? It was a co-rotating interaction region (CIR). CIRs are transition zones between slow- and fast-moving streams of solar wind. Solar wind plasma piles up in these regions, creating density gradients and shock waves that can rock Earth's magnetic field much like a CME. A CIR hit Earth on Feb. 2nd and ...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 03, 2021, 08:44:06 PM
MIND-BENDING AURORAS: Usually, when aurora tour guide Marianne Bergli sees mind-bending auroras over Tromsø, Norway, she is surrounded by clients. Last night, she was all alone. "The lights were incredible--just fantastic," she says. "And I enjoyed the display all by myself."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Marianne-Bergli-2C82B1D5-F1BA-43F7-A227-8977E2EA2CDA_1612320795.jpg)

"Every color in the heavens cycled through the sky," she says. "It. Was. Amazing."

This is what happens when a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) hits Earth during a global pandemic: Lots of auroras, few tourists. Despite the lack of witnesses, though, the outburst really happened.

In the wake of the CIR, solar wind is now blowing around Earth at speeds near 500 km/s. If these conditions persist, more Arctic mind-benders are possible on Feb. 3rd. Says Bergli, "you are welcome to join us."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 03, 2021, 09:43:14 PM
Wow! I'd loved to have been able to see this...


In 2 weeks, another rover will (hopefully) land on Mars! This one even has it's own flying drone.  :OMFG:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on February 04, 2021, 01:46:00 AM
Wow! I'd loved to have been able to see this...


In 2 weeks, another rover will (hopefully) land on Mars! This one even has it's own flying drone.  :OMFG:
I'm sure that we'll get to see some bird's eye footage of Mars from that flying drone.


Such an exciting time to be living in for astronomical endeavors and exploration of other worlds!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 04, 2021, 10:21:35 AM
I've been keeping up with the flight also RodS....And I hope all goes well with the approach....Can't wait to see how the drone works...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2021, 05:53:49 AM
HAM RADIO SPACE WEATHER NETWORK:

A new article just published in EOS describes how  ham radio is the new frontier  (https://eos.org/features/ham-radio-forms-a-planet-sized-space-weather-sensor-network) in space weather research. Interested? All you need is a  Personal Space Weather Station  (https://hamsci.org/basic-project/personal-space-weather-station) to join a global network of scientists studying how solar activity affects our planet. Learn more during the  2021 HamSCI Workshop  (https://hamsci.org/hamsci2021), held virtually using Zoom on March 19th and 20th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 12, 2021, 06:00:11 AM
A NEW FORM OF SPACE WEATHER--EARTH WIND: The sun is windy. Every day, 24/7, a breeze of electrified gas blows away from the sun faster than a million mph. Solar wind sparks beautiful auroras around the poles of Earth, sculpts the tails of comets, and scours the surface of the Moon.

Would you believe, Earth is windy, too? Our own planet produces a breeze of electrified gas. It's like the solar wind, only different, and it may have important implications for space weather on the Moon.

"Earth wind" comes from the axes of our planet. Every day, 24/7, fountains of gas shoot into space from the poles. The leakage is tiny compared to Earth's total atmosphere, but it is enough to fill the magnetosphere with a riot of rapidly blowing charged particles. Ingredients include ionized hydrogen, helium, oxygen and nitrogen.

Once a month, the Moon gets hit by a blast of Earth wind. It happens around the time of the full Moon when Earth's magnetic tail points like a shotgun toward the lunar disk. For 3 to 5 days, lunar terrain is bombarded by H+, He+, O+, N2+ and other particles.

One effect of Earth wind, just discovered, is to create water. According to a new study published in the January 2021 edition of the Astrophysical Journal Letters, Earth wind can actually make H2O on the lunar surface.

"Hydrogen ions in Earth wind combine with oxygen in Moon rocks and soil to make hydroxyl (OH-) and water (H2O)," explains one of the lead authors, Quanqi Shi of Shandong University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. "This came as a surprise."

(https://scx2.b-cdn.net/gfx/news/hires/2021/firstevidenc.jpg)

Above: Earth wind (blue) engulfs the full Moon, an artist's concept. Credit: E. Masongsong

Researchers have long known that hydrogen from space raining down on the Moon can create a temporary form of surface water. Solar wind does it all the time. However, this kind of water was expected to dry up once a month when the Moon enters Earth's magnetic tail. Terrestrial magnetism deflects solar wind, turning the faucet to the OFF position.

But that's not what happened.

The researchers looked at data from NASA's Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) onboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft, which was orbiting the Moon in 2009 when the Moon made multiple passes through Earth's magnetic tail.  "We found that lunar surface water does not disappear as expected during the magnetosphere shielding period," says Shi. "Earth wind must be bridging the gap."

(https://www.nasa.gov/images/content/388712main_clark_figure_4-full.jpg)

Above: Water- and hydroxyl-rich materials on the lunar surface.

In fact, when it comes to producing water, Earth wind has some big advantages over solar wind. When the full Moon is inside Earth's magnetic tail, it is surrounded by Earth wind and feels its impact from every direction. The lunar nearside, lunar farside, and lunar poles are all peppered with Earth wind particles. In this sense, Earth wind can potentially make water anywhere--unlike the solar wind which rains down only on the lunar dayside.

Another potential advantage of Earth wind: It is oxygen rich, much more so than solar wind. "Oxygen is another key element of water," points out Shi. "Whether these oxygen ions can contribute to the formation of lunar water is a very intriguing question for future study."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 17, 2021, 03:52:56 AM
HAM RADIO SIGNALS FROM MARS: Ham radio operators are doing something that until recently only big Deep Space Networks could do. "We're monitoring spacecraft around Mars," says Scott Tilley of Roberts Creek, British Columbia, who listened to China's Tianwen-1 probe go into orbit on Feb. 10th. The signal, which Tilley picked up in his own backyard, was "loud and audible." Click to listen:

https://vimeo.com/513007679 (https://vimeo.com/513007679)

The signal Tilley received from Tianwen-1 is dominated by a strong X-band carrier wave with weaker side bands containing the spacecraft's state vector (position and velocity). Finding this narrow spike of information among all the possible frequencies of deep space communication was no easy task.

"It was a treasure hunt," Tilley says. "Normally a mission like this would have its frequency published by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union). China did make a posting, but it was too vague for precise tuning. After Tianwen-1 was launched, observers scanned through 50MHz of spectrum and found the signal. Amateurs have tracked the mission ever since with great accuracy thanks to the decoded state vector from the probe itself."

So far, Tilley has picked up signals from China's Tianwen-1 spacecraft, NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, and the United Arab Emirates' Hope probe--all orbiting Mars approximately 200 million kilometers away. How is such extreme DX'ing possible?

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/16feb21/dish.jpg)


"It helps to have a big antenna," says Tilley, who uses a 60 cm dish, pictured above. "But the real key," he says, "is the advent of Software Defined Radios (SDRs), which have become the norm for hams in the past decade or so."

In a Software Defined Radio, computers digitally perform the signal mixing and amplification functions of circuits that used to be analog; software has replaced hardware. SDRs are cheap, sensitive, and they give hams the kind of exquisite control over frequency required to tune into distant spacecraft.

"Amateurs began listening to deep space probes in the late 1990s and early 2000s," says Tilley. "This sparked an awareness that it was possible. The combination of improving technology and growing awareness has resulted in more and more interplanetary detections."

Next up: NASA's Mars 2020 spacecraft carrying the Perseverance rover, due to land in Jezero crater on Feb. 18th:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/16feb21/7%20minutes.jpg)

Tilley plans to listen but he doesn't expect a strong signal. "Perseverance does not have a very large antenna," says Tilley. "It doesn't need one because it can relay data through other NASA spacecraft in Mars orbit. The signal will therefore be weak and I doubt many amateurs will record the landing."

Tianwen-1, on the other hand, has a relatively large antenna with a booming signal. "China probably plans to use it as a relay for future Chinese Mars missions," Tilley speculates. "This makes it a good target for hams hoping to bag their first Martian spacecraft."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 17, 2021, 03:53:39 AM
SOLAR MINIMUM CONDITIONS ARE IN EFFECT:

Solar Minimum, how can we miss you if you won't go away? So far this year, the sun has been blank (without sunspots) 63% of the time--including the last 13 days in a row. Solar flare activity is nil, and the sun's X-ray output has flatlined. Only a few months ago, new Solar Cycle 25 seemed to be off to a roaring start. This unexpected quiet spell has interrupted its progress
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 20, 2021, 08:37:55 AM
Pretty cool watching Nasa when the Perseverance touched down...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 22, 2021, 03:51:15 AM
AND A CME IS COMING: A dark filament of magnetism snaking across the sun's southern hemisphere blew up on Feb. 20th. The eruption split the sun's atmosphere, hurling a CME toward Earth and creating a "canyon of fire." Click to watch a movie of the event recorded by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO):

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/20feb21/canyonoffire_crop.gif)

The glowing walls of the canyon trace the channel where the filament was suspended by magnetic forces--before it became unstable and blew. From end to end, the structure stretches more than 400,000 km.

Soon after the filament erupted, coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) saw a cloud of debris billowing away from the sun:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/20feb21/cme_c3_anim.gif)

Note: The bright object at right is Venus, looking strange because it is at the edge of the coronagraph's FOV

This coronal mass ejection (CME) is not heading directly for Earth. Nevertheless, it is going to hit. NOAA computer models suggest that the western edge of the cloud will sideswipe our planet on Feb. 23rd or 24th. The glancing blow could cause minor G1-class geomagnetic storms and high latitude auroras in the hours after impact
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2021, 03:14:32 PM
Love getting these Newsletters from them.  Cool stuff indeed.... 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on February 22, 2021, 04:10:44 PM
That is always a thrill when those touch down. So many chances for things to go wrong - and yet it flew itself right to where they wanted it to land..


I've been re-watching the Star Wars Rebels series, and they're always having their droid Chopper fly their shuttlecraft, the Phantom. Seems like that's not too far in the future...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 22, 2021, 04:27:41 PM
I agree.....We've seen a lot of advances in our lifetime my friend.....I still say Aliens are sharing secrets with us which would explain our fast progress LOL.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 08, 2021, 05:32:32 AM
ASTEROID APOPHIS FLYBY: Mark your calendar: April 13, 2029. On that Friday the 13th eight years from now, asteroid 99942 Apophis will fly past Earth so close you can see it with your naked eye. No, it won't hit, but you can be excused a frisson of dread watching it pass by.

This weekend, Apophis made a "pre-flyby" of Earth about 16 million km away, the closest it will be before the big event in 2029. Alberto Quijano Vodniza of Pasto, Colombia video-recorded the space rock on March 7th:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/a/ALBERTO-QUIJANO-VODNIZA-APOPHIS_VODNIZA_1615090597_lg.gif)

"I used a 14-inch Celestron telescope to capture these images, which show the asteroid's motion in about 10 minutes," he explains.

Asteroid Apophis is about 370 meters wide. That's big enough to punch through Earth's atmosphere, devastating a region the size of, say, Texas, if it hit land, or causing widespread tsunamis if it hit ocean.

Fortunately, Apophis will not hit Earth in 2029. Back in 2004 when the asteroid was first discovered, astronomers thought there might be a collision. Improved observations of Apophis's orbit have since ruled out a strike. The asteroid will skim Earth's belt of geosyncronous satellites, but come no closer than 31,900 km to Earth itself. Observations in the past year have reduced the uncertainty of the flyby distance to ±20 km.

(https://d2pn8kiwq2w21t.cloudfront.net/images/imagesasteroid20190429PIA23195-16.width-1320.gif)

Above: Apophis skimming the geosynchronous satellite belt in 2029. Credit: NASA

What might happen anyway is pretty interesting. At such close range, Earth's gravity could stretch the asteroid, change the way it spins, and trigger small avalanches. Radar observations during the hours of closest approach will be able to image the asteroid's surface with few-meter resolution, potentially revealing the changes.

Shining like a 3rd magnitude star, Apophis will be plainly visible to the naked eye from rural areas and an easy (albeit fast-moving) target for small telescopes. No one in recorded history has ever seen an asteroid in space so bright.

NASA, China, the Planetary Society and others are planning or contemplating missions to Apophis. The more we know about it the better. The next two flybys in 2029 and 2036 are safe, but analysts still haven't completely ruled out a low-probability impact in 2068.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 08, 2021, 02:37:37 PM
LOL....I'll mark my Calendar and have my weather forecast sent to me....so far my record has not been the greatest in viewing these shows in the sky...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 08, 2021, 09:29:11 PM
:tearlaugh: Remember 2029 is the year, definitely will be waiting a bit :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 10, 2021, 04:00:27 PM
LOL.....No doubt....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on March 13, 2021, 07:32:18 AM
From space to Earth
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/mar/09/rare-meteorite-chunk-traced-by-scientists-to-gloucestershire-driveway
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 13, 2021, 08:34:25 AM
Sweet news indeed
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 13, 2021, 11:02:28 AM
Saw that....Very cool one Aelin...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 26, 2021, 08:01:17 PM
EINSTEIN'S ECLIPSE, RESTORED: On May 29, 1919, the Moon slid in front of the sun and forever altered our understanding of spacetime. It was "Einstein's Eclipse." Using his newly-developed theory of relativity, the young German physicist had predicted that the sun's gravity should bend starlight--an effect which could only be seen during a total eclipse. Some of the greatest astronomers of the age rushed to check his prediction.

