Comet McNaught (not to be confused with Comet McShould) is hurling itself through the inner solar system towards our sun.
“Comet McNaught can be found low in the northeastern sky before dawn gliding through the constellation Perseus It is brightening as it approaches Earth for a 1.13 AU close encounter on June 15th and 16th. Currently, the comet is at the threshold of naked eye visibility (5th to 6th magnitude) and could become as bright as the stars of the Big Dipper (2nd magnitude) before the end of the month. Estimates are uncertain, however, because this comet is a newcomer to the inner solar system, and thus somewhat unpredictable.”
Spaceweather.com is asking readers to wake up before dawn to monitor it. I am asking if you’re stumbling home drunk or been up all night having a good time, poke your head outside and take a quick peek.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory took the picture just a few hours ago using the highest-resolution cameras ever flown on a mission to study the sun. Plasma trapped inside the filament is dense and cool relative to the seething inferno below. If the filament collapses, as filaments often do, the plasma could hit the surface and explode, producing a Hyder flare or a coronal mass ejection (CME).
A magnetic filament on the sun erupted yesterday, May 24th, and the blast hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME) in the general direction of Earth. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the action around the blast site in 10xHDTV resolution:
Shortly after the eruption, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) spotted a billion-ton CME racing away from the sun. NOAA forecasters say there is a 35% chance of geomagnetic activity on May 27th when the cloud delivers a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.
“A long dark magnetic filament is looping around the northeastern limb, stretching almost 100,000 km from end to end: Long, bushy filaments like this have been known to grow unstable and erupt, producing a type of spotless flare called a “Hyder flare.” If that happens now, Earth would likely feel some effects from the blast because the filament is turning to face our planet.”
The solar wind has also been raging. Speeds and proton densities of the solar wind over this last 24 hour period have increased by 30%. Proton density is now down but the winds are still going strong. So hipsters beware…its not your 3-G network failing…its because you are falling victim to the most important weather on the web.
On May 20th, the earth will be hit by a solar wind stream that should produce some kick-ass auroras, and possibly a geomagnetic storm…so cell phone users, cable/satellite t.v. lovers, & computer geeks…be on alert.
