iPHONE VS ANDROID! Actually, it doesn't matter which phone you carry. Our cool, new app turns both smartphones into field-tested satellite trackers. Learn more. | | |
SOLAR STORMS VEER OFF COURSE: Researchers using data from NASA's STEREO spacecraft have found that solar storms don't always travel in a straight line. This adds a surprising new twist to the science of space weather forecasting. Get the full story from Science@NASA.
MOONLIT AURORAS: A solar wind stream is buffeting Earth's magnetic field and causing auroras around the Arctic Circle. "The Super Harvest Moon was so bright that the Northern Lights were difficult to see," reports Yuichi Takasaka of Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. "But from time to time they did make an appearance." He took this picture on Sept. 23rd using a Canon EOS 5D:
NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of more geomagnetic activity during the next 24 hours as the solar wind continues to blow. Unfortunately, the Harvest Moon will continue to shine as well, overwhelming all but the most intense auroras.
News Flash: The Canadian Space Agency has just set up a camera in Yellowknife to broadcast the aurora borealis to the general public. It's part of a 5-year educational initiative to raise awareness of space weather and the sun's influence on Earth. Click here for live views.
Sept. 2010 Northern Lights Gallery
[previous Septembers: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001, 2000]
HARVEST SURF: Far from the Arctic circle, the Harvest Moon is having a very different effect. "In Waikiki, a full Moon means more time to surf," reports Carey Johnson from Hawaii. "The feeling of catching a wave you can barely see is definitely exhilarating."
"We don't have to worry about sharks," says Johnson, "because Jupiter kept a watchful eye on us." And, in case you're wondering, Jupiter is easy to find. "Just follow the Tiki-torch."
more images: from Jens Hackmann of Weikersheim, Germany; from Tavi Greiner of Shallotte, NC; from Gerhard Dangl of Nonndorf, Austria; from John A. Ey III of Tucson,AZ; from James W. Young of Inspiration Point, California; from P-M Hedén of Vallentuna, Sweden; from John Chumack of Dayton, Ohio
Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (
PHAs) are space rocks larger than approximately 100m that can come closer to Earth than 0.05 AU. None of the known PHAs is on a collision course with our planet, although astronomers are finding
new ones all the time.
On September 24, 2010 there were 1145 potentially hazardous asteroids.
Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach. | The official U.S. government space weather bureau |
| The first place to look for information about sundogs, pillars, rainbows and related phenomena. |
| Researchers call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO is the most advanced solar observatory ever. |
| 3D views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory |
| Realtime and archival images of the Sun from SOHO. |
| from the NOAA Space Environment Center |
| from the National Solar Data Analysis Center |