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Night skies glitter with Perseids meteor shower
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cvgnkmpkd77o
West Lindsey district of Lincolnshire
Everything taken together, here in Lincolnshire are more good things than man could have had the conscience to ask.
William Cobbett, in his Rural Rides - c.1830
SpaceWeather writes:
"New sunspot 4188 exploded, producing an M1-class solar flare that lasted more than 3 hours. The long-duration event engulfed almost half of the sun's southeastern limb (movie) and probably hurled a significant CME into space." Although there is no alert up yet, keep an eye out if you get a clear night. Movie first:
https://spaceweather.com/images2025/19aug25/lde_teal_crop.gif
https://spaceweather.com/
AuroraWatch UK geomagnetic data:
https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/
Helioseimic maps of the sun's farside reveal two sunspot groups lurking just behind the sun's eastern limb. They'll turn to face Earth in a few days, potentially bringing stormy space weather. Both of these active regions have been hurling significant CMEs into space. If their activity continues apace, we'll soon be in the line of fire.
AuroraWatch UK for geomagnetic data:
Musk's stupid rocket has failed again. LOL
"We have some alternative facts for you"
Kelly-Ann Conway - former special adviser to the President
Originally Posted by: The Beast from the East
Not exactly; it was a thunderstorm that got in the way of the launch
Chichester 12m asl
Originally Posted by: DEW
Yes, its been launched now and seems to have gone well this time. We'll never hear the end of it
Moon stuff.
The next full Moon in 2025 is the "Corn Moon", the ninth full Moon of the year, rising on 7th September at 19:42 BST.
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/next-full-moon
What's more, for observers in Europe, Asia and Africa, this full Moon will also be the "Blood Moon" AND an eclipse.
For those of us in the UK and western Europe, we may be able to catch a bit of totality as the Moon rises.
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/lunar-eclipse-september-7-2025
Clear skies.
Get ready for a glorious Harvest Blood Moon on 7 September
https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg26735581-900-get-ready-for-a-glorious-harvest-blood-moon-on-7-september/
Long-duration M2.7 solar flare launches Earth-directed CME, impact expected late on September 1
https://watchers.news/2025/08/31/long-duration-m2-7-solar-flare-earth-directed-cme-september-1-impact/
I'll add this SpaceWeather piece:
"The sun is a tricky star. While we were watching giant sunspot 4197, a different, much smaller sunspot erupted. On Aug 30th at 20:02 UTC, sunspot 4204 produced a long duration M2.7-class solar flare:
"Although the flare was not very intense, it lasted for 3 hours, long enough to lift a CME out of the sun's atmosphere. Indeed, new data from SOHO coronagraphs confirm that a CME is heading straight for Earth.
https://spaceweather.com/images2025/30aug25/halocme.gif
Data from AuroraWatch UK: keep checking...
"A geomagnetic storm watch is in effect on Sept. 2nd as Earth passes through the wake of a CME that struck yesterday. Category G1 (Minor) storms are likely with a chance of escalating to category G3 (Strong). High-latitude sky watchers should remain alert for auroras."
Northern Lights shine bright across much of the UK
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5yey8l59p1o
Watch: Timelapse shows Northern Lights display over North Sea
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/ckglgp9q2nno
"A CME struck Earth's magnetic field on Sept. 1st, sparking widespread auroras photographed as far south as Spain in Europe and Virginia in the USA. The display was unusually rich in pinks and purples associated with nitrogen. More auroras are possible tonight as Earth moves through the CME's wake."
https://spaceweather.com/images2025/02sep25/iceland_strip.jpg
SpaceWeather piece: 2/9
Originally Posted by: Roger Parsons
We are of course approaching the autumn equinox and I remember reading somewhere that the equinoxes tend to produce the best auroral displays, assuming the correctly solar conditions are there as well. I believe it's something to do with the Earth's axial tilt being better aligned with the Sun, and the therefore the geomagnetic effects tend to be amplified.
Blackrod, Lancashire (4 miles south of Chorley) at 156m asl.
My weather station
Are you ready for the lunar eclipse??????
A Blood Moon lunar eclipse is coming this week. Here's where you can see the whole event:
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/total-lunar-eclipse-september-2025-uk
Yesterday, a 'sigmoid' on the sun exploded, launching a CME directly toward Earth. Its arrival on Sept. 7th could spark auroras during this weekend's total lunar eclipse.
Cloud stopped us seeing the lunar eclipse - but enjoy these pics.
In pictures: Blood Moon captivates sky-gazers around the world
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx25nyjl4pdo
I spotted it in the east just before bedtime.
South Dorset
Elevation 60m 197ft
21 September – Saturn at its best
Saturn reaches opposition on 21 September, meaning it’ll be directly opposite the Sun in the sky and therefore look especially bright to us. As one of the more
visible planets to reach opposition, this could be a good opportunity to try tocapture some photos of the gas giant.
https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/space-astronomy-highlights-2025#June
Five celestial events to look out for this autumn
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c39rvxz4jr1o
Clear skies.... 😁
SpaceWeather writes: Last night, a strong geomagnetic storm pushed auroras deep into the USA, with sightings as far south as Colorado and Arizona. This was an "equinox storm" enhanced by the Russell-McPherron effect. It won't be the last one. The season for such storms runs through October.
https://spaceweather.com/images2025/14sep25/Lauri-Kangas-IMG_4035-1_1757910956_strip.jpg
The excellent Pete Lawrence writes:
With Jupiter well placed for observation in autumn and winter 2025, there’s great opportunity to catch some of the planet’s interactions with its moons.
See Jupiter and its Galilean moons in September 2025
https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/advice/skills/jupiter-moons-how-see
How often does a CME from our own sun strike a comet from interstellar space? It's rare, so tomorrow's collision is worth watching. Physicist T. Marshall Eubanks of Space Initiatives Inc realized that a CME launched on Sept. 19th will reach the location of Comet 3I/ATLAS on Sept. 24th or 25th. Mars could receive a glancing blow, too. Observers should be alert for irregularities the comet's tail, which could be bent or disconnected by the impact.
A CME IS HEADING FOR INTERSTELLAR COMET ATLAS
When I saw corruption, I was forced to find truth on my own. I couldn't swallow the hypocrisy.Barry White
Barry White
It’s the end of the world as we know it (and I feel fine) - R.E.M.
There's a Red Alert on Aurora watch right now, hoping it will last for a good while, as it's currently overcast but it's getting dark and it's forecast to clear up in an hour or so. Maybe someone will get lucky.
Originally Posted by: Windy Willow
Good grief - so there is! I've had a busy day and have just consumed the better part of a bottle of Moldovan wine to celebrate their election result. I'd better not go stumbling about in the garden! Maybe I can see it if I just close my eyes....... 🤣🤣🤣