AI writing is everywhere -- except here. This website is written by Dr. Tony Phillips, a carbon-based lifeform with 30 yrs of forecasting experience. Our guarantee: If you find a mistake, it was made by a real human being.
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BE ALERT FOR TAURID FIREBALLS: The annual Northern Taurid meteor shower peaks tonight, Wednesday, Nov. 11th. This shower is famous for producing slow and exceptionally bright fireballs with peak rates as high as 5 per hour. Midnight is the best time to watch, but any time after 9 p.m.could yield a sighting: sky map.
VETERAN'S DAY STORM EVEN STRONGER THAN WE THOUGHT:One year ago, the biggest solar radiation storm in 20 years hit Earth. Literally hit. Particles from an X5-class solar flare on Nov. 11, 2025, penetrated the atmosphere and struck the ground.
An extreme UV image of the Nov. 11, 2025, X5-class solar flare. Credit: NASA/SDO
A new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Space Weather reveals a surprise. "The storm was even stronger than we thought," says co-author Clive Dyer of the University of Surrey.
Luckily, the Surrey team was in a meeting with the UK Met Office when the storm began. Within an hour, a weather balloon carrying a radiation detector lifted off from Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. More balloons followed from Cornwall and the Netherlands, and detectors rode aboard two transatlantic airliners.
Over Shetland, the balloons measured startling dose rates where planes fly. At 48,000 ft (business jets), radiation doubled--enough to cross the International Civil Aviation Organization's "moderate" threshold. At 60,000 ft (supersonic jets), it was nearly 5 times normal and twice the "severe" threshold. Higher up, it kept climbing.
"[We measured] 300 µSv/hr--which may be the most intense natural atmospheric radiation field observed," the authors wrote. That's about 40 times the dose rate airline passengers normally receive.
Yet no aviation radiation warnings were issued. Forecasters rely on computer models, and the only model with published results said "moderate" levels were exceeded for no more than 10 minutes--a clear failure.
Colloquially, this has been called "the Veterans Day storm," but it has a technical name: GLE 77--the 77th ground level enhancement (GLE) since counting began in 1942. GLE 78 (whenever it happens) could be just as big. The authors call for a global network of rapid-response balloons to monitor future storms for air travelers.
You can read the original research here.
Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Space Weather Newsletter
NAUGHTY EINSTEIN CHRISTMAS ORNAMENT: Have you been naughty ... or nice? Don't worry, the Great Physicist says "it's all relative." On Nov. 3, 2026, we flew the Naughty Einstein Christmas Ornament to the stratosphere on board a cosmic ray research balloon:
You can have it for for $98.95. The ceramic ornament makes a great gift for any science nerd--or a funny addition to your own Christmas tree. It comes with a full-color Christmas card showing the ornament in flight and telling the story of its journey to the stratosphere.
Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Every night, a network
of
NASA
all-sky cameras scans the skies above the United
States for meteoritic fireballs. Automated software
maintained by NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office
calculates their orbits, velocity, penetration depth
in Earth's atmosphere and many other characteristics.
Daily results are presented here on Spaceweather.com.
On November 10, 2026, the network reported 16 fireballs.
(14 sporadics, 1 Northern Taurid, 1 November I Draconid)
In this diagram of the inner solar system, all of the fireball orbits intersect at a single point--Earth. The orbits are color-coded by velocity, from slow (red) to fast (blue).
[Larger image] [movies]
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 November 11, 2026 there were 2349 potentially hazardous asteroids.