More than 100 years later, Petr Horálek (ESO Photo Ambassador, Institute of Physics in Opava) and Miloslav Druckmüller (Brno University of Technology) have just released a stunning restoration of the photo that proved Einstein right:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/22mar21/restored.png)

Click to view the full-sized restored image

The original picture was taken in May 1919 by astronomers Andrew Crommelin and Charles Rundle Davidson, who traveled from the Greenwich Observatory in London to the path of totality in Sobral, Brazil. They were part of a global expedition headlined by Sir Arthur Eddington. Glass photographic plates from the expedition were typical of early 20th century astrophotography, colorless and a little dull.

"Our restoration shows how the eclipse would have been recorded today--a magnificent sight," says Horálek. "The astronomers in Brazil must have been amazed when they saw the giant prominence with their unaided eyes."

Horálek got the idea for this restoration in 2019 when he saw a partially restored image released by the ESO (European Southern Observatory) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the eclipse. A scan of the original plate was provided by the Heidelberg Digitized Astronomical Plates project … and then the hard work began.

"I started by manually removing scratches and specks of dust from the copied plate," says Horálek. "There were dozens of them, and the whole process took about 50 hours."

Next, Horálek applied Noise Adaptive Fuzzy Equalization (NAFE) software to sharpen the remaining details. Developed by Druckmüller to enhance images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, NAFE worked marvelously on the old eclipse, revealing delicate streamers and hints of a dipole structure in the sun's corona.

Finally, he added color. "I created a palette to make the image as natural as possible. The sun's corona is white because it is sunlight scattered by free electrons. The prominence has that special red color (H-alpha) which hydrogen makes in the sun's atmosphere. Once these two colors were fixed, the dark-blue hue of the background sky emerged naturally. Voilà!--a modern view of Einstein's eclipse."

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/22mar21/headlines.jpg)


Meanwhile, back in 1919, the eclipse was a sensation. Eddington measured the positions of stars near the sun during the eclipse. Two of them, 65 and 67 Tauri, may be found in the bottom right of the restoration. They were displaced just as Einstein predicted. Spacetime really was a fabric that could be stretched.

The result was splashed across the front pages of most major newspapers, making Einstein and his theory of general relativity world famous. Einstein has been quoted describing his reaction if general relativity had not been confirmed: "Then I would feel sorry for the dear Lord. The theory is correct anyway."

"2021 is the 100th anniversary of Einstein's Nobel Prize," says Horálek. "This photo is our way of paying tribute to his work."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 27, 2021, 08:04:30 AM
Cool stuff indeed.....Neat post...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 22, 2021, 10:37:51 AM
JUPITER'S MOONS ARE ECLIPSING EACH OTHER: Jupiter is about to be edge-on to the sun, and that means unusual things are happening. Here's an example recorded by Australian astronomer Anthony Wesley on April 19th. "It's an eclipse of Ganymede by Callisto," he says.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/21apr21/4e3_crop_opt.gif)

Above: Anthony Wesley recorded this eclipse using a 16-inch telescope

Callisto is off-screen, stage left, but its circular shadow can be seen moving across the disk of Ganymede. Actually, look again. Just before Callisto's shadow appears, the shadow of Io partially eclipses Ganymede as well. Wesley captured two of Jupiter's moons eclipsing a third in only 10 minutes. Unusual, indeed.

This is happening because Jupiter is nearing its equinox on May 2nd; the sun is crossing Jupiter's equatorial plane. Around this time, the orbits of Jupiter's moons line up with the sun, allowing their shadows to fall across one another.

Astronomers call it "mutual event season." During the season, which lasts until August 2021, astronomers can see not only eclipses, but also occultations. That's when the physical disk of one moon blocks another. The last mutual event season occured in 2015; the next won't come until 2026.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/21apr21/go_anim.gif)

Above: During a previous mutual event season 12 years ago, Io both eclipsed and occulted Ganymede. Christopher Go recorded the event using an 11-inch telescope. See Spaceweather's Aug. 19, 2009 archive page for details.

According to France's Institute for Celestial Mechanics and Computation of Ephemerides (IMCCE), there are 85 more mutual events between now and the end of the 2021 season. Some of the best may be found in this table from the Cambridge University Press. Only experienced astrophotographers will be able to make movies as detailed as Wesley's. However, even casual stargazers with ordinary backyard telescopes can see moons winking in and out as the shadow play unfolds. Look for Jupiter low in the southeast before dawn.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 23, 2021, 05:14:59 PM
Saw that in the Space Weather Site....gotta check out that Solar Blast next that was in their latest Newsletter...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 25, 2021, 08:10:53 AM
2021 first Supermoon, this month. How to look for
https://www.sciencealert.com/april-s-full-moon-is-2021-s-first-supermoon-here-s-when-to-look-for-it
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 25, 2021, 03:19:36 PM
:lostme:  How uncanny.....I was just reading about that last night.....Now I hope I can see it....Haven't had hardly any luck with seeing my sky wonders.  Missed out on the meteorite showers.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on April 26, 2021, 11:15:34 AM
The First Real Images of Titan - What Have We Discovered?


The planet Titan is probably the most curious and fascinating object in our solar system. It has a number of extremely strange properties, looks breathtakingly beautiful, and has captivated scientists since its discovery in 1655—but let’s leave it to you to be enchanted by this planet...

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second largest in the solar system (after Ganymede, a moon orbiting the planet Jupiter). It is the only moon in the solar system with clouds and a dense, planet-like atmosphere. Scientists believe that conditions on Titan are similar to those in the early years of Earth (the main difference being that Earth has always been warmer because it is closer to the Sun). A NASA representative said, "In many ways, Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is one of the most Earth-like worlds we've found so far."

https://youtu.be/vqdJjpXjybs


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on April 27, 2021, 07:03:45 AM
Another short article on the Pink Supermoon
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/apr/25/pink-supermoon-set-to-brighten-uk-night-skies-next-week
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 27, 2021, 11:44:31 AM
I didn't get to see it last night but, thanks to Oz insisting on being fed at 4AM, I happened to look out the kitchen window and low and behold....the full moon in all it's glory....and it was certainly BRIGHT....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 06, 2021, 08:20:32 PM
CHINA'S SPACE STATION IS VISIBLE FROM EARTH: China's new space station is just getting started, but it's already putting on a good show. "I've seen it twice this week," reports Mark A. Brown of Marion, Iowa. "The space station's Tianhe-1 module has been making brilliant passes across Middle America." Here it is rivaling the star Vega on May 4th:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Mark-A.-Brown-FinalPS_3_crop_final_anno_1620139084.jpg)


"In the photo, I also caught the tumbling Long March 5B booster, which helped loft the module into orbit," says Brown. "The booster flares brilliantly (visual magnitude -1) in reflected sunlight as it tumbles along Tianhe-1's path. Both objects are easily seen with the naked eye."
China launched the Tianhe-1 module on April 29th. It is the first of three modules that will eventually join to create the Chinese Space Station (CSS), serving as living quarters for a three person crew. When the CSS is finished, it will be about as big as Russia's old Mir space station, roughly a quarter of the mass of the ISS.

On May 5th, Tianhe-1 flew over Manorville, New York, where Philip Smith photographed it through a 14-inch telescope:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/p/Philip-Smith-Tianhe-1-Core-Module-c-Philip-Smith-05-06-2021_1620329536.jpg)

"I was lucky to get this image," says Smith. "The module was already 56 degrees above the horizon when it popped out of Earth's shadow--so I didn't have much time. Less than a minute later it was at its maximum altitude of 76 degrees, and that's when I caught it."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 07, 2021, 10:49:39 AM
Geee.....who would think a Chinese Space Station would set a course to fly over the Americas LOL....

But that is pretty cool...

Just be sure to wear a helmet...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 07, 2021, 08:27:45 PM
STRONG SOLAR FLARE AND RADIO BURST: New sunspot AR2822 exploded on May 7th @ 1904 UT, producing an M3.9-class solar flare--one of the strongest flares of young Solar Cycle 25. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the explosion near the sun's northeastern limb:

https://spaceweather.com/images2021/07may21/6Guuhrq.mp4 (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/07may21/6Guuhrq.mp4)

A pulse of ultraviolet and X-radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere. This, in turn, caused a shortwave radio blackout over the Americas. Areas and frequencies affected are shown in this map. Ham radio operators and mariners may have noticed strange propagation effects at frequencies below 20 MHz, with some transmissions below 10 MHz completely extinquished.

While the radio blackout was underway, the sun, ironically, produced a strong shortwave radio burst. Astronomer Thomas Ashcraft heard a roar of static emerge from the loudspeaker of his radio telescope in rural New Mexico. Click on the dynamic spectrum to listen:


https://spaceweather.com/images2021/07may21/SolarMay072021_innerflare1924_22.21MHz_Ashcraft_01.mp3 (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/07may21/SolarMay072021_innerflare1924_22.21MHz_Ashcraft_01.mp3)



"After a long quiet solar minimum, I am happy to have captured the M3.9 solar flare today," says Ashcraft. "It generated complex and dynamic Type II, Type V and Type III radio emissions." These natural emissions are caused by shock waves ripppling through the sun's atmosphere in the aftermath of the explosion.

The explosion also hurled a CME into space. Coronagraph images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) will reveal if there is an Earth-directed component. We're still waiting for those data to arrive, so stay tuned for updates.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 08, 2021, 08:43:38 AM
That was pretty darn cool....thanks.  I haven't got to my E Mail yet so probably missed it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 10, 2021, 09:01:06 PM
A CME IS APPROACHING EARTH: A coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to hit Earth on May 12th or 13th, according to NOAA forecasters. It was hurled toward us yesterday by an erupting filament of magnetism on the sun. This is not an especially fast or powerful CME, but it could spark G1-class geomagnetic storms when it arrives later this week.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 10, 2021, 09:02:39 PM
THE SUN SWALLOWS A COMET: Today, the sun swallowed a comet. SOHO coronagraphs spotted the dirty snowball making a headlong plunge into our star. One comet went in; none came out:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/07may21/kreutz_anim.gif)

The comet was a member of the Kreutz family. Kreutz sungrazers are fragments from the breakup of a single giant comet many centuries ago. They get their name from 19th century German astronomer Heinrich Kreutz, who studied them. Every day, several Kreutz fragments pass by the sun and disintegrate. Most, measuring less than a few meters across, are too small to see, but occasionally a bigger fragment like this one (~10 to 30 meters wide) attracts attention.

The dusty remains of this comet have mostly disintegrated into individual atoms, and are now being blown back into the Solar System by the solar wind. R.I.P. sungrazer.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 10, 2021, 09:08:36 PM
THE SODIUM TAIL OF MERCURY: The biggest comet in the Solar System is actually a planet. It's Mercury. Researchers have known for years that Mercury has an enormous tail. Last week, Andrea Alessandrini photographed it from the balcony of his house in Veroli, Italy:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/a/Andrea-Alessandrini-IMGP1896_bmc_1620255567.png)

"I took the picture on May 5th using a 66 mm (2.5 inch) refracting telescope and a Pentax K3-II camera," says Alessandrini, an amateur astronomer who works by day as an aerospace engineer. "This is a 7 minute exposure @ ISO 1000."

First predicted in the 1980s, Mercury's tail was discovered in 2001. Its source is Mercury's super-thin atmosphere. Mercury is so close to the sun, pressure from sunlight itself can push atoms out of the atmosphere and into space. The escaping gas forms a tail more than 24 million km long.

The key to detecting Mercury's tail is sodium. There are many elements in Mercury's tail; sodium is only one. But because sodium is so good at scattering yellow light, it is the best element for tracing the long plume of gas. "I use a special 589 nm filter tuned to the yellow glow of sodium," says Alessandrini. "Without that filter, Mercury's tail would be invisible."

NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft spent years observing Mercury's tail often from close range. This movie shows how the brightness of the tail varies as Mercury orbits the sun:

 video  (https://vimeo.com/547356001)

For reasons having to do with the Doppler shift of sodium absorption lines in the solar spectrum, Mercury's tail is brightest when the planet is ±16 days from perihelion (closest approach to the sun). Read the research here.

