Earth & Space Weather

~ Space Weather Update~ Quiet Sun for the Moment~

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QUIET SUN: Solar activity is low. All of the sunspots on the Earthside of the sun are either stable or decaying. NOAA forecasters estimate no more than a 1% chance of M-class solar flares during the next 24 hours. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

THE COLORS INSIDE A LIGHTNING BOLT: To the human eye, a nearby flash of lightning looks blindingly white. But have you ever wondered what colors might emerge if the flash were spread out chromatically, like a rainbow? During a recent thunderstorm in Tarn, France, David Antao decided to find out. "I am an enthusiastic astro-spectroscopist," he says, "so I couldn't resist shooting some spectra." Here is the result:

"I found it really beautiful!" says Antao.

Worldwide Volcano News and Updates:

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volcanodiscovery Aug 26,2013

 

 

Monday, Aug 26, 2013
Ebulobo volcano (Flores, Indonesia): alert level raised
The alert level was raised from 1 (normal) to 2 (watch) (on a scale of 1-4) on 23 August, following detection of volcanic tremor as well as the observation of incandescence and increased degassing from the volcano's summit.
Volcanoes Today, 26 Aug 2013: Monte Albano, Kliuchevskoi, Rabaul (Tavurvur), Bagana, Manam, Suwanose-jima
 
Rome (Italy): new fumarole near Fiumicino airport

What appears to be a new fumarole appeared near Rome's International Fiumicino airport Saturday morning. A vent producing small geyser-like fountains of steam, water and mud suddenly opened in the ground near a road crossing near Fiumicino. .

Space Weather Update~ MINOR STORM FORECAST:

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MINOR STORM FORECAST: NOAA forecasters estimate a 75% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Aug. 25th in response to an expected CME impact. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

TWILIGHT AURORAS: It's that time of year. As the midnight sun wanes, auroras are reappearing in Arctic skies. Sky watchers are seeing a mix of colors, twilight-blue + aurora green, that is unique to the end of northern summer:

"This was my first glimpse of Northern Lights this season," says photographer Stian Rekdal, who took the picture on Aug. 23rd from Reine, Nordland, Norway.

More twilight auroras are in the offing. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% to 75% chance of polar geomagnetic storms this weekend in response to an incoming CME.

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery

~ Space Weather Update~ WEEKEND GEOMAGNETIC STORM LIKELY

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Submitted by Lia on

WEEKEND GEOMAGNETIC STORM LIKELY: NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% to 70% chance of polar geomagnetic storms this weekend. A CME ejected from the sun on Aug. 21 is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field on Aug. 24, with reverberations from the impact continuing through Aug. 25. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

ONE LESS COMET: Subtract one from the Solar System's total count of comets. Yesterday a small unnamed comet dove into the sun and completely evaporated. Click on the image to see the death plunge, animated:

The icy 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 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.

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