Teo Blašković founded The Watchers in 2011 and edited it until 2026, covering seismic and volcanic activity, extreme weather, space weather and near-Earth objects. Articles on this page are his archive.

  • Emergency declared as record-high magma accumulation and intense earthquake swarm force Grindavík evacuation, Iceland

    ByTeo Blašković

    In response to a significant escalation in seismo-volcanic activity on the Reykjanes Peninsula in Iceland, characterized by an exceptional accumulation of magma, the intrusion of a substantial dike, and an intense earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) and Civil Defense authorities have implemented critical safety protocols on November 10, 2023. These measures include the mandatory evacuation of Grindavík and the proclamation of a state of emergency

  • Shallow M6.2 earthquake hits Banda Sea, Indonesia

    ByTeo Blašković

    A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M6.2 hit Banda Sea, Indonesia at 20:45 UTC on November 10, 2023 (03:45 LT, November 11), at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). The USGS is reporting M6.1 at a depth of 10.7 km (6.6 miles). This is most likely another aftershock of the M7.2 quake that hit the same region at 04:52 UTC on November 8.

  • Another incoming CME, impact expected on November 11

    ByTeo Blašković

    On November 9, 2023, a low-level C-Class solar flare and a full halo coronal mass ejection (CME) were observed, starting shortly after 11:15 UTC. This solar activity, occurring near the Sun’s center disk, is anticipated to impact Earth by November 11, around 18:00 UTC, potentially triggering a G2 – Moderate geomagnetic storm. Concurrently, a minor polar cap absorption event is affecting shortwave radio transmissions in polar regions.

  • Shallow M6.8 earthquake hits Banda Sea, Indonesia

    ByTeo Blašković

    A strong and shallow earthquake registered by the BMKG as M6.8 hit Banda Sea, Indonesia at 13:02 UTC on November 8, 2023, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). This is most likely the aftershock of M7.2 quake that hit the same region at 04:52 UTC today.

  • Shallow M5.3 earthquake hits near Mentone, western Texas

    ByTeo Blašković

    A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.3 hit near Mentone, western Texas at 10:27 UTC (04:27 LT) on November 8, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 7 km (4.3 miles). This is the fifth strongest earthquake in Texas on record.

  • Asteroid 2023 VB2 flew past Earth at 0.085 LD

    ByTeo Blašković

    A newly-discovered asteroid designated 2023 VB2 flew past Earth at a distance of 0.085 LD / 0.00022 AU (32 769 km / 20 362 miles) from the center of our planet at 07:00 UTC on November 7, 2023. This is one of 3 asteroids to fly past Earth within 1 lunar distance today — the others are 2023 VS at 01:18 UTC and 2023 VD2 at 12:53 UTC.

  • Geomagnetic storm reaches G3 – Strong level after dual CME impact

    ByTeo Blašković

    A G3 – Strong geomagnetic storming was observed on Sunday, November 5, 2023, as a result of the impact of two successive coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. The storm produced auroras extending into the lower latitudes such as Colorado and Texas in the United States and Greece in Europe, which is unusual for such regions. Many people across both hemispheres have also recorded and captured rare red aurora.