That special date is this week: On May 13th, Mercury will be 16 days past perihelion and the tail could be as much as 10 times brighter than Alessandrini saw last week. Coincidentally, on that same day the crescent Moon will pass by Mercury in the evening sky.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 23, 2021, 12:29:41 PM
SOLAR FLARE FRENZY AND CME: Yesterday, May 22nd, sunspot AR2824 unleashed a sequence of solar flares unlike anything we've seen in years. In only 24 hours, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded 10 C-flares and 2 M-flares:

 movie  (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/22may21/frenzy.gif)

The rapid fire explosions hurled multiple overlapping CMEs into space. According to NOAA models, at least one of them will graze Earth's magnetic field on May 26th. The impact of the CME's dense flank could spark G1-class geomagnetic storms and auroras.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on May 24, 2021, 07:27:56 AM
Something about the center of the Milky Way

https://www.sciencealert.com/wild-new-paper-proposes-the-center-of-the-milky-way-might-not-be-a-black-hole
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 24, 2021, 10:16:44 AM
Intriguing
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on May 25, 2021, 10:13:24 AM
Thanks for the Flare report "J".... And Dark Matter has really become a thing of study of late Aelin....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 07, 2021, 02:07:47 PM
Well, this sucks for me

SUNRISE SOLAR ECLIPSE: Sunrise has never been so beautiful ... or weird. On Thursday, June 10th, dawn will break over the northeastern USA and Canada with a solar eclipse in progress. This map from GreatAmericanEclipse.com shows who can see it:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/06jun21/ASE2021_SunriseFigures.jpg)

Beach communities up and down the Atlantic Coast will have a great view of the sun rising over ocean waves. If you're in New York City, find a tall building with an unobstructed view of the eastern horizon; an eclipse over the cityscape is a great photo-op. Later, after the eclipsed sun climbs into the morning sky, iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty can be framed next to the fiery crescent.

This is not a total eclipse. It's annular; the Moon is a fraction too small to cover the entire solar disk. Even when the Moon is dead-center in front of the sun, a little bit of sun will stick out around the Moon's circumference, forming the fabled "ring of fire." Only a few people in the northern reaches of Canada, Greenland and Russia will see it: visibility map (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/06jun21/2021_06_10_ASE+global.jpg).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 10, 2021, 02:55:35 PM
SOLAR ECLIPSE TODAY: Sunrise has never been so beautiful--or weird. On Thursday, June 10th, dawn broke over the northeastern USA and Canada with a solar eclipse in progress. Here is what it looked like from Long Beach, New Jersey:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Michael-Zeiler-DSC_0725_1623329762.jpg)

"We saw two symmetric horns rise above the waves of the Atlantic," says photographer Michael Zeiler. "Heavy refraction in the low atmosphere squashed the crescent-shaped sun into a truly fantastical shape."

As the eclipsed sun continued to rise, cameras clicked around New York City where the crescent hung behind many iconic landmarks. For example:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/a/Anthony-Quintano-DSC09325_1623333706.jpg)

"It was a partly cloudy kind of morning, but I was able to capture this amazing experience through some of the gaps in the clouds," says photographer Anthony Quintano.

The eclipse was visible in Europe, too, as an afternoon event. The sun was high in the sky when astrophotographer Thierry Legault caught a rare solar transit of the International Space Station not far from the dark limb of the Moon:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/t/thierry-legault-transit_iss_solar_eclipse_20210610_crop_1623339581.jpg)

"I drove 400km from Paris to Macon, France, to get this split-second shot," says Legault. "As usual, there was a lot of adrenalin!"
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 10, 2021, 03:00:52 PM
What a cool capture for the horns above the ocean!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on June 11, 2021, 08:55:14 PM
SOLAR ECLIPSE TODAY: Sunrise has never been so beautiful--or weird. On Thursday, June 10th, dawn broke over the northeastern USA and Canada with a solar eclipse in progress. Here is what it looked like from Long Beach, New Jersey:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Michael-Zeiler-DSC_0725_1623329762.jpg)

"We saw two symmetric horns rise above the waves of the Atlantic," says photographer Michael Zeiler. "Heavy refraction in the low atmosphere squashed the crescent-shaped sun into a truly fantastical shape."

As the eclipsed sun continued to rise, cameras clicked around New York City where the crescent hung behind many iconic landmarks. For example:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/a/Anthony-Quintano-DSC09325_1623333706.jpg)

"It was a partly cloudy kind of morning, but I was able to capture this amazing experience through some of the gaps in the clouds," says photographer Anthony Quintano.

The eclipse was visible in Europe, too, as an afternoon event. The sun was high in the sky when astrophotographer Thierry Legault caught a rare solar transit of the International Space Station not far from the dark limb of the Moon:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/t/thierry-legault-transit_iss_solar_eclipse_20210610_crop_1623339581.jpg)

"I drove 400km from Paris to Macon, France, to get this split-second shot," says Legault. "As usual, there was a lot of adrenalin!"
That first image is Iconic! I had to collect it for my astro-photos collection!
 :ty_luv: :thumb_up: :thumb_up:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 11, 2021, 09:05:43 PM
THE TERMINATION EVENT: Something big may be about to happen on the sun. "We call it the Termination Event," says Scott McIntosh, a solar physicist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), "and it's very, very close to happening."

If you've never heard of the Termination Event, you're not alone.  Many researchers have never heard of it either. It's a relatively new idea in solar physics championed by McIntosh and colleague Bob Leamon of the University of Maryland - Baltimore County. According to the two scientists, vast bands of magnetism are drifting across the surface of the sun. When oppositely-charged bands collide at the equator, they annihilate (or "terminate"). There's no explosion; this is magnetism, not anti-matter. Nevertheless, the Termination Event is a big deal. It can kickstart the next solar cycle into a higher gear.

(https://news.ucar.edu/sites/default/files/article/image/2020-12/sunspot_cycleprog_rendering_1.gif)

Above: Oppositely charged bands of magnetism march toward the sun's equator where they annihilate one another, kickstarting the next solar cycle. [more]

"If the Terminator Event happens soon, as we expect, new Solar Cycle 25 could have a magnitude that rivals the top few since record-keeping began," says McIntosh.

This is, to say the least, controversial. Most solar physicists believe that Solar Cycle 25 will be weak, akin to the anemic Solar Cycle 24 which barely peaked back in 2012-2013. Orthodox models of the sun's inner magnetic dynamo favor a weak cycle and do not even include the concept of "terminators."

"What can I say?" laughs McIntosh. "We're heretics!"

The researchers outlined their reasoning in a December 2020 paper in the research journal Solar Physics. Looking back over 270 years of sunspot data, they found that Terminator Events divide one solar cycle from the next, happening approximately every 11 years. Emphasis on approximately. The interval between terminators ranges from 10 to 15 years, and this is key to predicting the solar cycle.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/10jun21/cycles.png)

Above: Marked in red, the official forecast for Solar Cycle 25 is weak.

"We found that the longer the time between terminators, the weaker the next cycle would be," explains Leamon. "Conversely, the shorter the time between terminators, the stronger the next solar cycle would be."

Example: Sunspot Cycle 4 began with a terminator in 1786 and ended with a terminator in 1801, an unprecedented 15 years later. The following cycle, 5, was incredibly weak with a peak amplitude of just 82 sunspots. That cycle would become known as the beginning of the "Dalton" Grand Minimum.

Solar Cycle 25 is shaping up to be the opposite. Instead of a long interval, it appears to be coming on the heels of a very short one, only 10 years since the Terminator Event that began Solar Cycle 24. Previous solar cycles with such short intervals have been among the strongest in recorded history.

These ideas may be controversial, but they have a virtue that all scientists can appreciate: They're testable. If the Termination Event happens soon and Solar Cycle 25 skyrockets, the "heretics" may be on to something. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 11, 2021, 09:08:10 PM
For those of thee that desire more photos and wish to browse please go  here  (https://spaceweathergallery.com/eclipse_gallery.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 12, 2021, 09:46:39 AM
Viewed this on Space Weather site...very cool...Love getting their Newsletters...always something great going on....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 23, 2021, 02:01:31 PM
HUGE COMET DISCOVERY: Astronomers have just discovered a comet so big, it might actually be a minor planet. The object is named 2014 UN271. Astronomers Pedro Bernardinelli and Gary Bernstein found it in archival images from the Dark Energy Survey. It appears to be about 100 km wide, 2 or 3 times bigger than record-breaking Comet Hale-Bopp of the 1990s.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/23jun21/orbitimage.jpg)

Above: A discovery image (inset) and orbit of huge comet 2014 UN271.

Now for the bad news. Although 2014 UN271 is falling toward the sun, we may never see it with our naked eyes. At closest approach in early 2031, the behemoth comet will be just outside the orbit of Saturn, too far for naked-eye viewing. Some astronomers are estimating a maximum brightness near magnitude +17, about the same as Pluto's moon Charon.

It's still an amazing discovery. 2014 UN271 has an extremely elongated orbit stretching from ~the neighborhood of Saturn out to a staggering distance of almost a light year. At the far reaches of its orbit, 2014 UN271 barely feels the sun's gravity and could be snatched out of the Solar System altogether by the ephemeral pull of galactic tides. Discovering such a traveler during its brief time among the planets is very lucky indeed.

There is talk of a space mission to intercept 2014 UN271. The European Space Agency is building a probe called Comet Interceptor designed to investigate comets coming from deep space. It, or something like it, might be able to visit 2014 UN271 a decade from now.

With an object like this, we have to expect surprises. 2014 UN271 certainly poses no threat to Earth, but it could brighten more (or less) than expected. Multiple groups of astronomers have already detected signs of out-gassing even though 2014 UN271 is still beyond Uranus. Early signs of activity may bode well for future visibility through small telescopes if not the unaided eye.

To learn more about this object, we encourage reading the Twitter feed of co-discoverer Pedro Bernardinelli.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 23, 2021, 02:02:27 PM
PARTIALLY ECLIPSED SOLAR FLARE: Something just exploded behind the sun's northeastern limb. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast (June 23 @ 0707 UT), which sent a shadowy shock wave through the sun's upper atmosphere:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/23jun21/c3_anim.gif)

The explosion registered a relatively mild C3.4 on X-ray solar flare scales, but it was probably stronger than that. The edge of the sun partially eclipsed the flare, reducing the radiation able to reach Earth-orbiting satellites. Also, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory detected a CME emerging from blast site
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 23, 2021, 02:10:06 PM
SUNSET SKY SHOW: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. Venus is approaching Castor and Pollux, the brightest stars of Gemini. On June 24th, the trio will form an almost perfect Euclidean line not far above the horizon: sky map. (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/24jun21/skymap.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on June 23, 2021, 03:16:15 PM
Too late for sunset here. But we have hills between us and the horizon, so :shrug: And we had clouds a large part of the day.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 23, 2021, 03:17:30 PM
Want to take a viewing trip to outer space....Take a trip to the Spaceweather Realtime Image Gallery (https://spaceweathergallery.com/)

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/full_image.php?image_name=Dominique-Duchesneau-Jupiter-120621-05_15_15-text_1623840170.png)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2021, 05:38:42 PM
INTERPLANETARY SHOCK WAVE SPARKS AURORAS: This was not in the forecast. A low-amplitude interplanetary shock wave (data) hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of June 30th, sparking mid-summer auroras over Canada:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/c/Catalin-Tapardel-DSC_7178-4_1625065289.jpg)

Catalin Tapardel photographed the display from the Municipal District of Opportunity (#17) in Alberta. "I caught the auroras hovering just above an expanse of noctilucent clouds," says Tapardel.

We don't know where this shock wave came from. It might be the early arrival of the June 27th CME, originally expected July 1st, or perhaps a different stealthy CME that "flew under the radar" when it left the sun. If it's the latter, another jolt could occur in the next 24 hours.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2021, 05:42:17 PM
ELLERMAN BOMBS: Bombs are going off around sunspot AR2835. Ellerman Bombs. Philippe Tosi photographed dozens of them yesterday from his backyard observatory in Nîmes, France. Click on the image below to see the entire sunspot; a handful of the bomb-blasts are circled:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/t/Tosi-Philippe-2021-06-29_T_11-42-25-OFFBAND_1624974946.jpg)

Ellerman bombs are magnetic explosions about one-millionth as powerful as true solar flares. They are named after physicist Ferdinand Ellerman who studied the tiny blasts in the early 20th century. Of course, "tiny" is relative. A single Ellerman bomb releases about 1026 ergs of energy--equal to about 100,000 World War II atomic bombs.

