Latest news with #Spaceweather
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Science
- Yahoo
A 'new star' has exploded into the night sky — and you can see it from North America
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A "new star" is shining in the constellation Lupus thanks to an unexpected stellar explosion within the Milky Way — and it can currently be seen with the naked eye from parts of North America. On June 12, astronomers from the All-Sky Automated Survey for Supernovae at Ohio State University first spotted the new point of light, which had an apparent magnitude of +8.7 at the time, still too dim to be seen by the naked eye, Sky & Telescope originally reported. (A smaller magnitude signifies a brighter object; for example, the moon has an apparent magnitude of -12.7). Over the next few days, the rapidly brightening object took on several temporary names — including AT 2025nlr, ASASSN-25cm, and N Lup 2025 — as researchers scrambled to determine its identity. Astronomer Yusuke Tampo, from the South African Astronomical Observatory at the University of Cape Town, then analyzed the light coming from the object and determined that it is likely a classical nova — a massive stellar explosion that temporarily shines bright in the night sky. On June 16, it was given the official designation V462 Lupi. By June 18, V462 Lupi had brightened to an apparent magnitude of +5.7, which makes it just visible to the naked eye. This also makes it around 4 million times brighter than its extremely dim progenitor star was before June 12, according to Related: Nearly 900 years ago, astronomers spotted a strange, bright light in the sky. We finally know what caused it. There is a chance that the nova will continue to brighten in the coming days, making it even easier to spot. The Lupus constellation is located in the southern sky, meaning that V462 Lupi is most easily visible from the Southern Hemisphere. However, it can also be seen from North America, close to the southern horizon, just after sunset. Amateur astronomers from the U.S. have reported seeing it in places such as Arizona and California, and as far north as Lake Superior, according to Sky & Telescope. You may be able to spot it without any additional equipment. However, it would be easier to spot if you had a decent telescope or a pair of stargazing binoculars, especially if you are viewing it from the U.S. or if the explosion starts to dim over the coming days. Unlike supernovas, which are so powerful that they completely rip stars apart, a nova only affects the outer layer of a star. Classical novas, such as V462 Lupi, occur in a specific type of binary system, where a more massive white dwarf star is pulling material away from its larger partner. When enough material has been accreted onto the dwarf star's surface, the pressure builds up and triggers an explosion that burns up most of the stolen gas and shoots pulses of bright light toward Earth. Naked-eye classical novas are rare. They appear "no more than once a year," representatives wrote, "and most are so close to the limit of naked-eye sensitivity that they can be invisible despite being technically [visible]." RELATED STORIES —Supernova that lit up Earth's skies 843 years ago has a flowering 'zombie star' at its heart — and it's still exploding —Mystery explosion 1,000 years ago may be a rare, third type of supernova —Rare quadruple supernova on our 'cosmic doorstep' will shine brighter than the moon when it blows up in 23 billion years Some novas are also recurring events, blowing their top at regular intervals: For example, the long-awaited T Coronae Borealis nova, also known as the "Blaze Star," lights up our skies roughly every 80 years. However, astronomers have been predicting that the Blaze Star will reappear imminently for the last 15 months, and it is yet to emerge, which shows that it is not an exact science. As this is the first recorded appearance of V462 Lupi, we have no idea if or when it will explode again in the future.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Powerful solar flare erupts from sun triggering radio blackouts across North America (video)
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An Earth-facing sunspot has turned into a prolific flare factory, firing off multiple powerful M-class solar flares in less than 24 hours, along with several minor C-class eruptions. The most intense of these solar flares erupted on June 15, peaking at 2:25 p.m. EDT (1825 GMT) and registering as an M8.46-class — just shy of the X-class category, the most powerful type of solar flare. This eruption also unleashed a coronal mass ejection (CME) — a massive plume of solar plasma and magnetic field — now partially headed toward Earth. Forecasts suggest the CME's flank could strike on June 18, according to If the CME does reach Earth, space weather forecasters say we could see minor (G1-class) geomagnetic storm conditions, potentially sparking northern lights as far south as northern Michigan and Maine. Solar flares are caused when magnetic energy builds up in the sun's atmosphere and is released in an intense burst of electromagnetic radiation. They are categorized by size into lettered groups according to strength: X-class: The strongest M-class: 10 times weaker than X C, B and A-class: Progressively weaker, with A-class flares typically having no noticeable effect on Earth. Within each class, a numerical value indicates the flare's relative strength. The June 15 flare came in at M8.46, making it a near X-class event. Because flare radiation travels at light speed, it hits Earth in just over eight minutes. When it arrives, it ionizes the upper atmosphere (specifically the thermosphere), which can disrupt shortwave radio communication on the sunlit side of the planet. During the M8.46 event, North America was directly facing the sun, making it the prime target for the resulting shortwave radio blackouts. The sunspot region behind this activity isn't slowing down. It unleashed another M6.4 flare early on June 16 at 5:30 a.m. EDT (0930 GMT) and remains in an Earth-facing position. More solar flares — and possibly more CMEs — could erupt in the coming days. If they do, we may be treated to more northern lights displays as our planet remains in the strike zone of this highly active region. Keep up to date with the latest aurora forecasts with our aurora forecast live blog and for the latest geomagnetic activity breakdown, check out NOAA's 3-day forecast.
