• The effects of solar variability on Earth’s climate

    A new report issued by the National Research Council (NRC), “The Effects of Solar Variability on Earth’s Climate,” lays out some of the surprisingly complex ways that solar activity can make itself felt on our planet.The luminosity of our own sun varies a 0.1% over

  • Potentially hazardous Asteroid Apophis close flyby tonight

    ESA officials announced that its infrared Herschel Space Observatory has discovered that Apophis is about 325 meters (1,066 feet) wide, nearly 20 percent larger than a previous estimate of 270 m (885 feet). A 2004 study that predicted a 2.7 percent chance of

  • Swarm of moderate earthquakes hit Carlsberg Ridge

    Swarm of moderate earthquakes hit Carlsberg Ridge with strongest registered as M5.0 at 05:27  UTC on January 9, 2013 at depth of 10 km (6.2 miles) according to USGS. Ten earthquakes stronger than M 4.7 hit the area in the last 24 hours. Map showing recent seismic

  • Bushfires rage across Tasmania

    The Tasmanian Fire Service has declared a total fire ban on January 7/8. North-West coastal communities were put on high alert, triggering a number of evacuations, as 80km/h winds drove the Montumana fire towards their towns last night. Major fires continue to burn

  • Tropical Cyclone Narelle formed off Australia coast

    Tropical Cyclone Narelle developed off northwestern Australia coast with the potential to make landfall. Area between the coasts of Port Hedland and Learmount could get the most of rainfall and strong winds. TC Narelle forecast track by JTWC  According to

  • “It’s a Loopy Sun” by NASA/SDO

    NASA/SDO released a short video which covers January 5 through 7 and shows the 171 angstroms channel, which is especially good at showing coronal loops – the arcs extending off of the Sun where plasma moves along the magnetic field lines. The brightest spots

  • Dust from West Africa over the Atlantic Ocean

    Dust hovered over the Atlantic Ocean in early January 2013, continuing an intermittent pattern of dust-storm activity in the region. A veil of dust stretched from the coast of Mauritania westward to Cape Verde.Sand seas cover most of Mauritania and parts of Western

  • Australia sweltering in record heatwave

    Australia experienced the hottest day in recorded history yesterday, on January 7. The average maximum temperature across Australia reached 40.33 degrees Celsius, beating the previous record of 40.17 degrees set in December 21, 1972. There was only three times in