Why are these explosions happening? This magnetic map of AR2835 provides the answer:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/29jun21/magnetogram_crop.jpg)

Blue/green is magnetic north (+). Red/yellow is magnetic south (-). Credit: NASA/SDO

Note the ragged mixture of yellow and green around the periphery of the sunspot's primary core. These are magnetic fields of opposite polarity bumping together. Such a mixture is explosive. Ellerman bombs mark the points where magnetic reconnection is taking place. If this mixing continues, we could see a real solar flare soon
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on June 30, 2021, 05:42:57 PM
A CME IS COMING (MAYBE): A CME that left the sun three days ago might sideswipe Earth on July 1st. New modeling suggests a 30% chance of impact. The hit, if it occurs, won't be head on. The CME is traveling mostly away from our planet, so any contact would be with the CME's flank. (Wait. Did this CME already arrive?)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 03, 2021, 09:06:44 AM
Gone and done with LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 03, 2021, 11:26:08 AM
CME IMPACT POSSIBLE THIS WEEKEND: A minor coronal mass ejection (CME) is expected to hit Earth this weekend. It left the sun on June 29th, propelled toward us by a B7-class solar flare.The impact will probably be too weak to cause a geomagnetic storm, but high-latitude auroras are possible on July 3rd or 4th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 03, 2021, 11:27:27 AM
FIRST X-FLARE IN 4 YEARS: A new sunspot emerged during the early hours of July 3rd and promptly exploded, producing the first X-class solar flare since Sept. 2017. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/03jul21/xflare_teal.jpg)

Today's explosion registered X1.5 on the Richter Scale of Solar Flares

A pulse of X-rays briefly ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean: blackout map. Mariners, aviators, and amateur radio operators may have noticed unusual propagation effects below 30 MHz just after 1429 UT

The source of this flare is an un-numbered sunspot now growing near the sun's northwestern limb. Yesterday it did not even exist, highlighting the unpredictability of solar activity.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 03, 2021, 11:33:46 AM
I always enjoy reading about the solar activity....and how at times we get surprised or concerned ....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 03, 2021, 01:28:51 PM
FIRST X-FLARE IN 4 YEARS: A new sunspot emerged during the early hours of July 3rd and promptly exploded, producing the first X-class solar flare since Sept. 2017. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/03jul21/xflare_teal.jpg)

Today's explosion registered X1.5 on the Richter Scale of Solar Flares

A pulse of X-rays briefly ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean: blackout map. Mariners, aviators, and amateur radio operators may have noticed unusual propagation effects below 30 MHz just after 1429 UT

The source of this flare is an un-numbered sunspot now growing near the sun's northwestern limb. Yesterday it did not even exist, highlighting the unpredictability of solar activity.
With this capture, Sun seems like an unhappy smiley :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 03, 2021, 02:44:46 PM
Didn't see that before ... but it sure do
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 03, 2021, 04:46:43 PM
LOL.....Yup...it's saying "OH OH"  LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 17, 2021, 08:49:10 AM
ANOTHER MAGNIFICENT HALO CME: It just happened again. On July 16th, a magnificent halo CME billowed away from the farside of the sun. This is the 3rd such explosion in the last three days:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/16jul21/halo_no3_opt.gif)

This is a sign of continued activity from a hidden farside sunspot group. The active region could turn to face Earth within the next week
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 17, 2021, 08:51:44 AM
FARSIDE EXPLOSION TOUCHES EARTH: Imagine an explosion on the farside of the sun so powerful, we could feel it here on Earth. It happened on July 13th. The debris emerged in a circular cloud known as a  halo CME  (https://www.swsc-journal.org/articles/swsc/full_html/2018/01/swsc170032/swsc170032.html). Despite the face that the body of the sun blocked the explosion, energetic particles still peppered Earth:  full story  (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2021/07/16/farside-explosion-touches-earth/).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 17, 2021, 09:09:40 AM
When I read that in my Newsletter I said WOW...and WOE....all at once....  This is the year of SUN news and then some...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 24, 2021, 08:47:14 AM
ALPHA CAPRICORNID METEOR SHOWER: Today, meteor storms are rare, but a few hundred years from now they could be commonplace. Consider this fireball, recorded by Thomas Ashcraft on July 21st, a preview of things to come:

 video  (https://vimeo.com/577699249)

"This is a probable alpha Capricornid," says Ashcraft, who operates an automated meteor camera in rural New Mexico. "It was magnitude -11, about as bright as a waxing gibbous Moon." Next: Turn up the volume. The soundtrack is a 54.309 MHz digital TV signal reflected from the fireball's ionized trail.

Alpha Capricornid meteors are debris from Comet 169P/NEAT. They appear every year in late July, peaking around the July-August boundary with 5 to 9 meteors per hour. Many "alpha Caps" are slow, bright fireballs.

This is a minor shower today, but in the not-too-distant future, it could turn into a regular meteor storm. Researchers Peter Jenniskens (SETI Institute) and Jeremie Vaubaillon (Paris Observatory) have studied the alpha Capricornid debris stream. They believe it resulted from a major fragmentation event ~5000 years ago when as much as half of the original comet disintegrated. Since then, the debris has been drifting toward Earth.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/22jul21/evolution.png)

"In the next 300 years, the alpha Capricornids are likely to grow into a major annual shower," they write in an article in the Astronomical Journal. "Rates will increase dramatically in the 23rd and 24th centuries to a peak of ZHR = 2200/hr on an annual basis, half the visible shower peak rate during the 1999 Leonid storm."

If they're right, every alpha Capricornid we see today heralds a storm to come. Watch for them in the nights ahead slowly spilling out of the constellation Capricornus. The best time to look is during the hours around midnight when the shower's radiant may be found in the southern sky beautifully bracketed by Jupiter and Saturn: sky map. (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/30jul21/skymap_30jul21.png)

Bonus: Another meteor shower, the southern Delta Aquarids (https://www.popastro.com/main_spa1/meteor/delta-aquarids-and-alpha-capricornids/) (SDAs), also peaks in late July, sending streaks of light from the same general part of the sky. SDAs zip along ~twice as fast as alpha Caps and tend to be fainter. Nevertheless, they will add to your midnight meteor count. Enjoy!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 24, 2021, 08:47:48 AM
WAITING FOR THE CME: A CME expected to sideswipe Earth's magnetic field on July 23rd did not arrive on time. It might have missed, or it may yet deliver a glancing blow later today. There is a slight chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms in response to a tardy arrival on July 24th
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on July 24, 2021, 08:53:41 AM
LONG DURATION SOLAR FLARE: Today began with an explosion on the sun. Minutes after UT midnight, sunspot AR2849 erupted, producing a long-duration C4-class flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the ultraviolet flash:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/24jul21/c4_teal_anim_strip_opt.gif)

An hour-long pulse of X-rays and ultraviolet radiation ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, disrupting the usual propagation of radio waves over the Pacific Ocean. Mariners, aviators, and ham radio operators may have noticed sudden drops in signal strength at frequencies below 20 MHz blackout map  (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/24jul21/blackoutmap.png)
The explosion also hurled a  CME  (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/24jul21/cme_c2.gif)into space:. The cloud does not appear to be heading for Earth
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 24, 2021, 09:49:58 AM
I keep saying "ONE OF THESE DAYS" ....... 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on July 28, 2021, 08:58:26 AM
Then I guess that metor can be one of the Alpha Capricornid meteors.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-57962384
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on July 28, 2021, 09:54:25 AM
Folks were freaked out when they saw this:

It's a Bird, it's a Plane....and it's NOT Superman  In The Sky (https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2021/07/26/meteor-north-texas/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 05, 2021, 05:45:42 PM
THE PERSEID METEOR SHOWER IS UNDERWAY: Earth is entering a stream of debris from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. Although it won't peak until mid-next week, the shower is already active. Last night alone NASA cameras detected more than a dozen Perseid fireballs over the USA, and Petr Horálek photographed this beauty burning up over the Czech Republic:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/04aug21/perseid_strip.jpg)

"I captured our first Perseid of the year over Proseč on Aug. 3rd," reports Horálek. "Its rainbow hues were visible despite suburban light pollution."

109P/Swift-Tuttle is a huge comet with a broad debris stream. It takes Earth weeks to cross it. The shower will probably be most intense on Aug. 11-12 (Wednesday night through Thursday morning) when our planet is closest to the stream's dusty core. Adjacent nights could be almost equally good.

When should you look? Perseids may be seen any time after ~10 pm. Rates increase sharply after local midnight when the constellation Perseus is high in the sky (sky map (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/11aug21/skymap.png)). Observers in dark-sky sites can expect to count dozens of meteors during the moonless hours before sunrise.

Pro tip: Get away from city lights! Light pollution kills meteors, as shown this composite image of last year's Perseid shower:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/05aug21/comparison_strip.jpg)

Tomáš Slovinský and Petr Horálek took the pictures last August from widely spaced locations in eastern Europe. "The left photograph comes from the darkest area of Slovakia – Dark Sky Park Poloniny with a Bortle 2 sky," explains Horálek. "The right image is from Seč lake in the Czech Republic, where you can find a less-dark Bortle 4 sky. The difference between these two classes of sky is about a thousand naked-eye stars and innumerable faint meteors."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 06, 2021, 10:05:19 AM
Anything in space is amazing....even if I don't see any of it while it's happening due to weather LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 09, 2021, 05:23:01 PM
RARE NAKED-EYE NOVA: Every 20 years or so, a thermonuclear explosion occurs on the surface of RS Oph, a white dwarf in the constellation Ophiuchus. Yesterday it happened again. On Aug. 8th, the brightness of the tiny star increased 600-fold, from magnitude +12 to +5. Keith Geary of Ireland was the first to notice. Hours later, Italian astronomer Ernesto Guido and colleagues photographed the outburst using a remote-controlled telescope in Australia:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/e/Ernesto-Guido-Marco-Rocchetto-a-Adriano-Valvasori-RS_Oph_2021_Aug_09_Outburst_Q56_Guido_2_1628509842.png)

This is called a "recurrent nova (https://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/r/Recurrent+Novae)," and it is rare. In the whole Milky Way galaxy, only 7 star systems (https://www.aavso.org/vsots_rsoph) are known to produce such explosions.

RS Oph is actually a binary star--a very lopsided one. On one side is a white dwarf, on the other is a red giant. There's very little distance between the two, so the gravity of the white dwarf is able to pull gaseous material off the larger star down onto itself. Every couple of decades, enough matter accumulates to trigger an explosion. The last time this happened was back in 2006.

At 5th magnitude, the current outburst is visible to the unaided eye, albeit just barely. Binoculars or a telescope will allow you to see it with ease. Look south after sunset. Ophiuchus hangs high in the sky just above the better known constellations Scorpius and Sagittarius. Sky maps: simple (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/09aug21/skymap_easy.png), detailed (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/09aug21/skymap_detailed.png), really detailed (https://spaceweather.com/images2021/09aug21/skymap_reallydetailed.png).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on September 09, 2021, 07:03:15 AM
Wasn't exactly easy to find, but here a video with a meteor saw in a part of France
https://www.leparisien.fr/sciences/le-meteore-observe-dimanche-dans-le-ciel-de-bretagne-viendrait-dau-dela-de-neptune-06-09-2021-242OBUN3KZHLHCNEKYTKJDB3GQ.php

When they talked about it on a radio the next morning, they said it was at 3:50AM. Wrong hour :sure: but I'm not surprised.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 09, 2021, 08:17:06 AM
Wow...that was pretty big....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on September 14, 2021, 05:46:21 PM
SOMETHING JUST HIT JUPITER: Last night, German astronomer Harald Paleske was watching the shadow of Io create a solar eclipse in the atmosphere of Jupiter when something unexpected happened. "A bright flash of light surprised me," he says. "It could only be an impact." Follow the arrows to the fireball:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/h/Harald-Paleske-Jup2021_09_13_224309irgb_1631645295_lg.jpg)

Reviewing his video frames, Paleske quickly ruled out objects such as airplanes and satellites, which might be crossing Jupiter at the time of his observation. The fireball was fixed in Jupiter's atmosphere. It first appeared at 22:39:27 UT on Sept. 13th and remained visible for a full two seconds. The most likely explanation is a small asteroid or comet striking the giant planet; an asteroid in the 100m size range would do the trick.

This isn't the first time astronomers have seen things hitting Jupiter. The most famous example is Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comet_Shoemaker%E2%80%93Levy_9) (SL9), which struck Jupiter in July 1994. At the time, most astronomers thought such collisions were rare, happening every hundred years or so. Since SL9, however, amateur astronomers using improved low-light cameras have observed more than a dozen impact flashes in Jupiter's cloudtops. The Solar System is more dangerous than we thought.

Paleske pinpoints the fireball at Jovian latitude 106.9° (CM1), longitude +3.8°. Other observers are encouraged to monitor the location for debris. Previous impacts have sometimes (https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/11jun_missingdebris) created inky clouds (https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/03aug_whathitjupiter) -- probably the remains of the impactor itself mixed with aerosols formed by shock-chemistry during the explosion.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on September 15, 2021, 12:20:32 PM
When I read this I was thinking how small and puny Earth really is compared to Jupiter....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 15, 2021, 08:37:25 AM
A VOLCANIC COMET BLOWS ITS TOP: So you think you know what a comet is? Think again. Comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann is challenging old ideas. Astronomers call it a comet, but, really, "giant space volcano" might be a better description. It's a 60-km-wide ball of ice orbiting the Sun beyond Jupiter, and it appears to be one of the most volcanically active bodies in the entire Solar System.

Comet 29P just blew its top ... again. In late September 2021, 29P erupted four times in quick succession, blowing shells of "cryomagma" into space. Arizona amateur astronomer Eliot Herman has been monitoring the debris:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/e/Eliot-Herman-evolution-of-29p-through-101521_1634232279.jpg)

"Initially it looked like a bright compact object," says Herman. "Now the expanding cloud is 1.3 arcminutes wide (bigger than Jupiter) and sufficiently transparent for background stars to shine through."

When this object was discovered in 1927, astronomers thought they had found a fairly run-of-the-mill comet, unusual mainly because it was trapped in a nearly circular orbit between Jupiter and Saturn. 29P quickly proved them wrong as it began to erupt over and over again. Modern observations show that outbursts are happening as often as 20 times a year.

"The current outburst, which began on Sept. 25th, appears to be the most energetic of the past 40 years," says Dr. Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association (BAA). "Within a span of only 56 hours, four eruptions took place in quick succession, creating a 'superoutburst.'"

