Metallic photos.-LA NASA

Thursday, Mar. 10, 2011 What's up in space

Metallic photos of the sun by renowned photographer Greg Piepol bring together the best of art and science. Buy one or a whole set. They make a stellar gift. FAST CORONAL MASS EJECTION: A coronal mass ejection (CME) exploded from the vicinity of  sunspot 1164 during the late hours of March 7th. It leapt away from the sun traveling  ~2200 km/s, making it the fastest CME since  Sept. 2005. A movie of the cloudbe alert for auroras. prepared by Karl Battams of the  Naval Research Lab shows a possibly substantial Earth-directed component. This CME and at least one other could brush against Earth's magnetic field on  March 10th. High-latitude sky watchers should X-FLARE: March 9th ended with a powerful solar flare. Earth-orbiting satellites detected an X1.5-class explosion from behemoth  sunspot 1166 around 2323 UT. A movie from  NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory shows a bright flash of UV radiation plus some  material being hurled away from the blast  site: Movie formats: 4 MB gif, 1.2 MB iPad, 0.3 MB iPhone After four years without any X-flares, the sun has produced two of the powerful  blasts in less than one month: Feb. 15th  and March 9th. This continues the recent trend of increasing solar activity, and shows that Solar Cycle 24 is heating up. NOAA forecasters estimate a 5% chance of more X-flares during the next 24 hours. Stay tuned. SOLAR FLARE ALERTS: Would you like a  call when the next X-flare erupts? Sign up for Spaceweather PHONE. SUNSPOT CONJUNCTION: On March 7th,  shortly after space shuttle Discovery  undocked from the International Space  Station, the two ships flew directly in front of the sun over Europe. Catalin Fus of Krakow, Poland, had his solar-filtered telescope  trained on sunspot 1166 and recorded this  amazing conjunction: "I was surprised that I could see Discovery flying around the station," says Fus.  "The shuttle is so small  compared to the ISS. " Nevertheless, both  silhouettes were clearly visible alongside the sunspot. Browse the links for more transit images: from Jérôme DELPAU of Coemont, Sarthe , France; from Jan Eric Krikke of Heerenveen, The Netherlands; from Pawel Warchal of Cracow, Poland. March 2011 Aurora Photo Gallery [previous Marches: 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002] Near Earth Asteroids 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 March 10, 2011 there were 1204 potentially hazardous asteroids. 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 March 10, 2011 there were 1204 potentially hazardous asteroids. Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters: Asteroid Date(UT) Miss Distance Mag. Size 2011 EC Mar 6 9.2 LD -- 34 m 2011 EO11 Mar 6 1.8 LD -- 15 m 2011 EY11 Mar 7 0.3 LD -- 9 m 2011 EC12 Mar 8 3.3 LD -- 30 m 2000 PN9 Mar 10 45.5 LD -- 2.6 km 2011 EU20 Mar 11 1.6 LD -- 16 m 2011 BE38 Apr 10 48 LD -- 1.0 km 2002 DB4 Apr 15 62.5 LD -- 2.2 km 2008 UC202 Apr 27 8.9 LD -- 10 m 2009 UK20 May 2 8.6 LD -- 23 m 2008 FU6 May 5 75.5 LD -- 1.2 km 2003 YT1 May 5 65.3 LD -- 2.5 km 2002 JC Jun 1 57.5 LD -- 1.6 km 2009 BD Jun 2 0.9 LD -- 9 m 2002 JB9 Jun 11 71.5 LD -- 3.2 km 2001 VH75 Jun 12 42.2 LD -- 1.1 km 2004 LO2 Jun 15 9.9 LD -- 48 m Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach. Essential web links NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center The official U.S. government space weather bureau Atmospheric Optics The first place to look for information about sundogs, pillars, rainbows and related phenomena. Solar Dynamics Observatory Researchers call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO is the most advanced solar observatory ever. STEREO 3D views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Realtime and archival images of the Sun from SOHO. Daily Sunspot Summaries from the NOAA Space Environment Center Heliophysics the underlying science of space weather Conquest Graphics for out-of-this-world printing and graphics Science Central more links...

Recent & Upcoming Earth-asteroid encounters:

Asteroid	Date(UT)	Miss Distance	Mag.	Size
2011 EC	Mar 6	9.2 LD	--	34 m
2011 EO11	Mar 6	1.8 LD	--	15 m
2011 EY11	Mar 7	0.3 LD	--	9 m
2011 EC12	Mar 8	3.3 LD	--	30 m
2000 PN9	Mar 10	45.5 LD	--	2.6 km
2011 EU20	Mar 11	1.6 LD	--	16 m
2011 BE38	Apr 10	48 LD	--	1.0 km
2002 DB4	Apr 15	62.5 LD	--	2.2 km
2008 UC202	Apr 27	8.9 LD	--	10 m
2009 UK20	May 2	8.6 LD	--	23 m
2008 FU6	May 5	75.5 LD	--	1.2 km
2003 YT1	May 5	65.3 LD	--	2.5 km
2002 JC	Jun 1	57.5 LD	--	1.6 km
2009 BD	Jun 2	0.9 LD	--	9 m
2002 JB9	Jun 11	71.5 LD	--	3.2 km
2001 VH75	Jun 12	42.2 LD	--	1.1 km
2004 LO2	Jun 15	9.9 LD	--	48 m

Notes: LD means "Lunar Distance." 1 LD = 384,401 km, the distance between Earth and the Moon. 1 LD also equals 0.00256 AU. MAG is the visual magnitude of the asteroid on the date of closest approach.

Essential web links

NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

The official U.S. government space weather bureau

Atmospheric Optics

The first place to look for information about sundogs, pillars, rainbows and related phenomena.

Solar Dynamics Observatory

Researchers call it a "Hubble for the sun." SDO is the most advanced solar observatory ever.

STEREO

3D views of the sun from NASA's Solar and Terrestrial Relations Observatory

Solar and Heliospheric Observatory

Realtime and archival images of the Sun from SOHO.

Daily Sunspot Summaries

from the NOAA Space Environment Center

Heliophysics

the underlying science of space weather

Conquest Graphics

for out-of-this-world printing and graphics

Science Central

more links...