 | | | Switch to: Europe, USA, New Zealand, Antarctica Credit: NOAA/Ovation  Planetary K-index
Now: Kp= 1.33 quiet
24-hr max: Kp= 4.00 unsettled
explanation | more data
Interplanetary Mag. Field
Btotal: 7.67 nT
Bz: -0.33 nT south
more data: ACE, DSCOVR
Updated: Today at 1147 UT Coronal Holes: 27 Oct 23 
Solar wind flowing from this coronal hole could reach Earth on Oct. 30th. Credit: SDO/AIA  Noctilucent Clouds
The northern season for NLCs began on May 26th. The first clouds were detected inside the Arctic Circle by the NOAA 21 satellite. An instrument onboard NOAA 21 (OMPS LP) is able to detect NLCs (also known as "polar mesospheric clouds" or PMCs). For the rest of the season, daily maps from NOAA 21 will be presented here:
Updated: Aug. 29, 2023
Each dot is a detected cloud. As the season progresses, these dots will multiply in number and shift in hue from blue to red as the brightness of the clouds intensifies.
What happened to NASA's AIM spacecraft, which has been monitoring NLCs since 2007? Earlier this year, the spacecraft's battery failed. As a result AIM is offline, perhaps permanently. There may be some hope of a recovery as AIM's orbit precesses into full sunlight in 2024. Until then, we will maintain AIM's iconic "daily daisy," frozen at Feb. 28, 2023, as a show of thanks for years of service and hope for future daisies:  | | | Switch view:Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, East Antarctica, Polar Updated Oct26 SPACE WEATHER
NOAA Forecasts | | Updated at: 2023 Oct 27 2200 UTC FLARE | 0-24 hr | 24-48 hr | CLASS M | 10 % | 10 % | CLASS X | 01 % | 01 % | Geomagnetic Storms:
Probabilities for significant disturbances in Earth's magnetic field are given for three activity levels: active, minor storm, severe storm Updated at: 2023 Oct 27 2200 UTC Mid-latitudes | 0-24 hr | 24-48 hr | ACTIVE | 15 % | 30 % | MINOR | 05 % | 10 % | SEVERE | 01 % | 01 % | High latitudes | 0-24 hr | 24-48 hr | ACTIVE | 15 % | 15 % | MINOR | 20 % | 25 % | SEVERE | 20 % | 40 % | | | |  | | | | | | | | | | | This is an AI Free Zone! Text created by ChatGPT and other Large Language Models is spreading rapidly across the Internet. It's well-written, artificial, frequently inaccurate. If you find a mistake on Spaceweather.com, rest assured it was made by a real human being. | | | GEOMAGNETIC STORM WATCH (G1): Minor G1-class geomagnetic storms are likely on Oct. 30th when a solar wind stream is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field. The gaseous material is flowing from a double-lobed hole in the sun's atmosphere. Aurora alerts: SMS Text FAST-MOVING CME: A coronal mass ejection (CME) just left the sun traveling 1558 km/s (3.5 million mph). It was slingshot from the sun's northeastern limb by an erupting filament of magnetism on Oct. 26th (2324 UT). SOHO coronagraphs photographed its departure: 
A NASA model of the CME suggests it will completely miss Earth. We're not so sure. This is a lopsided halo CME with a clear visual hint of an Earth-directed component. Although forecast models disagree, there may be a chance of a glancing blow on Oct. 30th. If the CME does strike, it would add its effect to that of an incoming solar wind stream due to arrive at about the same time. High-latitide sky watchers should be alert for auroras before Halloween. Aurora alerts: SMS Text Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter NOAA FORECASTS QUICKER, STRONGER SOLAR MAX: When Solar Cycle 25 began in 2020, leading forecasters thought it would be weak and slow to develop. Fast forward three years: NOAA is now predicting a quicker, stronger solar cycle. The revised forecast, published yesterday, shows Solar Max coming sometime between January and October 2024: 
NOAA's original prediction for Solar Cycle 25 is shown in pink ( ), the broad band indicating the uncertainty of the forecast. It has become clear in recent years that the original prediction was too low, which prompted NOAA to issue a new one. The magenta line ( ) traces the new forecast, and takes into account recent high sunspot counts. Uncertainties in the new forecast are bounded by different shades of magenta. There is roughly a 25% chance that the smoothed sunspot number will fall within the dark-shaded region; a 50% chance it will fall in the medium-shaded region; and a 75% chance it will fall in the lightest of the shaded regions. If this new forecast is correct, Solar Cycle 25 could land in the ballpark of Solar Cycle 23, which peaked in 2000-2001, and produced the famous Halloween Storms of 2003. However, the odds still favor Solar Cycle 25 being a bit weaker than Solar Cycle 23. Either way, next year's Solar Max could be potent. NOAA plans to update this new forecast every month. Check out their Space Weather Prediction Testbed for the latest prediction. Realtime Space Weather Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter HANDMADE ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE PENDANT: This pendant has touched the shadow of the Moon. The students of Earth to Sky Calculus launched it to the stratosphere on Oct. 14, 2023, during the annular solar eclipse. The handmade pendant was 78,500 feet high when the Moon's shadow arrived and wrapped it in a cool twilight-like darkness: 
You can have it for $129.95. The pendant left Earth from Nevada's Valley of the Moon, a remote area filled with the scent of sage and herds of wild horses. Indeed, no fewer than three mustang families approached the launch team during the eclipse to see what was going on. It was a magical experience. The students are selling space pendants to pay the helium bill for their cosmic ray ballooning program. Each one comes with a greeting card showing the jewelry in flight and telling the story of its trip to the stratosphere and back again. Far Out Gifts: Earth to Sky Store
All sales support hands-on STEM education
Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery
Free: Spaceweather.com Newsletter
Realtime Comet 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 Oct 27, 2023, the network reported 7 fireballs.