Miles has developed a theory to explain what's happening. The "comet," he believes, is festooned with ice volcanoes. There is no lava. Instead, the volcanoes are powered by a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons (e.g., CH4, C2H4, C2H6 and C3H8) akin to those found in the lakes and streams of Saturn's moon Titan. In Miles's model, the cryomagma contains a sprinkling of dust and it is suffused with dissolved gases N2 and CO, all trapped beneath a surface which, in some places, has the consistency of wax. These bottled-up volatiles love to explode when a fissure is opened.

(https://britastro.org/sites/default/files/29P_2014-2020_apparitions_0.png)
Above: A time series of previous outbursts from June 2020 - April 2021. These are all small compared to the current superoutburst. Source: Mission 29P.

In a seminal paper published 5 years ago, Miles studied more than a decade's worth of eruptions, and he found some patterns. The data suggest that 29P rotates every 57.7 days. The most active vents are concentrated on one side of the ice-ball in a range of longitudes less than 150 degrees wide. At least 6 discrete sources have been identified.

While most outbursts fade within a week or so, this superoutburst is still visible. The rat-a-tat-tat eruption in September boosted the comet's brightness 250-fold, and it hasn't declined much since then. With an integrated magnitude between +10 and +11, the expanding cloud is well within reach of backyard telescopes.

"Comet 29P can be seen with an 8 inch 'scope," says Herman. "In smaller instruments it will appear to be a bright dot. To resolve the cloud and photograph individual stars shining through it, I used the big half-meter iTelescope T11."

Ready see something weird? 29P is located in the constellation Auriga, easy to find high in the sky at midnight.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 16, 2021, 01:47:30 PM
Always something awesome going on ..... Thanks for the article....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 18, 2021, 02:50:43 PM
Something about Complex of Taurids
https://phys.org/news/2021-10-prior-swarm-large-asteroids-hidden.html

And something linked
https://cosmictusk.com/bill-napier-comet-research-group-vindicated/
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 20, 2021, 01:18:21 PM
As noted...."A Smoking Gun" indeed....thanks for the links....Interesting and eye opening read....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2021, 04:05:59 AM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH:

 A strong G3-class geomagnetic storm is possible on Oct. 30th when the CME from yesterday's X1-flare is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. Such storms can spark naked-eye auroras as far south as Illinois and Oregon (typically 50° geomagnetic latitude) and photographic auroras at even lower latitudes. Lesser G1 and G2-class storms could persist through Halloween as Earth passes through the CME's wake.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2021, 04:07:19 AM
THE CORONAL MASS EJECTION: Here it comes. A coronal mass ejection (CME) launched into space on Oct. 28th by exploding sunspot AR2887 is heading almost directly for Earth. SOHO coronagraphs recorded the CME racing away from the sun faster than 1260 km/s (2.8 million mph):

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/28oct21/cme_c3.gif)

The movie is full of "snow"--speckles caused by solar protons striking the coronagraph's CCD camera. These particles were accelerated toward the spacecraft (and toward Earth) by shock waves in the leading edge of the CME. Traveling at relativistic speeds, the protons reached us in less than an hour. The CME itself will take more than two days to cross the sun-Earth divide. ETA: Oct. 30th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on October 29, 2021, 04:09:02 AM
THE SOLAR FLARE: Yesterday, Oct. 28th, the sun experienced a global eruption. It began at 1535 UT when sunspot AR2887 unleashed an X1-class solar flare. The blast created a massive tsunami of plasma that rippled across the entire solar disk:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2021/28oct21/tsunami_gold.gif)

The plasma wave was about 100,000 km tall and moved through the sun's atmosphere faster than 700 km/s (1.6 million mph). These are also called "Moreton waves," named after American astronomer Gail Moreton who discovered them in 1959. Moreton waves often herald the launch of a CME.

Is sunspot AR2887 finished? Probably not. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of M-class flares and a 25% chance of another X-flare in the next 24 hours
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on October 29, 2021, 06:46:13 AM
Sun is decided to give a show, like the volcano in La Palma island. A fire year  :jacko:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on October 29, 2021, 09:43:53 AM
Thank goodness for the Van Allen Belt.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 29, 2021, 12:41:54 PM
Indeed...it's been a active year for the Sun...though at the beginning of the year they predicted a quiet time for Ol Sol....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 04, 2021, 07:33:47 AM
NASA says not to miss a beautiful meeting of the moon and Venus on Nov. 7

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/nasa-says-not-to-miss-a-beautiful-meeting-of-the-moon-and-venus-on-nov-7/ar-AAQhPI2?ocidctx=hvs%3A6%2Cfdwt%3A419%2Chb%3Afalse%2Ctb%3Afalse%2Cpb%3Afalse%2Ccvc%3A29&ocid=winp1taskbar
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 06, 2021, 07:23:23 AM
And if you want more November fun.....Take a peak HERE (https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2021-november-19) about the November 18/19 Lunar Eclipse
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 06, 2021, 08:20:11 AM
That is really cool.   Looking forward to it, hopefully I won't sleep through it.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 06, 2021, 08:25:06 AM
Looks like fun to say the least
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: M-Callahan on November 06, 2021, 09:24:59 PM
This make me wonder if we as a civilization have advance too far without thinking things through by not having backup systems in place based on older technologies

This is the solar storm to worry about. It could take down civilization.

 https://youtu.be/7Vik87xUcnQ
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 09, 2021, 10:33:32 AM
Space Weather keeps us informed of those pesky solar flares.....that's for sure.

My best part of the vid was when they made reference to John Wick and the fact that he never dies LOLOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on November 23, 2021, 07:49:51 AM
Near-Earth asteroid is a fragment from the moon, say scientists
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/nov/11/near-earth-asteroid-is-a-fragment-from-the-moon-say-scientists
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 23, 2021, 02:38:02 PM
That's what I read also Aelin.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 16, 2021, 04:04:24 AM
FAST-GROWING SUNSPOTS: Multiple large sunspots are growing near the sun's southeastern limb.The phalanx of dark cores is turning toward Earth, boosting the chances for an geoeffective eruption in the days ahead. NOAA forecasters estimate a 25% chance of M-class solar flares on Dec. 16th.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 02, 2022, 03:47:44 PM
Related to the Sun
https://www.livescience.com/ancient-solar-storm-solar-minimum

I also heard than today and tomorrow we have a part of a solar storm on us.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 03, 2022, 08:21:43 AM
I read about that on Space Weather this morning....

But on the site you put up...I found another interesting article:  Internet Apocalypse (https://www.livescience.com/solar-storm-internet-apocalypse)

And while in there I also found STEREO (https://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/gallery.shtml)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 04, 2022, 05:03:25 AM
SOLAR CYCLE 25--A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW: For much of the past year, the space weather community has been buzzing about the strong performance of young Solar Cycle 25 (SC25). Every month, sunspot numbers seem to blow past official predictions. This means we're about to have a strong Solar Maximum, right?

"Not so fast," cautions Dr. Ron Turner, an analyst at the ANSER research institute in Virginia. "It may be too early to anticipate a strong solar cycle."

This graph shows why Turner is skeptical:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/03feb22/sunspotcounts.png)

Solar Cycle 25 is doing something interesting. It is mimicking old Solar Cycle 24 (SC24). "I took sunspot numbers from the early years of SC24 (the red dashed line) and overlaid them on SC25," says Turner. "They're an almost perfect match."

This is significant because Solar Cycle 24 went on to become the weakest solar cycle in a century. Its hot start did not lead to a strong maximum. Turner isn't saying that Solar Cycle 25 will likewise be a dud. But, rather, "these early sunspot numbers are not enough to guarantee a strong cycle."

Déjà vu, anyone?
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 04, 2022, 10:33:45 AM
Déjà maybe....we shall see....but very interesting....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 09, 2022, 04:34:06 PM
I missed this one.......

GEOMAGNETIC STORM AND RECENTLY DEPLOYED STARLINK SATELLITES


On Thursday, February 3 at 1:13 p.m. EST, Falcon 9 launched 49 Starlink satellites to low Earth orbit from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Falcon 9’s second stage deployed the satellites into their intended orbit, with a perigee of approximately 210 kilometers above Earth, and each satellite achieved controlled flight.

SpaceX deploys its satellites into these lower orbits so that in the very rare case any satellite does not pass initial system checkouts it will quickly be deorbited by atmospheric drag. While the low deployment altitude requires more capable satellites at a considerable cost to us, it’s the right thing to do to maintain a sustainable space environment.

Unfortunately, the satellites deployed on Thursday were significantly impacted by a geomagnetic storm on Friday. These storms cause the atmosphere to warm and atmospheric density at our low deployment altitudes to increase. In fact, onboard GPS suggests the escalation speed and severity of the storm caused atmospheric drag to increase up to 50 percent higher than during previous launches. The Starlink team commanded the satellites into a safe-mode where they would fly edge-on (like a sheet of paper) to minimize drag—to effectively “take cover from the storm”—and continued to work closely with the Space Force’s 18th Space Control Squadron and LeoLabs to provide updates on the satellites based on ground radars.

Preliminary analysis show the increased drag at the low altitudes prevented the satellites from leaving safe-mode to begin orbit raising maneuvers, and up to 40 of the satellites will reenter or already have reentered the Earth’s atmosphere. The deorbiting satellites pose zero collision risk with other satellites and by design demise upon atmospheric reentry—meaning no orbital debris is created and no satellite parts hit the ground. This unique situation demonstrates the great lengths the Starlink team has gone to ensure the system is on the leading edge of on-orbit debris mitigation.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 10, 2022, 06:33:56 AM
Mother Nature and Space Father said stop to that "constellation" :iminnocent:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 11, 2022, 09:52:15 AM
Yes indeed..... He's created "Spacejunk R Us" :nopanic;
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 11, 2022, 01:41:44 PM
Astronomers don't like that too
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 12, 2022, 08:31:45 AM
Not many foks do......that's for sure.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 17, 2022, 02:18:42 PM
AN EXPLOSION ON THE FARSIDE OF THE SUN (UPDATED AGAIN): New images from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are giving us a better look at yesterday's farside explosion. SOHO coronagraphs recorded the most dramatic CME in years:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/16feb22/farsidecme_anim_opt.gif)

No, there won't be a geomagnetic storm. The explosion happened on the farside of the sun, so the CME is heading away from Earth. We dodged a bullet.


STEREO-A also observed a plume of plasma shooting up from the blast site. It was more than 400,000 km long.
(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/15feb22/20220215_221545_n7euA_304.jpg)

Some readers have asked "How strong was the underlying solar flare?" We don't know. Solar flares are classified by their X-ray output, but there are no spacecraft on the farside of the sun with X-ray sensors. Best guess: It was an X-flare. (https://scitechdaily.com/a-guide-to-solar-flares-what-does-it-take-to-be-x-class/)

You might suppose that the farside of the sun is hidden from view. However, researchers using a technique called "helioseismology" can make crude maps of the sun's hidden hemisphere. Their latest map reveals a huge farside active region:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/16feb22/helioseismology2b.jpg)

The black blob is a sunspot group--a big one--and it is the likely source of the explosion. According to Junwei Zhao of Stanford University's helioseismology group, active regions this large are rare. "This is only the second farside active region of this size since September 2017," he says.

Lucas Guliano, a solar scientist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, believes the active region might be an old friend: AR2936, a sunspot that was on the Earthside of the sun in early February.

"If so, it is the same sunspot responsible for the geomagnetic storm that downed the SpaceX satellites on Feb. 4th," he says.

Apparently it has grown since then. Based on its current location, the sunspot could emerge into view over the sun's northeastern limb about 4 days from now. It could be quite a sight, so stay tuned.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 17, 2022, 02:24:29 PM
For perspective 400,000 km is 248,548 miles

The distance from the Earth to the Moon is: 384,400 km or 239,900 miles
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Aelin on February 17, 2022, 02:27:12 PM
On the previous solar cycle, wasn't the AR 2921, or a name like that which was the most active? Sun has decided the change obviously.

The "feather" size was more than 10 times the equateur size of the Earth, isn't it?  :nopanic;
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 17, 2022, 02:35:56 PM
Find no extra details on AR2921, but the equator questions is a basic yes.

The equator is 40,075 km or (24,901 mi) so times ten is pretty much spot on
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on February 25, 2022, 04:01:25 AM
BE ALERT FOR ZODIACAL LIGHT: It's one of the most delicate and beautiful sights in the heavens, yet most people have never seen it. We're talking about the  Zodiacal Light  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zodiacal_light). "A good display is coming in just a few days," says astrophotographer Petr Horálek, who created this image to whet your appetite:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/p/Petr-Horalek-ESOIoP-in-Opava-Juan-Carlos-Casado-IAC-La-Palma-potw2137a_1645611537.jpg)

"This composite shows Zodiacal Light from both hemispheres," explains Horálek. "My friend, great TWAN photographer Juan Carlos Casado, took the northern photo from the IAC La Palma Observatory in Feb. 2020. I took the southern photo from ESO's La Silla Observatory in April 2016. Stitched together they show the entire night sky using Earth's horizon to block the bright sun."

See the pale triangles of light at the center? That is Zodiacal Light.

