Earth-Directed Solar Flare Could Bring Geomagnetic Storms This Weekend

Plus a possible disruption of electronics.

EARTH-DIRECTED FLARE: Active sunspot 1401 erupted today, Jan. 19th, for more than an hour around 16:00 UT. The long-duration blast produced an M3-class solar flare and a CME that appears to be heading toward Earth. Forecasters say strong geomagnetic storms are possible when the cloud arrives during the late hours of Jan. 21st. High-latitude (and possibly middle-latitude) sky watchers should be alert for auroras this weekend.

INCREASING SOLAR ACTIVITY CLEANS UP SAT-DEBRIS: Earth's atmosphere has been puffing up in response to increasing levels of UV radiation from sunspots. This is good news for satellite operators, because a puffed up atmosphere helps clean up low-Earth orbit. "The number of cataloged debris in Earth orbit actually decreased during 2011," reports Nick Johnson in NASA's Orbital Debris Quarterly newsletter. "[The figure below] illustrates how the rate of debris reentries from the Fengyun-1C anti-satellite test of January 2007 increased during the past year."

"Even though only 6% of the total 3218 cataloged debris from the ill-advised engagement had reentered by the end of 2011, half of these debris fell out of orbit in the past 12 months," he points out. "Likewise, many debris from the 2009 accidental collision of Cosmos 2251 and Iridium 33 are accelerating their departure from Earth orbit. In the absence of a new major satellite breakup, the overall orbital debris population should continue to decrease during 2012 and 2013."

Discover more about Sunspots, Solar Flares and other Space Weather issues at SpaceWeather.com.

And remember to Keep Watching the Skies!

Spooky Auroras

SPOOKY SKIES: The heavens are getting into the spirit of Halloween. A solar wind stream is buffeting Earth's magnetic field, stirring up ghostly auroras around the Arctic Circle. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for them tonight. Meanwhile, Venus and the crescent Moon are converging for a sunset sky show on Halloween itself. The bright pair will be widely visible even from light-polluted cities.

COLORADO FIREBALL: On Oct. 28th, a meteoroid hit Earth's atmosphere and disintegrated with the luminosity of a full Moon. By happenstance, the event occurred directly above an all-sky video camera in Colorado. Today's issue of Spaceweather.com features a movie of the fireball, the sound of radio echoes from the fireball's trail, and eyewitness reports from several US states.

Vist SpaceWeather.Com for these and other Space Weather Stories

Full Moon and Auroras for the Northern Hemisphere

HARVEST MOON: This weekend's full Moon has a special name--the Harvest Moon. It's the full Moon closest to the northern autumnal equinox. In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night. Post-Edison, we appreciate it mainly for its beauty. Be alert in the nights ahead for Harvest Moon halos, coronas and 'dogs.

AURORA WATCH: Around the Arctic Circle, moonlight will compete with Northern Lights. A solar wind stream flowing from a coronal hole on the sun is due to hit Earth on Sept. 13th or 14th, possibly sparking high-latitude geomagnetic storms. Sky watchers from Alaska to Scandinavia should be alert for auroras.

A new sunspot has emerged, number 1001, but it is a small spot and may not last long. Readers with solar telescopes, take a look before it disappears.

This weekend for some will be spectacular to behold. A full moon and in the north Auroras to dazzle the mind. Just be careful when you are outside and enjoy looking up.

You can find out more at SpaceWeather.com.