This redefined shooting star. It’s not just spacecraft that are impacted by the horrors of deep space. In October, 15 people were hospitalized after a cosmic ray sent a New Jersey-bound JetBlue flight plunging thousands of feet — a phenomenon that could potentially pose a threat to air travel. “We have lots and lots of … Read more
The sun has a bone to pick with Earth — and it’s not done yet. A colossal solar storm just zapped the daylight side of the planet, causing global blackouts and knocking out radio signals across Europe, Asia and the Middle East. The culprit? A fiery X2.7-class solar flare that erupted from sunspot AR4087 early … Read more
Future’s so bright, gotta wear shades. The sunspot responsible for generating the strongest magnetic storm in two decades is returning with a vengeance this week, meaning that Earth could potentially experience blackouts — but also more northern lights, or aurora borealis. The cluster, dubbed AR3664, marked its return with a solar flare that erupted from … Read more
That purple-ish glow in the night sky? That’s STEVE. STEVE, or Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, is an atmospheric phenomenon that accompanies auroras, such as an aurora borealis, more commonly known as the Northern Lights, which have been spotted this week across the US. The purple light streak, often bordered by patches of green, is … Read more