For centuries, astronomers puzzled over the light's origin. Now we know: Zodiacal Light comes from Mars (https://spaceweatherarchive.com/2021/07/07/a-big-glowing-cloud-of-marsdust/). Giant dust storms on the Red Planet leak into space, filling the plane of the Solar System with tiny grains. We can actually see the Mars dust with the naked eye because it scatters sunlight, producing the triangular glow in Horálek's photo.

https://youtu.be/ve0jLXEzFXE (https://youtu.be/ve0jLXEzFXE)

February, March and April are the best months to see Zodiacal Light because the plane of the Solar System juts over the horizon almost vertically, putting the triangle on full display. Dark skies are required. Zodiacal Light is faint and easily overwhelmed by light pollution.

"New Moon dates close to the equinox are when Zodiacal Light is best seen all around the world," says Horálek. "In the northern hemisphere, visibility is best in the evening after sunset (look west). In the southern hemisphere, visibility is best in the morning before sunrise (look east)."

The next New Moon: March 2nd. Mark your calendar and see the light!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 11, 2022, 05:58:16 PM
EOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (CATEGORY G2): A full-halo CME is heading directly for Earth. ETA: late on March 13th. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) recorded the storm cloud leaving the sun earlier today:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/11mar22/fullhalo.gif)

Note: The bright "star" at the lower right of the sun is Jupiter.

This CME is the result of a long duration C2-class solar flare near sunspot AR2962. Normally, C-class flares are not considered to be strong. However, this one lasted nearly 12 hours, allowing it to pump plenty of energy into the CME.

Moderately-strong G2-class geomagnetic storms are possible after the CME arrives. During such storms, naked-eye auroras may appear in northern-tier US states from Maine to Washington. Power grids and satellites will experience little to no effect, however.

A new model of the CME from NASA pinpoints the arrival time around 1800 UT on March 13th. In this animation, the yellow dot is Earth:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/11mar22/nasamodel.gif)

Geomagnetic storms, if they materialize, could spill into March 14th, making this a Pi Day geomagnetic storm. That's appropriate. After all, auroras form a circle around Earth's magnetic poles.

Take another look at the NASA model. The CME hits Venus less than a day before it reaches Earth. The CME won't spark a geomagnetic storm on Venus. It can't; the planet has no internally-generated global magnetic field. Instead, the impact will erode a small amount of atmosphere from Venus' unprotected cloudtops.

Geomagnetic storms: One of the perks of living on Earth. High latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras on March 13-14.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 13, 2022, 01:52:39 PM
AN ASTEROID JUST HIT EARTH: Discovered-photographed-destroyed. Boom-boom-boom. March 11th was an eventful day for 2022 EB5. Hungarian astronomer Krisztián Sárneczky discovered the asteroid at 19:24 UT. Italian astronomer Enrico Pettarin photographed the asteroid at 20:28 UT:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/e/Enrico-Pettarin-Sar2593_1647041405.gif)

The asteroid destroyed itself at ~21:22 UT when it hit Earth's atmosphere off the coast of Iceland, disintegrating harmlessly as a bright fireball. The entire sequence of events took less than 2 hours.

The explosion was detected by Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Organization infrasound stations in Greenland and Norway. Combining data from the two locations, University of Western Ontario astronomer Peter Brown estimates that "the asteroid exploded with an energy close to 2 kilotons of TNT. Assuming a speed of 15 km/s, it must have been about 3 meters in diameter," he says.

 (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNqRn-LWYAIqVm3?format=jpg&name=small)

Above: Recorded in Greenland, the infrasound signature of asteroid 2022 EB5 exploding.

This is only the 5th time an asteroid was discovered just before it hit Earth. The others were 2008 TC3 (Sudan), 2014 AA (Atlantic Ocean), 2018 LA (Botswana), and 2019 MO (Puerto Rico). All were small space rocks that did no damage when they broke up in our planet's atmosphere. 2022 EB5 appears to be the smallest yet, and demonstrates that humans are getting better at finding potentially dangerous asteroids before they strike.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 13, 2022, 01:55:10 PM
CME IMPACT SPARKS GEOMAGNETIC STORM: As predicted, a CME hit Earth's magnetic field today, March 13th. The impact has sparked a moderately strong G2-class geomagnetic storm. When the CME arrived, "the sky exploded," reports John Dean, who sends this picture from Nome, Alaska:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/j/John-Dean-D9E49EF7-6D55-44F3-8539-96027179559A_1647189479.jpg)

"I was out from 2:30 am until sunrise," says Dean. "The coronas (auroras that seem to fall from overhead like rain) were phenomenal."

The timing of the CME's impact was unfortunate for many aurora photographers. Europe and much of North America was daylit when the storm cloud arrived. Dark skies were positioned mainly over the Pacific Ocean and western parts of North America.

What next? Geomagnetic storms could persist through March 14th as Earth passes through the CME's wake. If so, many photographers who missed the CME's arrival may get a second chance.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 29, 2022, 03:59:14 AM
SOLAR FLARE, TSUNAMI AND RADIATION STORM (UPDATED): A lot of things just happened all at once. Sunspot AR2975 erupted on March 28th (1129 UT), producing a major M4-class solar flare. The blast propelled a 'solar tsunami' through the sun's atmosphere. You can see it rippling away from the blast site in this movie from the Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/28mar22/tsunami_strip_opt.gif)

This tsunami was 'radio-active.' Its rippling leading edge beamed radio waves toward Earth. "I received a fantastic solar radio burst at 56 MHz," reports Rob Stammes who recorded the outburst at his space weather observatory in Lofoton, Norway. At about the same time, the US Air Force says they recorded both Type II and Type IV solar radio bursts.

Ironically, while the sun was turning itself into a temporary radio beacon, it simultaneously wiped out some radio transmissions on Earth. A pulse of X-rays from the flare ionized the top of the atmosphere over Africa, causing a shortwave radio blackout:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/28mar22/blackout_strip.jpg)

Aviators, mariners, and ham radio operators in the area may have noticed fading and other unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz.

Energetic protons accelerated by the flare+tsunami are now peppering Earth's magnetosphere, causing a minor S1-class radiation storm. Our planet's magnetic field is funneling some of these particles toward the poles where a second type of radio blackout is underway--a Polar Cap Absorption Event. Airplanes flying over these regions may find that their shortwave radios won't work during the transit: polar cap absorption map.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 29, 2022, 03:59:30 AM
MULTPLE CMEs ARE HEADING FOR EARTH: Sunspot AR2975 has been busy. Since yesterday it has exploded more than 17 times (11 C-class flares + 6 M-class). The eruptions have hurled at least two, possibly three, CMEs toward Earth. Click to watch the storm clouds emerge:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/28mar22/triple_cme.gif)
Above: A SOHO coronagraph movie of multiple CMEs on March 28, 2022.

The first CME (1254 UT) has already been modeled by NASA and NOAA. It is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on March 31st. The second CME (2130 UT) and the potential third CME (2230 UT) are following close behind. They will likely arrive on April 1st. Their combined impact could spark G2- to G3-class geomagnetic storms.

Play the  movie  (https://spaceweather.com/images2022/28mar22/triple_cme.gif) again. The snowy speckles at the beginning are energetic protons hitting the camera. They were accelerated toward Earth by shock waves in the leading edge of the CME. More than a day later, proton counts around Earth remain elevated
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 29, 2022, 11:09:08 AM
The day is fast approaching....and we shall see what comes of all this....many different scenarios....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on March 29, 2022, 09:06:40 PM
GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G3-CLASS): Strong G3-class geomagnetic storms are possible during the early UT hours of March 31st when a Cannibal CME is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. During such storms, naked-eye auroras can descend into the USA as far south as, e.g., Illinois and Oregon (geomagnetic latitude 50o). What is a "Cannibal CME"?

A CANNIBAL CME IS APPROACHING EARTH: Yesterday, March 28th, sunspot AR2975 unleashed a frenzy of solar flares--more than 17 in all. There were 11 C-class flares and 6 M-flares. At least two full-halo CMEs emerged from the chaos. Click to watch the storm clouds leaving the sun:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/28mar22/triple_cme.gif)
Above: A SOHO coronagraph movie of multiple CMEs on March 28, 2022.

The first CME in this movie was produced by an M4-class flare at 1129 UT. It departed the sun traveling 1259 km/s. The second CME was produced by an M1-class flare at 1923 UT. It departed even faster, travelng ~1700 km/s.

A NOAA computer model suggests that the second CME will overtake the first, merging into a single "Cannibal CME" before striking Earth's magnetic field around 0300 UT on March 31st. Click to view the complete model:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/29mar22/noaamodel_crop_strip.gif)

Cannibal CMEs are fast coronal mass ejections that sweep up slower CMEs in front of them. This NASA movie shows what happens. The mish-mash contains tangled magnetic fields and compressed plasmas that can spark strong geomagnetic storms.

If the NOAA model is correct, the density of solar wind plasma around Earth could increase 10-fold when the CME arrives, while the solar wind speed will top 700 km/s. These events would set the stage for G2- to G3-class geomagnetic storms.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 17, 2022, 06:21:46 PM
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE (UPDATED) : A big and very active sunspot complex emerged over the sun's northeastern limb yesterday. It has already produced an X1-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the blast on April 17th at 03:34 UT:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/17apr22/xflare_red_anim.gif)

A pulse of X-rays from the flare produced a strong shortwave radio blackout over southeast Asia and Australia: map. Mariners, aviators, and ham radio operators may have noticed unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 17, 2022, 06:22:57 PM
Update: New images from SOHO confirm that the explosion hurled a CME into space: movie. The bulk of the CME will miss Earth, passing behind our planet in its orbit around the sun. However, there might be an Earth-directed component. NOAA analysts are looking into this now.

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/t/Tosi-Philippe-2022-04-17-1138_9-U-B-Sun_ZWO-ASI290MM_l5_ap410_1650212705.jpg)

Above: Active sunspot group AR2993-94. Photo credit: Philippe Tosi of Nîmes, France

Meanwhile, get ready for more flares. This sunspot group has been active for more than a week, hurling CMEs and plumes of plasma into space from its location on the farside of the sun. Now it is turning to face Earth and shows no signs of slowing down.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 20, 2022, 08:32:29 PM
SOLAR ACTIVITY IS INTENSIFYING: In the last 24 hours alone, the sun has produced more than 19 solar flares. The tally includes six M-class explosions and a powerful X2.2-class flare, described below. The fusillade is likely to continue as colossal sunspot complex AR2993-94 turns toward Earth in the days ahead.


X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: The sun just produced another X-flare. Earth-orbiting satellites detected the X2.2-class explosion on April 20th @ 0357 UT. Remarkably, it came from a farside sunspot. The source of the flare is AR2992, which yesterday rotated over the southwestern limb of the sun.

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/20apr22/x2p2_teal_anim.gif)

The sunspot is no longer visible at all. It is hidden behind the edge of the solar disk. Because the blast site was eclipsed by the body of the sun, the actual flare was almost certainly stronger than its nominal rating of X2.2.

Radiation from the flare caused a shortwave radio blackout over southeast Asia and Australia: blackout map. Mariners and ham radio operators in the area may have noticed loss of radio contact at frequencies below 30 MHz for as much as an hour.

Shortly after the flare, the US Air Force reported a Type II solar radio burst--a natural form of radio noise produced by shock waves in the sun's atmosphere. Ironically, this radio burst filled the loudspeakers of shortwave radios on the dayside of Earth with static during the radio blackout mentioned above. Terrestrial radio stations were briefly replaced with solar noise.

SOHO coronagraphs have since detected a CME emerging from the blast site:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/20apr22/cme_anim.gif)

This CME will not hit Earth. It is well outside the strike zone--no surprise considering the farside location of the sunspot.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 21, 2022, 08:27:04 AM
I noticed that they are getting stronger and in some cases closer or on target.....and still no protection for our electrical grid....mankind is kinda slow
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 21, 2022, 12:30:11 PM
Kind of,  :ummm:  ... that is certainly an understatement is it not.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 21, 2022, 12:32:08 PM
Pure Fact.....
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 21, 2022, 06:31:38 PM
As I am fond of saying ...

   The sound you hear is no one disagreeing
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 26, 2022, 02:56:18 PM
Thought I'd put this up....Love some of the Space Shots....

NASA IMAGE OF THE DAY (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/iotd.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 30, 2022, 02:06:23 PM
MERCURY AND THE PLEIADES: When the sun goes down tonight, step outside and look west. Mercury is in conjunction with the Pleiades star cluster. Observers using a 589 nm sodium filter may also be able to photograph Mercury's comet-like tail, which is unusually bright right now. Sky maps: April 30, May 1, May 2

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/d/Dr.-Sebastian-Voltmer-MercuryTailPleiades_2022-04-27_signature_1651154068_lg.jpg)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 30, 2022, 02:07:57 PM
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: So long, and thanks for the X-flares. Departing sunspot AR2994 unleashed another X1-class solar flare today, April 30th @ 1347UT, as it exited the Earthside of the sun. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded a spectacular plume of debris flying up and over the sun's northwestern limb:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/30apr22/x1_red_anim.gif)

Even with the sunspot completely hidden behind the edge of the sun, the explosion still produced enough radiation for a strong shortwave radio blackout over the mid-Atlantic Ocean and much of Europe: map. Signals below 30 MHz were attentuated for nearly an hour.

