SATELLITE FLYBYS APP: Turn your iPhone or iPod into a field-tested satellite tracker! Spaceweather.com presents the Satellite Flybys app. | | | INCOMING COMET: NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft has discovered another comet plunging toward the sun. The last time this happened on Jan. 4th, the comet was destroyed, and history could repeat itself later today. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) has a good view of the comet's death plunge: movie, labels. Stay tuned for updates. SUNSPOT UPDATE: Sunspot 1041 is calming down. After reeling off a string of five M-class solar flares between Jan. 18th and 20th, there have been no significant eruptions on Jan. 21st. For now, the active region is merely photogenic: Amateur astronomer Dennis Simmons took the picture this morning from his backyard observatory in Brisbane, Australia. Although it's been a calm day, the magnetic field of sunspot 1041 still harbors energy for strong eruptions. NOAA forecasters estimate a 75% chance of more M-flares during the next 24 hours. Readers with solar telescopes are encouraged to monitor developments. more images: from Sylvain Weiller of Saint Rémy lès Chevreuse, France; from Athanasios Georgiou of Filyro, Thessaloniki, Greece; from Francisco A. Rodriguez of Cabreja Mountain Observatory, Gran Canaria Island, Canary Islands; NORTHERN LIGHTS: As predicted, a solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 20th and sparked bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. "There were fast-moving streamers and stunning coronas," says Petter Hamnes of Mo i Rana, Norway. "It was one of the best displays I've seen in a long time." He took this picture using his Nikon D300: The solar wind's impact caused a geomagnetic storm registering 5 on the 0-to-9 K-index scale of magnetic disturbances. It was the first geomagnetic storm of the year--but probably not the last. With active sunspot 1041 turning toward Earth, there could be more in the offing. High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras. UPDATED: January Northern Lights Gallery [previous Januarys: 2009, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001] Solar Eclipse Photo Gallery [World Map of Eclipse Sightings] |