The three brightest planets in this month’s night sky are lining up for a sunset conjunction at the end of May. Sunset is often the most beautiful part of the day. Low hanging clouds glow vivid red and orange as the background sky turns cobalt blue.The first stars rise up in the heavenly dome overhead, eliciting wishes from millions of skygazers. It’s a special time, but the sunset of May 26, 2013 will be extra special. Watch video here. On that day the fading glow in the western sky will be punctuated by a three-way conjunction of bright planets-Venus, Jupiter and Mercury will form a tight triangle only three degrees wide. Three bright planets will highlight the northwestern sky this week and early next. Mercury is shown in pink and Jupiter in yellow. Time is http://dlvr.it/3Q0FSx
Solar radiation storm reached S3 (Strong) levels at approximately 03:00 UTC on May 23, 2013. Strong solar radiation storm is still in progress due an M5.0 solar flare originating in departing Sunspot 1745 on the Sun’s western limb. The M-class flare peaked at 13:32 UTC on May 22, 2013 and produced a partial-halo coronal mass ejection (CME). We can expect a hit our geomagnetic field on May 24/25, 2013. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Solar flare and protons hitting LASCO C2 coronograph onboard SDO’s spacecraft (Credit: SDO/ The Watchers) A high-energy solar protons are hitting the CCD cameras in SOHO’s LASCO C2 coronagraph (image above). SDO/AIA 304, GOES X-Ray flux http://dlvr.it/3PyXJw
This week, 5 volcanoes had new activity, whereas ongoing activity was also reported for 11 volcanoes. This report covers active volcanoes in the world recorded from May 15 – May 21, 2013 based on Smithsonian/USGS criteria. New Activity/Unrest: | Cleveland, Chuginadak Island | Pavlof, Alaska Peninsula | Popocatépetl, México | Sangeang Api, Lesser Sunda Islands (Indonesia) | Tungurahua, Ecuador Ongoing Activity: | Fuego, Guatemala | Galeras, Colombia | Kilauea, Hawaii (USA) | Kizimen, Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | Manam, Northeast of New Guinea (SW Pacific) | Pacaya, Guatemala | Rabaul, New Britain | Sakura-jima, Kyushu | Santa María, Guatemala | Shiveluch, Central Kamchatka (Russia) | Tolbachik, Central Kamchatka (Russia) The Weekly Volcanic http://dlvr.it/3PwTS1
Situated in the Aleutian Arc about 625 miles (1,000 kilometers) southwest of Anchorage, Alaska, Pavlof volcano began erupting on May 13, 2013 and Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) changed its volcanic alert level from Advisory to Watch and aviation color dode from Yellow to Orange. The volcano spewed lava into the air with an ash cloud reaching 6 km (20,000 feet), extended southeastward over the North Pacific Ocean. The volcanic eruption at Pavlof volcano continues. Astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) photographed these striking views of Pavlof volcano on May 18, 2013. When photograph ISS036-E-2105 was taken, the space station was about 475 miles south-southeast of the volcano (49.1° North latitude, http://dlvr.it/3PtJHl