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Recent
& Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:
| Asteroid |
Date(UT) |
Miss Distance |
Velocity (km/s) |
Diameter (m) |
| 2017 WJ2 |
2026-Nov-05 |
14.7 LD |
12 |
118 |
| 2026 VT4 |
2026-Nov-05 |
13.5 LD |
7.8 |
14 |
| 2026 VP1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
0.6 LD |
12.6 |
6 |
| 2026 VW4 |
2026-Nov-05 |
6.4 LD |
7.1 |
9 |
| 2016 VZ1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
20 LD |
13.5 |
21 |
| 2026 VV1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
4.6 LD |
6.1 |
11 |
| 2026 VF1 |
2026-Nov-05 |
9.1 LD |
4.3 |
14 |
| 2026 VS4 |
2026-Nov-06 |
2.3 LD |
7.8 |
5 |
| 2001 KF54 |
2026-Nov-06 |
18.9 LD |
16.4 |
391 |
| 2026 VN1 |
2026-Nov-06 |
1.6 LD |
17.1 |
8 |
| 2026 VM5 |
2026-Nov-06 |
5.7 LD |
9.8 |
14 |
| 2026 VZ4 |
2026-Nov-06 |
9 LD |
4.3 |
12 |
| 2026 VG3 |
2026-Nov-07 |
0.6 LD |
8 |
11 |
| 2026 VZ3 |
2026-Nov-07 |
18.4 LD |
15.3 |
18 |
| 2026 VL5 |
2026-Nov-07 |
0.1 LD |
13.7 |
2 |
| 2026 UX |
2026-Nov-07 |
19.6 LD |
9.7 |
39 |
| 2026 VP4 |
2026-Nov-07 |
10.4 LD |
10.7 |
11 |
| 2026 VU7 |
2026-Nov-07 |
1.5 LD |
8.7 |
32 |
| 2026 VK2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
2.3 LD |
4.9 |
3 |
| 2026 VB1 |
2026-Nov-08 |
8.9 LD |
14.2 |
23 |
| 2026 VY1 |
2026-Nov-08 |
4.2 LD |
13.6 |
20 |
| 2026 UG4 |
2026-Nov-08 |
6.7 LD |
7.2 |
35 |
| 2026 VR5 |
2026-Nov-08 |
0.7 LD |
16.1 |
5 |
| 2026 VW2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
8 LD |
14.8 |
16 |
| 2026 VY6 |
2026-Nov-08 |
5.2 LD |
13.9 |
17 |
| 2026 VO2 |
2026-Nov-08 |
4.7 LD |
7 |
9 |
| 2026 VS6 |
2026-Nov-08 |
3 LD |
10 |
12 |
| 2026 VM8 |
2026-Nov-08 |
1.9 LD |
17.2 |
11 |
| 2025 UF5 |
2026-Nov-09 |
18.9 LD |
1.9 |
10 |
| 2026 VQ4 |
2026-Nov-09 |
10 LD |
10.2 |
13 |
| 2015 VH65 |
2026-Nov-10 |
9.7 LD |
8 |
10 |
| 2026 VT3 |
2026-Nov-10 |
4.3 LD |
9.8 |
13 |
| 2026 VK1 |
2026-Nov-10 |
9.6 LD |
9.1 |
15 |
| 2026 VK5 |
2026-Nov-10 |
12.3 LD |
9.8 |
22 |
| 2012 YD7 |
2026-Nov-10 |
18.6 LD |
7.5 |
49 |
| 2026 VL8 |
2026-Nov-11 |
11.1 LD |
14.3 |
19 |
| 2026 VN4 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8.6 LD |
3.6 |
12 |
| 2023 VF3 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8.5 LD |
8.8 |
19 |
| 2026 VY |
2026-Nov-11 |
18.4 LD |
6.5 |
18 |
| 2026 VX1 |
2026-Nov-11 |
8 LD |
4.3 |
10 |
| 2026 VY7 |
2026-Nov-12 |
11.7 LD |
20 |
48 |
| 2026 VK8 |
2026-Nov-12 |
7.8 LD |
22.7 |
33 |
| 2022 MP2 |
2026-Nov-13 |
19.8 LD |
3.8 |
23 |
| 2025 VG5 |
2026-Nov-13 |
18.2 LD |
4.9 |
16 |
| 2026 VO1 |
2026-Nov-13 |
9.8 LD |
14.2 |
39 |
| 2026 VV5 |
2026-Nov-13 |
15.2 LD |
13 |
50 |
| 2026 VB8 |
2026-Nov-13 |
14.3 LD |
7.4 |
14 |
| 2026 VF7 |
2026-Nov-14 |
9.6 LD |
7.4 |
35 |
| 2026 UY |
2026-Nov-14 |
19.7 LD |
4.3 |
64 |
| 2026 VQ2 |
2026-Nov-16 |
19.6 LD |
12.6 |
32 |
| 2026 VM3 |
2026-Nov-16 |
8.1 LD |
3.7 |
12 |
| 2023 VE6 |
2026-Nov-17 |
18.4 LD |
10.1 |
13 |
| 2022 VB2 |
2026-Nov-17 |
7.8 LD |
9 |
33 |
| 2012 VF46 |
2026-Nov-18 |
16.6 LD |
11.2 |
68 |
| 2019 WT1 |
2026-Nov-18 |
19.7 LD |
9.7 |
16 |
| 2018 NE1 |
2026-Nov-19 |
16.7 LD |
13.3 |
74 |
| 2026 TB84 |
2026-Nov-19 |
12.1 LD |
9.9 |
65 |
| 2026 VD6 |
2026-Nov-20 |
10.5 LD |
9.4 |
16 |
| 2026 VQ5 |
2026-Nov-25 |
5.2 LD |
11.6 |
62 |
| 2025 CP1 |
2026-Nov-30 |
12.9 LD |
10.8 |
6 |
| 2019 XF2 |
2026-Dec-04 |
3.1 LD |
10.2 |
14 |
| 2023 XH3 |
2026-Dec-06 |
18.7 LD |
16.5 |
14 |
| 2020 XC3 |
2026-Dec-08 |
14.5 LD |
14.3 |
110 |
| 2016 NV |
2026-Dec-08 |
14.3 LD |
10.4 |
379 |
| 2010 VQ |
2026-Dec-12 |
4.6 LD |
4.3 |
10 |
| 2025 XN6 |
2026-Dec-12 |
6.9 LD |
12.2 |
5 |
| 2026 QQ8 |
2026-Dec-13 |
3.5 LD |
0.8 |
2 |
| 2026 LZ1 |
2026-Dec-14 |
14.4 LD |
11.2 |
36 |
| 2025 YN |
2026-Dec-18 |
18.3 LD |
13.1 |
21 |
| 2018 FQ4 |
2026-Dec-19 |
16.7 LD |
10.4 |
14 |
| 2021 PF7 |
2026-Dec-26 |
15.5 LD |
7.7 |
10 |
| 2019 AY3 |
2027-Jan-04 |
20 LD |
20 |
61 |
| 2023 FP1 |
2027-Jan-05 |
10.4 LD |
2.7 |
17 |
Notes: LD means
"Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance
between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256
AU.
| |
Cosmic Rays in the Atmosphere |