Forbes
27-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Aurora Alert: When 15 States May See Northern Lights After Solar Flare
Stargazers in 15 northern U.S. states and Canada may see a display of the Northern Lights in the early hours of Wednesday, May 28, 2025, according to the latest space weather forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. It comes after scientists detected an X1.1 class solar flare on the sun on May 25, which caused a shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean, according to It was followed the same day by two lesser M3.4 and M8.9 solar flares. A G1-rated geomagnetic storm is predicted to commence between 0600 and 1200 UTC (1:00 and 9:00 a.m. EDT) on Wednesday, May 28. According to NOAA, 'Unsettled to G1 (Minor) storming is likely on 28 May followed by unsettled to active conditions on 29 May.' The potential displays of aurora borealis tonight have a predicted Kp index of 5, which provides a rough guide to their intensity. According to NOAA, that means 'the aurora will move further from the poles, it will become brighter, and there will be more auroral activity (motion and formations). If you are in the right place, these aurora can be quite pleasing to look at.' If a geomagnetic storm does result, it's possible that the aurora borealis may be visible overnight in northern-tier U.S. states. According to NOAA's aurora viewline, this G1 storm may be seen in northern skies from Washington, northern Oregon, Idaho, northern Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Regions closest to the border with Canada will have the highest possibility of seeing the aurora. Observers will need clear skies and check NOAA's 30-minute forecast for the latest updates. With a new moon on Tuesday, May 27, there will be no interference from moonlight, making the skies as dark as possible in the early hours during astronomical darkness. The geomagnetic storm is the result of 'negative polarity CH HSS,' which refers to the orientation of the magnetic field and the fact that the solar wind is coming at high speed (HSS) from a coronal hole (CH) — a cooler, darker region in the sun's corona, which can be seen in the image above. This coronal hole has been facing Earth all week, and allows the solar wind to escape more easily into space. Negative polarity means the magnetic field lines in the solar wind point toward the sun. If the magnetic field in the solar wind points southward, a geomagnetic storm may be triggered — resulting in auroras at mid to high latitudes. The current solar maximum period is making coronal holes more common. The sun has an 11-year solar cycle, during which its magnetic activity waxes and wanes. According to NASA and NOAA, the sun entered solar maximum in October 2024. That came in the wake of a G5 geomagnetic storm on May 10-11, 2024, the most intense since 2004 and possibly for hundreds of years. Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
Forbes
22-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Aurora Alert: These 9 States May Be In ‘Earth Strike Zone' On Friday
Skywatchers could see a modest display of the Northern Lights visible from northern U.S. states along the U.S.-Canada border on Friday, May 23, 2025, according to the latest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast. Scotland, East Lothian, silhouette of woman standing on Seacliff Beach watching Northern lights According to NOAA, 'An enhancement of the geomagnetic field up to active levels with a chance for G1 (Minor) storm levels is possible' on May 23. The cause is significant turbulence in the solar wind — a constant stream of charged particles emanating from the sun that can interact with Earth's magnetic field — caused by the arrival of a coronal mass ejection that left the sun on May 17. A CME is a cloud of super-charged particles that often leaves the sun's surface in the wake of a solar flare, an intense burst of radiation and the most powerful explosions in the solar system, according to NASA. Space weather forecasters are unsure of when — or even if — the CME will interact with Earth's magnetic field, with reporting that it 'might deliver a glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field,' but that 'a miss is just as likely as a hit.' If the CME does interact with Earth's magnetic field, the aurora borealis may be visible tonight in northern-tier U.S. states. Observers will need clear skies to have a chance of seeing the potential display. According to NOAA, G1 