This flare almost certainly produced a coronal mass ejection (CME). Images from SOHO coronagraphs (when they become available) will likely confirm that the CME won't hit Earth--a result of the sunspot's farside location
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 30, 2022, 02:11:11 PM
MORNING SKY SHOW: The finest conjunction of 2022 is underway. You just have to wake up at dawn to see it. This morning in Poland, Marek Nikodem photographed Venus and Jupiter side by side:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Marek-Nikodem-_CDS3197_1651295600.jpg)

""Wow... what a great show," says Nikodem. "The view was amazing. My friend was a bit cold while posing, but she was happy anyway."

Tomorrow morning is a good time to look, too, as Venus and Jupiter remain less than a degree apart
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 30, 2022, 06:26:29 PM
Getting up at dawn is ... but not if you can't see the clear sky...which I won't be seeing...for a while I guess LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on April 30, 2022, 06:48:47 PM
:tearlaugh: Getting up at the ass-crack of dawn is a cinch and fortunately for me I have had clear skies for some little time and have been watching this conjunction as it has progressed
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on May 03, 2022, 06:19:50 PM
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: An active sunspot is emerging over the sun's southeastern limb. It announced itself today with an X1.1-class solar flare (May 3rd @ 1325 UTUT). NASA's Solar Dynamocs Observatory (SDO) recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/03may22/x1p1_teal.jpg)

Radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a strong shortwave radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean and Europe: map. Signals below 30 MHz were attentuated for more than an hour.

In Argentina, photographer Eduardo Schaberger Poupeau was already pointing his solar telescope at the sun when the flare occured. "At that very moment I was trying to photograph new sunspot AR3004," says Poupeau. "Suddenly I received an X-flare alert on my smartphone. I quickly switched to the sun's southeastern limb where debris thrown up by the flare was still very bright."

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/e/Eduardo-Schaberger-Poupeau-X-Flare-Full-disk-05-03-22_1651604291.jpg)

The sunspot responsible for today's blast has been visible for less than a day. Already it has unleashed has unleashed 8+ solar flares (more than six Cs, one M and one X). Future flares will become increasingly geoeffective as the active region turns toward Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 21, 2022, 02:55:33 PM
SpaceX Mystery, Solved

 The mystery of SpaceX's "rocket powered auroras" has been solved. On Sunday morning, June 19th, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral. Photographers accustomed to seeing these launches were surprised when something unusual appeared. A red glow stretched across the Milky Way. It looked like the aurora borealis, as shown in this photo from Christopher Hoffman in Saint Mary's County, Maryland:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/21jun22/spacex_airglow_strip.jpg)

Read More HERE (https://spaceweather.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on June 29, 2022, 04:35:19 PM
COMET K2 ENTERS THE INNER SOLAR SYSTEM: For the past 3 million years, Comet C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS) has been falling toward the sun--a long, slow journey from the Oort cloud. Finally, it's here. Austrian astrophotographer Michael Jaeger photographed "Comet K2" entering the inner solar system on June 25th:

(https://spaceweathergallery.com/submissions/pics/m/Michael-Jaeger-2017K220220625UT2250rgb22mina_2_1656250446_lg.jpg)
Read More About it HERE:  https://spaceweather.com/ (https://spaceweather.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 10, 2022, 04:51:30 PM
PERSEID METEOR SHOWER: Earth has entered a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. We're only in the outskirts of the stream now, but already Perseid fireballs are streaking across the night sky. The shower will peak in bright moonlight on Aug. 12-13 when Earth touches the densest part of the debris zone
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 12, 2022, 07:45:35 AM
And once again we have Rain in the forecast...so no night view tonight.  Not sure what tomorrow will bring.  Haven't see ANY of our sky delights this year due to weather.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 14, 2022, 07:50:39 PM
Great ... naught but cloud cover for the last two nights :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on August 21, 2022, 03:15:51 PM
Haven't seen anything that was deemed "Spectacular" in the sky this year due to weather...and falling asleep and not getting up in time :tearlaugh:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on August 21, 2022, 05:54:47 PM
And continual cloud cover for me, so saw naught :sadder:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Agent0013 on August 22, 2022, 01:38:19 AM
Here the clear night skies are being picky; choosing nights that are relatively uneventful to be clear. On nights when there is an event or more happening we get overcast, or rain, and sometimes thunderstorms. So looks like I'm not getting to see much either.

A couple of weeks ago I as looking at Scorpio (in the south from here), and a bright meteor streaked across the constellation. Next I look straight up where Cygnus the Swan was clearly visible, and another bright meteor streaked across its neck area. Cygnus points its head toward the south, but it is a northern hemisphere constellation, sharing the northern sky with Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor; the two constellations that contain respectively the Big and Little Dippers. Crazy thing is, as I was about to end my observations, another meteor streaked through the cup of the Big Dipper! It was less bright, but it still caught my eye, though I was not looking directly in that direction. That was the last eventful night I was able to see any astronomical events! It was in early August, or very late July.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 08, 2022, 07:49:49 AM
This is a interesting place to visit.  ASGARD (https://fireballs.ndc.nasa.gov/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 12, 2022, 07:42:18 AM
This is a very interesting page.... Starlink Statistics (https://planet4589.org/space/stats/star/starstats.html)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on October 31, 2022, 05:44:42 PM
THE 'TAURID SWARM' IS COMING: Have you ever heard of the "Halloween Fireballs?" Astronomers call them Taurid meteors. They appear every year from late October through early November when Earth passes through a stream of debris associated with Comet 2P/Encke. Dan Bush photographed this Taurid exploding over Albany, Missouri:

(http://spaceweather.com/images2022/27oct22/taurid_strip.gif)
"Fireball season has arrived," says Bush. "I have caught many with my meteor camera system including this Taurid fireball above the clouds on Oct. 27th and another good one on Oct. 28th"

We're about to see a lot more of these. Forecasters believe that a swarm of Taurid meteoroids is approaching Earth, and it could double the usual rate of fireballs--not only on Halloween, but also through the early weeks of November.

Taurid meteors are thought to be debris from a giant comet that broke apart in the inner Solar System 10 to 20 thousand years ago. The breakup produced a mixture of dust and larger bodies that are still present today. Comet 2P/Encke itself may be just one of the fragments.

Over the years, Jupiter's gravity has shepherded some of these meteoroids into a well-defined cloud--the "Taurid Swarm." It visits Earth every 3 or 7 years. Previous encounters with the Swarm in 2005 and 2015 produced showers of fireballs observed around the world. The last outburst was 7 years ago, which means 2022 should be a Swarm year, too.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Radkres on November 05, 2022, 07:06:31 PM
 :ahhhh: :whatthe: How Earth REALLY moves in space!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwxhBirHkcQ
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 22, 2022, 03:13:35 PM
Great post Rad....Gotta look this one up but it makes sense...kinda LOL 
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 22, 2022, 03:24:01 PM
Space Weather Gallery 2022 (https://spaceweathergallery.com/)
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2022, 12:11:11 PM
POSSIBLE CME IMPACT: A shock wave in the solar wind hit Earth's magnetic field today, Nov. 25th, at approximately 0230 UT. It might have been the belated arrival of a CME that left the sun on Nov. 19th, hurled in our direction by an erupting filament of magnetism. So far the weak impact has not caused a geomagnetic storm.

Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on November 25, 2022, 12:12:58 PM
CRYOVOLCANIC ERUPTION ON A COMET: The British Astronomical Association (BAA) is reporting a new outburst of cryovolcanic comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann. On Nov. 22nd, amateur astronomer Patrick Wiggins watched 29P increase in brightness by more than 4 magnitudes--a sign that a major eruption was in progress. On Nov. 23rd, André Debackère used the Faulkes Telescope North in Hawaii to photograph the expanding shell of debris:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2022/23nov22/pacman.jpg)

The Pac-Man shape of the ejecta shows that this is not a uniform global eruption. Instead, it is coming from one or more discrete sources on the comet's surface.

This fits a leading model of the comet developed by Dr. Richard Miles of the British Astronomical Association. Miles believes that 29P is festooned with ice volcanoes. There is no lava. The "magma" is a cold mixture of liquid hydrocarbons (e.g., CH4, C2H4, C2H6 and C3H8) akin to those found in lakes and streams on Saturn's moon Titan. The cryomagma is suffused with dissolved gases N2 and CO, much like carbonation in a soda bottle. These bottled-up volatiles love to explode when a fissure is opened by the warming action of sunlight.

A new image just taken by Cai Stoddard-Jones using the Faulkes Telescope North adds weight to the idea that a single volcano or active zone is involved. Processing the data with a rotational gradient filter, Stoddard-Jones found an intense condensation of debris at position angle 330 degrees:

(https://britastro.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/ogg2m001-ep02-20221122_trk_945_951_20d.png)

This narrow plume probably leads back to the primary source the eruption. The plume is currently streaming away from the nucleus at 75 m/s (270 km/hr) and stretches more than 11,000 km from end to end. If an eruption like this were happening on Earth, it would jut far outside our planet's atmosphere; it's huge.

These dimensions, plus the integrated brightness of the comet (magnitude +11), put 29P within easy range of many backyard telescopes. If past eruptions are any guide, Pac-Man should grow much larger in the nights ahead.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on November 25, 2022, 04:15:33 PM
That is awesome stuff.  Saw it but forgot to put it up in here....glad you did...
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on December 06, 2022, 05:57:29 PM
MUST-SEE! LUNAR OCCULTATION OF MARS: Tomorrow night, Dec. 7-8, the full Moon will pass in front of Mars, producing a beautiful occultation across much of North America and Europe. This movie, created by graphic artist Larry Koehn, shows what observers can expect to see:

https://vimeo.com/770026819 (https://vimeo.com/770026819)

Movie credit: Larry Koehn of Shadowandsubstance.com

This is a great time for an occultation because Mars is within a week of its closest approach to Earth. The Red Planet's disk is unusually wide (more than 17 arcseconds across). Even modest backyard telescopes can reveal details on the Martian surface partially eclipsed by lunar mountains and crater rims.

This is also a naked-eye event. Because of its proximity to Earth, Mars is now brighter than every star in the sky (twice as bright as Sirius). Its piercing red glow will be visible even next to the glaring edge of the full Moon
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 06, 2022, 06:04:53 PM
And of course we have snow in the forecast.... :thud:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on December 21, 2022, 04:34:52 PM
Dec. 3, 2003: Earth is surrounded by a magnetic force field--a bubble in space called "the magnetosphere" tens of thousands of miles wide. Although many people don't know it exists, the magnetosphere is familiar. It's a far flung part of the same planetary magnetic field that deflects compass needles here on Earth's surface. And it's important. The magnetosphere acts as a shield that protects us from solar storms.

According to new observations, however, from NASA's IMAGE spacecraft and the joint NASA/European Space Agency Cluster satellites, immense cracks sometimes develop in Earth's magnetosphere and remain open for hours. This allows the solar wind to gush through and power stormy space weather.

(https://science.nasa.gov/files/styles/large/public/mnt/medialibrary/2008/10/30/30oct_ftes_resources/breach_strip.jpg?itok=XlnAdhp9)

Above: An artist's rendition of NASA's IMAGE satellite flying through a 'crack' in Earth's magnetic field. [more]

"We've discovered that our magnetic shield is drafty, like a house with a window stuck open during a storm," says Harald Frey of the University of California, Berkeley, lead author of a paper on this research published Dec. 4 in Nature. "The house deflects most of the storm, but the couch is ruined. Similarly, our magnetic shield takes the brunt of space storms, but some energy slips through its cracks, sometimes enough to cause problems with satellites, radio communication, and power systems."
"The new knowledge that the cracks are open for long periods can be incorporated into our space weather forecasting computer models to more accurately predict how our space weather is influenced by violent events on the Sun," adds Tai Phan, also of UC Berkeley, co-author of the Nature paper.
The solar wind is a fast-moving stream of electrically charged particles (electrons and ions) blown constantly from the Sun. The wind can get gusty during violent solar events, like coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which can shoot a billion tons of electrified gas into space at millions of miles per hour.

Earth's magnetosphere generally does a good job of deflecting the particles and snarled magnetic fields carried by CMEs. Even so, space storms and their vivid effects, like auroras which light up the sky over the polar regions with more than a hundred million watts of power, have long indicated that the shield was not impenetrable.

In 1961, Jim Dungey of the Imperial College, United Kingdom, predicted that cracks might form in the magnetic shield when the solar wind contained a magnetic field that was oriented in the opposite direction to a portion of the Earth's field. In these regions, the two magnetic fields would interconnect through a process known as "magnetic reconnection," forming a crack in the shield through which the electrically charged particles of the solar wind could flow.
 
(https://science.nasa.gov/files/styles/large/public/mnt/medialibrary/2003/12/03/03dec_magneticcracks_resources/reconnection_med.jpg?itok=4BZkmKoi)

An artist's rendition of magnetic reconnection. The amber-brown lines denote lines of magnetic force. The bright spot is where oppositely-directed fields are making contact and "reconnecting."