SPACE WEATHER BALLOON DATA: Almost once a week, Spaceweather.com and the students of Earth to Sky Calculus fly space weather balloons to the stratosphere over California. These balloons are equipped with sensors that detect secondary cosmic rays, a form of radiation from space that can penetrate all the way down to Earth's surface. Our monitoring program has been underway without interruption for 10 years, resulting in a unique dataset of in situ atmospheric measurements.
Latest results (Nov. 2024): Atmospheric radiation is sharply decreasing in 2024. Our latest measurements in November registered a 10-year low:
What's going on? Ironically, the radiation drop is caused by increasing solar activity. Solar Cycle 25 has roared to life faster than forecasters expected. The sun's strengthening and increasingly tangled magnetic field repels cosmic rays from deep space. In addition, solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) sweep aside cosmic rays, causing sharp reductions called "Forbush Decreases." The two effects blend together to bring daily radiation levels down.
.Who cares? Cosmic rays are a surprisingly "down to Earth" form of space weather. They can alter the chemistry of the atmosphere, trigger lightning, and penetrate commercial airplanes. According to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan school of public health, crews of aircraft have higher rates of cancer than the general population. The researchers listed cosmic rays, irregular sleep habits, and chemical contaminants as leading risk factors. A number of controversial studies (#1, #2, #3, #4) go even further, linking cosmic rays with cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death.
Technical notes: The radiation sensors onboard our helium balloons detect X-rays and gamma-rays in the energy range 10 keV to 20 MeV. These energies span the range of medical X-ray machines and airport security scanners.
Data points in the graph labeled "Stratospheric Radiation" correspond to the peak of the Regener-Pfotzer maximum, which lies about 67,000 feet above central California. When cosmic rays crash into Earth's atmosphere, they produce a spray of secondary particles that is most intense at the entrance to the stratosphere. Physicists Eric Regener and Georg Pfotzer discovered the maximum using balloons in the 1930s and it is what we are measuring today.
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The
official U.S. government space weather bureau |
| |
The
first place to look for information about sundogs,
pillars, rainbows and related phenomena. |
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Researchers
call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO
is the most advanced solar observatory ever. |
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3D
views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial
Relations Observatory |
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Realtime
and archival images of the Sun from SOHO. |
| |
information about sunspots based on the latest NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary |
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current counts of failed and deployed Starlink satellites from Jonathan's Space Page. See also, all satellite statistics. |
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Authoritative predictions of space junk and satellite re-entries |
| |
from
the NOAA Space Environment Center |
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fun to read, but should be taken with a grain of salt! Forecasts looking ahead more than a few days are often wrong. |
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from the NOAA Space Environment Center |
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the
underlying science of space weather |
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Got a chipped or cracked windshield that prevents you from seeing space weather events while driving? Get windshield replacement from SR Windows & Glass with free mobile auto glass service anywhere in the Phoenix area. |
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