(4 sporadics, 2 Orionids, 1 epsilon Geminid)  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 October 27, 2023 there were 2349 potentially hazardous asteroids.
| Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters: | Asteroid | Date(UT) | Miss Distance | Velocity (km/s) | Diameter (m) | | 2023 UG1 | 2023-Oct-22 | 4.4 LD | 2.9 | 11 | | 2023 TW4 | 2023-Oct-22 | 6.4 LD | 10.5 | 26 | | 2023 TX2 | 2023-Oct-22 | 13.2 LD | 7.5 | 30 | | 2023 TW26 | 2023-Oct-22 | 2.3 LD | 5.6 | 7 | | 2023 UZ | 2023-Oct-22 | 2.5 LD | 13.1 | 13 | | 2023 TP16 | 2023-Oct-23 | 3.8 LD | 1.5 | 4 | | 2023 TV4 | 2023-Oct-23 | 5.1 LD | 5 | 25 | | 2020 FM6 | 2023-Oct-23 | 16.8 LD | 15.8 | 149 | | 2023 UU4 | 2023-Oct-23 | 5.4 LD | 16.1 | 24 | | 2023 UU6 | 2023-Oct-23 | 12.9 LD | 11.4 | 15 | | 2023 TC6 | 2023-Oct-23 | 13.4 LD | 8.5 | 35 | | 2023 UK3 | 2023-Oct-23 | 2.2 LD | 8.7 | 5 | | 2023 TX8 | 2023-Oct-24 | 3.3 LD | 5.6 | 17 | | 2019 HH4 | 2023-Oct-24 | 13.3 LD | 20 | 381 | | 2023 UO3 | 2023-Oct-24 | 6.8 LD | 8.9 | 25 | | 2023 UN7 | 2023-Oct-24 | 15.4 LD | 14.1 | 52 | | 2023 TE6 | 2023-Oct-24 | 17 LD | 4.2 | 18 | | 2023 RA4 | 2023-Oct-24 | 8.4 LD | 3.9 | 47 | | 2023 UH5 | 2023-Oct-24 | 7.2 LD | 10.3 | 33 | | 2023 UJ3 | 2023-Oct-25 | 17.7 LD | 4.2 | 13 | | 2023 UF6 | 2023-Oct-25 | 8 LD | 15.3 | 24 | | 2023 UR6 | 2023-Oct-25 | 4.8 LD | 18.4 | 18 | | 2023 SO11 | 2023-Oct-25 | 3.3 LD | 2.5 | 16 | | 2023 TG14 | 2023-Oct-26 | 4.2 LD | 6.7 | 25 | | 2023 UJ2 | 2023-Oct-26 | 11.8 LD | 3.2 | 49 | | 2023 TR7 | 2023-Oct-26 | 19.3 LD | 11.4 | 30 | | 2021 SZ4 | 2023-Oct-26 | 14 LD | 30 | 289 | | 302169 | 2023-Oct-26 | 12.7 LD | 25.7 | 374 | | 2023 UO7 | 2023-Oct-27 | 1.1 LD | 13.8 | 8 | | 2023 UV6 | 2023-Oct-27 | 10.3 LD | 7.3 | 18 | | 2023 UK4 | 2023-Oct-27 | 11.7 LD | 11.3 | 17 | | 2023 UA2 | 2023-Oct-29 | 12.9 LD | 9.2 | 15 | | 525229 | 2023-Oct-30 | 10.6 LD | 17.4 | 200 | | 2023 TW6 | 2023-Oct-31 | 19.2 LD | 24.4 | 89 | | 2013 UV3 | 2023-Nov-01 | 14.7 LD | 15.4 | 15 | | 2023 UZ3 | 2023-Nov-01 | 2.7 LD | 14.4 | 19 | | 2016 WY | 2023-Nov-02 | 9.1 LD | 3.9 | 5 | | 363505 | 2023-Nov-02 | 13.7 LD | 8 | 709 | | 2023 UY3 | 2023-Nov-02 | 14 LD | 3.7 | 15 | | 2022 JF | 2023-Nov-03 | 15.2 LD | 17.2 | 39 | | 2023 QP8 | 2023-Nov-03 | 17.1 LD | 8.8 | 180 | | 2016 VW2 | 2023-Nov-03 | 10.1 LD | 8.1 | 20 | | 2019 UH7 | 2023-Nov-04 | 9.9 LD | 5.9 | 11 | | 2023 TL31 | 2023-Nov-04 | 8.1 LD | 9.2 | 28 | | 2023 UG4 | 2023-Nov-06 | 6.5 LD | 3.5 | 17 | | 2023 TO15 | 2023-Nov-06 | 15.2 LD | 11.2 | 48 | | 2023 TD14 | 2023-Nov-08 | 9.3 LD | 6.3 | 24 | | 2023 UQ4 | 2023-Nov-11 | 10.7 LD | 8.4 | 38 | | 2023 TZ2 | 2023-Nov-12 | 19 LD | 2.8 | 24 | | 2014 BA3 | 2023-Nov-13 | 15.7 LD | 2.7 | 8 | | 2023 UO | 2023-Nov-15 | 6.4 LD | 6.8 | 36 | | 2021 TN3 | 2023-Nov-15 | 17 LD | 6.3 | 31 | | 2019 VL5 | 2023-Nov-16 | 8.5 LD | 8.2 | 24 | | 2019 LB1 | 2023-Nov-18 | 15.8 LD | 4.2 | 14 | | 2016 DK1 | 2023-Nov-19 | 5.3 LD | 6.8 | 12 | | 2022 VR1 | 2023-Nov-19 | 8.1 LD | 6.1 | 39 | | 2019 UT6 | 2023-Nov-24 | 9 LD | 13.2 | 141 | | 2019 CZ2 | 2023-Nov-25 | 2.8 LD | 5.8 | 44 | | 2013 UB3 | 2023-Nov-27 | 18.5 LD | 5.4 | 25 | | 1998 WB2 | 2023-Dec-03 | 11 LD | 14.2 | 151 | | 2013 VX4 | 2023-Dec-04 | 5.1 LD | 6.6 | 60 | | 2023 TB27 | 2023-Dec-06 | 17.1 LD | 4.3 | 46 | | 139622 | 2023-Dec-06 | 14.4 LD | 6.7 | 719 | | 2020 HX3 | 2023-Dec-10 | 9.8 LD | 15.7 | 13 | | 2010 XF3 | 2023-Dec-11 | 19.4 LD | 4 | 46 | | 2016 XD2 | 2023-Dec-19 | 18.7 LD | 6.9 | 59 | | 341843 | 2023-Dec-20 | 16.5 LD | 5.3 | 344 | | 2018 YJ2 | 2023-Dec-21 | 18.4 LD | 13.1 | 154 | | 2022 YG | 2023-Dec-22 | 10.8 LD | 5.1 | 17 | | 2020 YO3 | 2023-Dec-23 | 3.6 LD | 16.6 | 42 | | 2010 UE51 | 2023-Dec-24 | 9 LD | 1.3 | 7 | | 2020 YR2 | 2023-Dec-25 | 13.8 LD | 8 | 8 | 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 7 years, resulting in a unique dataset of in situ atmospheric measurements. Latest results (July 2022): Atmospheric radiation is decreasing in 2022. Our latest measurements in July 2022 registered a 6-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. | | 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. | | | information about sunspots based on the latest NOAA/USAF Active Region Summary | | | current counts of failed and deployed Starlink satellites from Jonathan's Space Page | | | Authoritative predictions of space junk and satellite re-entries | | | from the NOAA Space Environment Center | | | fun to read, but should be taken with a grain of salt! Forecasts looking ahead more than a few days are often wrong. | | | from the NOAA Space Environment Center | | | the underlying science of space weather |  | When looking for casinos to play online when the weather is bad, you can try casino online trucchi for Italian games. If you are not from Finland you can try the Swedish page Svenska casino online to find suitable games, check out svenskacasinoonline.net. Always check your local laws before playing with real money. | | BestCSGOGambling is the best site for everything related to CSGO gambling on the web | | | These links help Spaceweather.com stay online. Thank you to our supporters! | | | | | | | | |  | | |  | ©2021 Spaceweather.com. All rights reserved. This site is penned daily by Dr. Tony Phillips. | |
