Latest news with #Earth-orbit
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Climate
- Newsweek
Millions Issued Geomagnetic Storm Warning
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A geomagnetic storm could impact millions of people "over New York to north Iowa to Washington state," weather authorities have warned. The National Weather Service extended a G3 warning on Monday, before downgrading it to a G2 warning on Tuesday, after weather data indicated that the storm would continue. Why It Matters Any extreme weather in these areas could have a huge impact on infrastructure and the environment, and geomagnetic storms in particular have the potential to affect power distribution networks and satellite signals. What To Know On Monday, the National Weather Service issued an extension to its geomagnetic weather warning. It was originally classified with a strength of G3, the third-highest level for a storm of this kind, before being downgraded to a G2 on Tuesday morning at time of writing, indicating the storm is "moderate." The service warned advised residents to be cautious of irregular behavior from electronic devices. "Some effects are possible to power grid, satellite ops, and GPS," the warning said. "Geomagnetic activity can vary considerably during storm progression with intermittent periods of escalation or weakening as the major disturbance in the solar wind continues. Monitor the SWPC webpage for additional information and Alerts for latest levels." The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are visible over the New York Skyline on October 11, 2024 in New York City. The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are visible over the New York Skyline on October 11, 2024 in New York City. Getty Images Geomagnetic storms, which are caused by bursts of solar wind that also create aurora borealis, can cause a variety of electrical and signal issues depending on how strong they are. At G2 strength, the National Weather Service predicts that the storm may damage transformers on electrical systems, and create "low-frequency radio navigation problems." The storm will also interfere with the flight paths of satellites in orbit by increasing drag. The same solar winds that create the storm also create the northern lights, which means over a dozen states might be able to see the phenomenon with the naked eye this week. What People Are Saying The National Weather Service's most recent warning update reads: "Power grid fluctuations can occur. High-latitude power systems may experience voltage alarms. Satellite orientation irregularities may occur; increased drag on low Earth-orbit satellites is possible. "Aurora may be visible at high latitudes in the northern tier of the U.S., such as northern Michigan and Maine." Astronomy professor Alex Gianninas of Connecticut College told Newsweek: "We are currently in the peak of the current solar cycle, Solar Cycle 25, and so increased activity at the surface of the Sun is normal. This includes geomagnetic storms that cause the Sun to expel large quantities of charged particles. "If those are directed towards the Earth, then once they get here, the Earth's magnetic field channels them down towards both the North and South poles and when they hit the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere produce the beautiful Aurora that we see." What Happens Next The abnormal weather is expected to pass by the end of the week as the solar wind dies down.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Blue Ghost lander captures first Moon photos after stunning 'Blue Marble' Earth image
America's next Moon lander, Blue Ghost, is traveling through space after launching from Florida earlier this month and capturing breathtaking views. Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 15, carrying 10 Nasa payloads to the Moon. About a week after launch, the spacecraft looked back on Earth during its second Earth-orbit burn, capturing the "Blue Marble" from where it came from. In the next few years, NASA astronauts will have a similar view of Earth in the rearview mirror as they head toward the Moon on the space agency's Orion spacecraft. According to Firefly Aerospace, the image was taken about 4,163 miles above Earth. "Firefly captured the beauty of our home planet during another Earth orbit burn," the company said. Over the weekend, Blue Ghost got its first look at its final destination: the Moon. Firefly shared new images of Earth's only natural satellite in the distance. How To Watch Fox Weather After 45 days of spaceflight, Blue Ghost will attempt to land on the near side of the Moon near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium. The company is targeting a soft touchdown on March article source: Blue Ghost lander captures first Moon photos after stunning 'Blue Marble' Earth image
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Blue Ghost lander captures first Moon photos after stunning 'Blue Marble' Earth image
America's next Moon lander, Blue Ghost, is traveling through space after launching from Florida earlier this month and capturing breathtaking views. Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost lander launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 15, carrying 10 Nasa payloads to the Moon. About a week after launch, the spacecraft looked back on Earth during its second Earth-orbit burn, capturing the "Blue Marble" from where it came from. In the next few years, NASA astronauts will have a similar view of Earth in the rearview mirror as they head toward the Moon on the space agency's Orion spacecraft. According to Firefly Aerospace, the image was taken about 4,163 miles above Earth. "Firefly captured the beauty of our home planet during another Earth orbit burn," the company said. Over the weekend, Blue Ghost got its first look at its final destination: the Moon. Firefly shared new images of Earth's only natural satellite in the distance. How To Watch Fox Weather After 45 days of spaceflight, Blue Ghost will attempt to land on the near side of the Moon near a volcanic feature called Mons Latreille within Mare Crisium. The company is targeting a soft touchdown on March article source: Blue Ghost lander captures first Moon photos after stunning 'Blue Marble' Earth image
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
SpaceX gears up for Falcon 9 rocket launch from Florida on Monday
The Brief SpaceX plans to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying another batch of Starlink satellites on Monday afternoon from Florida. Liftoff is set for 3:22 p.m. with a backup opportunity available until 6:21 p.m. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX is gearing up to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites to low Earth-orbit from Florida on Monday. Timeline Liftoff is scheduled for 3:22 p.m. from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. A backup opportunity is available until 6:21 p.m., and if needed, another window is available for Tuesday, starting at 2:50 p.m. By the numbers This will be the 20th flight for the rocket's first stage, which has already helped launch several missions, including CRS-26, SXM-9, and 10 Starlink launches. After the rocket finishes its job, the first stage will land on a droneship called "A Shortfall of Gravitas," which will be in the Atlantic Ocean. Why you should care Starlink is the world's first and largest satellite constellation, and it uses a low Earth orbit to deliver broadband internet. It supports seamless streaming, online gaming, video calls, and more. Starlink uses cutting-edge satellites and user hardware, along with extensive expertise in spacecraft and on-orbit operations, to ensure users worldwide access a high-speed, low-latency internet. STAY CONNECTED WITH FOX 35 ORLANDO: Download the FOX Local app for breaking news alerts, the latest news headlines Download the FOX 35 Storm Team Weather app for weather alerts & radar Sign up for FOX 35's daily newsletter for the latest morning headlines FOX Local:Stream FOX 35 newscasts, FOX 35 News+, Central Florida Eats on your smart TV The Source This story was written based on information shared by SpaceX.