storms can be seen in Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Maine. NOAA's 30-minute forecast is where the latest updates are posted. The potential displays of aurora borealis tonight have a predicted Kp index of 4, which provides a rough guide to their intensity. According to NOAA, that means 'the aurora will move further from the poles, it will become brighter, and there will be more auroral activity (motion and formations). If you are in the right place, these aurora can be quite pleasing to look at.' A massive coronal hole has been facing Earth all week. That puts the planet in the 'Earth strike zone' for any turbulence in the solar wind, which is what causes spikes in aurora. A coronal hole refers to darker, cooler areas of the corona, the sun's outer atmosphere, which are cooler, less dense regions. They allow the solar wind to escape more easily into space. Coronal holes and CMEs are more common around solar maximum, which the sun appears to have reached in October 2023, according to NASA and NOAA. The sun has an 11-year solar cycle, during which its magnetic activity waxes and wanes. An extreme G5 geomagnetic storm on May 10-11, 2024, was the most intense since 2004 and possibly for hundreds of years. Mercury has no aurora, but all the other planets — and some moons — in the solar system do. Mercury lacks a true atmosphere, but auroral activity has been detected on Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Last week, NASA announced that its Perseverance rover on Mars had spotted aurora. Meanwhile, Jupiter boasts the brightest and fastest-moving auroras, displaying vibrant colors, while the intense radiation around the giant planet also causes auroras on its moons, Ganymede and Europa.
The Independent
22-05-2025
- Science
- The Independent
Mystery white plume streaks US sky after China dumps rocket fuel
A giant white streak seen in the sky over America was likely caused by fuel dumping from a new rocket launched by China, astronomers said. The white plume appeared at around 1:25am ET on 17 May and was observed over several US states for about 10 minutes before fading away. Space observers initially suspected it was related to a light phenomenon called Steve – Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement – in which charged particles flow very quickly in space from east to west, energised by geomagnetic storms. This was because the plume was seen along with auroras in many of the states. 'The aurora was rippling low on the northern horizon when suddenly a bright streak of light, reminiscent of a rocket re-entry, appeared high in the sky and flowed down to the horizon," an observer named Mike Lewinski told Spaceweather. But astronomers now believe the white light was caused by a Chinese rocket that went up the same day. Around an hour before the streaks appeared, Chinese startup LandSpace Technology launched a new methane-powered rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in the country's northwest. The Zhuque-2E Y2 rocket put six satellites into orbit, marking a milestone for the startup in building carrier vehicles fueled by methane, which is deemed a less polluting, safer and cheaper option than the more commonly used hydrocarbon fuels. Around 1130pm MST May 16 north of Farmington New Mexico 38N, I was hyperlapsing with a Galaxy S24 ultra. The #aurora was visual but colorless... then the brightest sight I've ever seen in the night sky appeared overhead! #northernlights #auroraborealis — Derick Wilson (@Xhillsblockview) May 17, 2025 The Beijing-based company is a pioneer in "methalox" technology that enables rockets to run on liquid oxygen and liquid methane. In July 2023, LandSpace became the world's first company to launch a methane-liquid oxygen-powered rocket, ahead of rivals such as Elon Musk 's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin. Compared to conventional rocket fuel like kerosene and hydrogen, methane burns cleaner and can be produced and stored on Mars. Space observers suspect that the white streak seen over the US was caused by the 'de-orbit burn' or 'circularisation burn' of the methane-powered rocket. 'Zhuque-2E upper stage passed over the US Four Corners area at 0525 UTC May 17 and is the source of the unusual luminous cloud seen by many observers,' astronomer Jonathan McDowell wrote on X. Replying to an X user's picture of the white streak, Dr McDowell said the plume's origin was the 'fuel dump' at an altitude of 250km from the rocket's upper stage.