In 1979, Goetz Paschmann of the Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Germany detected the cracks using the International Sun Earth Explorer (ISEE) spacecraft. However, since this spacecraft only briefly passed through the cracks during its orbit, it was unknown if the cracks were temporary features or if they were stable for long periods.

In the new observations, the Imager for Magnetopause to Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite revealed an area almost the size of California in the arctic upper atmosphere where a 75-megawatt "proton aurora" flared for hours. A proton aurora is a form of Northern Lights caused by heavy solar ions striking Earth's upper atmosphere, causing it to emit ultraviolet light--invisible to the human eye but detectable by the Far Ultraviolet Imager on IMAGE. While this aurora was being recorded by IMAGE, the 4-satellite Cluster constellation flew far above IMAGE, directly through the crack, and detected solar wind ions streaming through it.

Below: An artist's rendition of the four Cluster satellites near a stream of solar ions pouring in through a crack in the magnetosphere. [more]

 (https://science.nasa.gov/files/styles/large/public/mnt/medialibrary/2003/12/03/03dec_magneticcracks_resources/cluster_med.jpg?itok=vGvgPykV)

see caption
This stream of solar wind ions bombarded our atmosphere in precisely the same region where IMAGE saw the proton aurora. The fact that IMAGE was able to view the proton aurora for more than 9 hours implies that the crack remained continuously open. Researchers estimate that the crack was twice the size of Earth at the boundary of our magnetic shield--about 38,000 miles (60,000 km) above the planet's surface. Since the magnetic field converges as it enters the Earth in the polar regions, the crack narrowed to about the size of California down near the upper atmosphere.
 

Fortunately, these cracks don't expose Earth's surface to the solar wind. Our atmosphere protects us, even when our magnetic field doesn't. The effects of solar storms are felt mainly in the high upper atmosphere and the region of space around Earth where satellites orbit.

Stay tuned later this week for a follow-up story from Science@NASA about how magnetic cracks have lately sparked beautiful auroras--a phenomenon of the upper atmosphere--in some unexpected places.


Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 04, 2023, 12:39:25 PM
(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/03jan23/farside_cme2_crop_opt.gif)

SIGNIFICANT FARSIDE SOLAR EXPLOSION: Something just exploded on the farside of the sun. SOHO watched the debris--a very bright and fast CME--billow away from the sun's southeastern limb on Jan. 3rd:

It won't hit Earth. NOAA analysts have modeled the CME and determined that the edge of the storm cloud will narrowly miss our planet a few days from now.

NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory detected shock waves from the blast wrapping around both of the sun's poles. This suggests a very powerful explosion--possibly an X-flare. Radiation from the flare was eclipsed by the edge of the sun, reducing its intensity by one to two orders of magnitude, so that Earth-orbiting satellites detected only a C4-class event.

Whatever exploded will soon turn to face Earth. Helioseismic echoes pinpoint its location no more than 2 days behind the sun's eastern limb.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: Jherrith on January 06, 2023, 10:28:20 AM
X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Sunspot AR3182 is living up to the hype. Fully visible for less than 24 hours, the active sunspot has already produced an intense X1.2-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the eruption on Jan. 6th just before 0100 UT:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/06jan23/x1p2_strip_opt.gif)

The explosion inflated a dome of glowing-hot plasma, which hovered above the blast site for more than an hour. This may have contained the debris. So far no coronal mass ejection (CME) has been observed emerging from the area.

A pulse of X-rays and extreme UV radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a shortwave radio blackout across South Pacific:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/05jan23/blackoutmap.jpg)

Ham radio operators, mariners and aviators may have noticed unusual propagation effects at frequencies below 30 MHz for as much as an hour after the flare.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sanbie on January 06, 2023, 12:51:48 PM
Look at that...Australia is smack bang in the middle...no wonder our weather is up the wahoozy!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 22, 2023, 09:58:23 AM
NIGHT SPIRAL' OVER HAWAII: On Wednesday night, Jan. 18th, a luminous spiral spun across the night sky. It was photographed by the "Subaru-Asahi Star Camera" on Mauna Kea:

https://youtu.be/Ko8FhK_3tfM (https://youtu.be/Ko8FhK_3tfM)

It looks like a giant galaxy. In fact, it came from SpaceX. Earlier the same day, a Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral carrying a US Space Force GPS satellite (GPS 3 SV-06). The spiral was the aftermath.

"Space X spirals" are becoming commonplace over the Pacific where Falcon 9 rocket stages are often deorbitted. They are created by plumes of unused fuel venting from the rocket's spinning second stage before they plunge into the ocean.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on January 30, 2023, 08:58:55 AM
(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/29jan23/lasco_comet_anim2.gif)

A LARGE COMET IS STREAKING TOWARD THE SUN: Comet 96P/Machholz is streaking toward the sun for a close encounter inside the orbit of Mercury. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) are monitoring its approach.

This is no ordinary comet flyby. Most comets that fall toward the sun are small (~10 meters) and rapidly evaporate; SOHO has seen thousands of these doomed sungrazers. Comet 96P is different. Measuring 6 kilometers across, it is big enough to survive close proximity to the sun. Perihelion (closest approach to the sun) on Feb. 7th is only 0.12 AU away.

Some researchers think 96P might be an Alien. Chemically, it is unlike other comets in the Solar System, lacking normal amounts of carbon and cyanogen. It also has a strangely-tilted orbit that takes it very close to the sun. Two orbits ago, unexpected fragments appeared ahead of the comet; researchers aren't sure how they were produced.

"96P is a very atypical comet, both in composition and in behavior, so we never know exactly what we might see," says Karl Battams of the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC. "Accordingly, we’re running a special observing program with SOHO to maximize the science return, so the normal flow of public coronagraph data will be slowed for a few days (to six images/hour). Hopefully we can get some beautiful science out of this and share with everyone as soon as we can."

"By the way," adds Battams, "this comet is named for Don Machholz, who was an extraordinary ground-based 'amateur' astronomer, and also an extremely great guy. He passed away unexpectedly last year, so there's some poignancy to this passage of his 'premier' comet discovery--he made many."
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 18, 2023, 09:35:39 AM
STRONG X2-CLASS SOLAR FLARE (UPDATED): New sunspot AR3229 erupted on Feb. 17th (2016 UT), producing a strong X2.2-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the extreme ultraviolet pulse:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/17feb23/x2_teal_anim.gif)

Radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Americas. Mariners, aviators and ham radio operators may have noticed loss of signal and other unusual propagation efftects at frequencies below 30 MHz for more than an hour after the flare.

The long-duration flare also launched a solar tsunami. It is the shadowy shock wave in this 193 angstrom movie from SDO:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/17feb23/blackoutmap_strip.jpg)

The US Air Force has reported a Type II solar radio burst coming from the tsunami. The drift rate of the burst suggests a shock speed greater than 2400 km/s (5.4 million mph). Solar tsunamis and Type II radio bursts are closely linked to CMEs, and we should expect to see one soon emerging from the blast site.

Update: The CME has emerged, and it has an Earth-directed component. ETA: Feb. 20th. Geomagnetic storms ranging from category G1 (Minor) to G3 (Strong) are possible after the CME arrives.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sanbie on February 18, 2023, 02:58:13 PM
Oh my giddy aunt!...don't like the sound of this at all...20th here tomorrow!
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on February 18, 2023, 03:19:17 PM
They forecast Space Weather like they forecast Hurricanes.  "Could Be" is always used in the description of the size of the storm LOL
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: sanbie on February 18, 2023, 05:38:45 PM
Where's Noah and his ark...I want to hitch a ride!  lol
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 14, 2023, 02:35:26 PM
'EXTREMELY RARE' FARSIDE CME: Something big just happened on the farside of the sun. During the early hours of March 13th, SOHO coronagraphs recorded a farside halo CME leaving the sun faster than 3000 km/s:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/13mar23/halocme_opt.gif)

Because of its extreme speed, this CME is classified as "extremely rare," a fast-mover that occurs only once every decade or so. A NASA model of the event shows the CME heading almost directly away from Earth. Good thing!

Although the CME was not Earth-directed, it has nevertheless touched our planet. See all the snowy dots and streaks in the coronagraph movie above? Those are energetic particles accelerated by shock waves in the CME. They create short-lived luminous speckles when they hit SOHO's digital camera.

NOAA's GOES-16 satellite has detected the particles reaching Earth--all from the CME's backside. Imagine what a frontside blast would have been like. Earth's magnetic field is funneling the particles toward the poles where a type of radio blackout is underway--a polar cap absorption (PCA) event:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/14mar23/pca_strip.jpg)

Note the broad red areas. Airplanes flying over these regions may find that their shortwave radios won't work due to the ionizing effect of infalling protons. This PCA could persist for a day or more. You can monitor its progress here (https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/d-region-absorption-predictions-d-rap).
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 20, 2023, 04:22:53 PM
SOLAR TORNADO: For much of the past week, astronomers have been watching a colossal "solar tornado" dance near the sun's North Pole. "This thing was twisting and growing for 3 days," says Apollo Lasky of Naperville, Illinois, who made the following movie using images from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/19mar23/tornado_opt.gif)

"I've never seen anything like it in all my years of watching the sun," he says. "It was twisting and growing nonstop for 3 days."

Unlike tornadoes on Earth, which are shaped by wind, tornadoes on the sun are controlled by magnetism. Solar magnetic fields twist in a furious spiral, dragging clouds of plasma around with them. They are seen from time to time.

This twister finally overtorqued itself. On March 18th it spun out and hurled a cloud of magnetized gas into space. The unraveling debris is flying up from the sun's North Pole and will not hit Earth.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 27, 2023, 01:45:57 PM
 Keep an eye to the sky this week for a chance to see a planetary hangout.

Five planets — Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, Uranus and Mars — will line up near the moon.

WHERE AND WHEN CAN YOU SEE THEM?

The best day to catch the whole group is Tuesday, March 28. You’ll want to look to the western horizon right after sunset, said NASA astronomer Bill Cooke.

The planets will stretch from the horizon line to around halfway up the night sky. But don't be late: Mercury and Jupiter will quickly dip below the horizon around half an hour after sunset.

The five-planet spread can be seen from anywhere on Earth, as long as you have clear skies and a view of the west.

“That’s the beauty of these planetary alignments. It doesn’t take much,” Cooke said.


DO I NEED BINOCULARS?

Maybe. Jupiter, Venus and Mars will all be pretty easy to see since they shine brightly, Cooke said. Venus will be one of the brightest things in the sky, and Mars will be hanging out near the moon with a reddish glow. Mercury and Uranus could be trickier to spot, since they will be dimmer. You’ll probably need to grab a pair of binoculars.

If you’re a “planet collector,” it’s a rare chance to spot Uranus, which usually isn't visible, Cooke said. Look out for its green glow just above Venus.

DOES THIS HAPPEN OFTEN?

Different numbers and groups of planets line up in the sky from time to time. There was a five-planet lineup last summer and there's another one in June, with a slightly different makeup.

This kind of alignment happens when the planets’ orbits line them up on one side of the sun from Earth’s perspective, Cooke said.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: parkdalegardener on March 27, 2023, 01:56:58 PM
I was looking for this last night when I was out on my balcony. I'm West facing. Supposed to be clear tomorrow so we'll see.
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 27, 2023, 02:03:53 PM
We had clouds so I had no luck...like you...we'll see what the rest of the week brings.  I'm hoping it will be seen clearly tomorrow night, which is my Brothers Birthday...I'll tell him I set it up just for him...   :peep:
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: RodS on March 27, 2023, 02:25:31 PM
We don't have a particularly good view of the western horizon here - and it's been cruddy / cloudy here mostly for the last week, so we'll see what happens.
It's been a while since I've hung out with you guys. I hope to change that soon. We're looking for a new place to live, and a million other things going on here. Stay tuned... 😉
Rod
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on March 27, 2023, 02:32:01 PM
Good to hear from you my friend.  I know you have had a lot going on....and you know your always welcomed to our humble home.....

So far our forecast looks favorable...but that is the "NOW" forecast...what happens later in the day is another story...

PS  Hi Girls....wooohooo
Title: Re: Space Weather
Post by: thelufias on April 22, 2023, 07:57:39 AM
EARTH-DIRECTED EXPLOSION ON THE SUN: Earth is definitely in the strike zone. Yesterday (April 21st), a large magnetic filament snaking across the sun's southern hemisphere exploded, hurling a cloud of debris in our direction. This movie from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows what happened:

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/21apr23/filament_anim_purple_strip.gif)

Soon after the eruption, the US Air Force reported strong Type II and Type IV solar radio bursts. These are natural shortwave emissions produced by shock waves preceding the CME as it passes through the sun's atmosphere. Drift rates in the Type II burst suggested a CME velocity of about 580 km/s (1.3 million mph).

(https://spaceweather.com/images2023/21apr23/halo_cme_crop_opt.gif)

A preliminary NASA model of the CME shows it reaching Earth around 00:00 UT on April 24th. A refined forecast will become available this weekend when NOAA forecasters finish analyzing the CME. Stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text.