Space Weather News for June 20, 2008
http://spaceweather.com
SUMMER SOLSTICE: Northern summer and southern winter begin
today, June 20th, at precisely 23:59 UT (7:59 pm EDT) when the
sun ascends to its highest latitude on the celestial sphere. In the
Northern Hemisphere, we have the longest day and shortest night
of the year, and the reverse in the Southern Hemisphere. The
seasons are changing--Happy Solstice!
NOCTILUCENT CLOUDS: Summer is the season for noctilucent
clouds and this morning, right on cue, a wave of bright NLCs rolled
over the British Isles. Observers in Scotland and Northern Ireland
report luminous tendrils of electric blue bright enough to attract
the attention of casual passersby. These glow-in-the-dark clouds
are a 100+ year old mystery under investigation now by NASA's
AIM spacecraft. Originally confined to arctic latitudes, NLCs have
spread in recent years with sightings in the United States as far
south as Utah and Colorado. Check today's edition of
http://spaceweather.com for observing tips and the latest photos.
Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society
