Space Weather Facts & Forecast (Isaac Bredeman)

This month on the podcast, I talk about a special mission that was launched to study the sun and space weather. It's called the Parker Solar Probe, and it continues to send back fascinating data from inside the solar corona. Listen to learn all about it! I also give next week's space weather forecast.

To learn more about the Parker Solar Probe and view it in 3D: https://science.nasa.gov/mission/parker-solar-probe/

Auroras on Earth are spectacular enough. Auroras on other planets, though, put ours to shame! And there are a variety of ways in which other planets' auroras even form. Listen to find out more! The space weather forecast is also contained, with as much as three solar flare players, and a chance for aurora in the mix.

In this episode, I take a look at our solar cycle, cycle 25, and how it's progressing. One thing is for sure, predicting solar cycle strength is no easy task! Some material is taken from this article on SpaceWeatherLive by Christian Harris: https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/news/view/486/20230208-an-expansion-on-solar-cycle-prediction.html

Solar radiation storms are yet another way space weather can impact humans and technology. How? All the answers are in the episode. I also include next week's space weather forecast, with a bit of a break from the constant activity we've had lately!

In this episode I take a look at two solar phenomena that are really the same thing with different names: filaments and prominences. Want to learn what they are or how they impact Earth? Listen to find out! There is also the space weather forecast, with filaments creating the main activity.

The solar wind is the single biggest space weather factor that affects Earth. But how does it originate? Or what even is it? Listen for the answers to those and many more questions. And you'll also get the space weather forecast, and find out about how Earth has been playing some cosmic CME dodgeball!

Today, I give an overview of the Earth's magnetic field. How is it formed and what does it do? Listen to find out! I also give the space weather forecast, in which the Sun may finally be waking from a long sleep!

Today, I'm diving into a short history of space weather observation and forecasting, from the 19th century to the present day.

Enjoy learning about space weather and keeping up to date on space weather news? Check out my new blog at https://space-weather-blog.blogspot.com/ !

The podcast release schedule is changing! Due to conflicting summer plans, shows will now come out on the third Saturday of the month.

In this episode I break down by latitude what Kp and other data to watch for when going aurora chasing in the Northern Hemisphere. It can seem an endless sea of confusing data values relating to the aurora, but you can quickly learn what to look for to decide whether the aurora might be visible from your location. spaceweatherlive.com is a great site to check with all the info you need in a user-friendly view.

The sun clearly produces enormous amounts of light and heat, which sustain life on our planet. How does it do this? Is it a big ball of fire in space? I answer that and more in this episode. Additionally, I give the space weather forecast, with a chance for activity this weekend and next week.

On October 14, the annular solar eclipse I described in the last episode came and went. Hopefully you got to see it! Now, I'll be describing how solar eclipses affect space weather, and how they've been used to learn more about the sun. Also, I include the space weather forecast. The sun is surprisingly quiet this week!

The solar system is huge, and it turns out that defining where it ends is tricky! Depending on the definition we use, we can come up with wildly different estimates for its size. Listen to the show for an exploration of this fascinating topic! You'll also hear next week's space weather forecast, with some farside sunspots to keep an eye on.

The solar radio flux is an important value in space weather monitoring and helps gauge solar cycle strength. It also impacts HF radio. What is it? I explain in the show. Also, I give the space weather forecast, which is surprisingly quiet!

In this show, learn what solar eclipses are and how to see two amazing upcoming ones! Here are the links to the useful pages I mention:

October 14, 2023: timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2023-october-14

April 8, 2024: timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar/2024-april-8

Eclipse day weather: eclipsophile.com

On May 10, we experienced one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in the last 25 years. In this episode, I summarise the key points of this article by Christian Harris, to see how the storm stacks up against the other main contender this century. https://www.spaceweatherlive.com/en/news/view/544/20240517-let-s-compare-halloween-2003-vs-may-2024-solar-storms.html

Supernovas are a hot topic right now in the world of astronomy, as a new one was just discovered in the Pinwheel Galaxy! Listen to find out all about supernovas, their potential effects on Earth, and even how to see the newest one! You'll also find the space weather forecast, with a pretty quiet outlook.

This episode takes a look at solar cycles, answering many common questions, such as what they are and why they happen, and giving plenty of extra interesting information. The space weather forecast is included as well, with a decent chance for flares on the menu.

This fall, Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS is predicted to be visible to the naked eye, and some think it could be a truly bright spectacle. In this show, I give an overview of how to look for the comet in September and October. I also describe how space weather is responsible for many of a comet's classic features! Visit theskylive.com/c2023a3-info for up-to-date info on the comet's brightness and location, so you can point your own telescope at it.

In this episode I cover radio blackouts: what they are, how they're connected to solar flares, why they matter, and more. I also give the space weather forecast, with many big flare players for an active start to the new year!

Sometimes, not only the aurora glows in the night sky. STEVE is a phenomenon only discovered in 2016 that can also be found lighting up the upper atmosphere. What is it and how can you see it? Listen to find out! Included is next week's solar forecast, with the sun taking a break from major activity.