Earth-grazer fireball with radio reflections recorded over New Mexico

Earth-grazer fireball with radio reflections recorded over New Mexico

An Earth-grazer fireball flew over New Mexico, US at 09:42 UTC (03:42 MDT) on October 25, 2017 and was recorded by amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft. Ashcraft recorded it over his personal observatory "Heliotown" in Lamy, New Mexico. …

ELVES captured above a thunderstorm in Colorado, US

ELVES captured above a thunderstorm in Colorado, US

On June 8, 2016, amateur astronomer Thomas Ashcraft captured an enormous ring of light high above a thunderstorm in southeast Colorado. "It only lasted about a millisecond, but it was definitely there. The ring was about 300 km (186 miles) wide," Ashcraft…

Rare form of transient luminous event over Oklahoma, US

Rare form of transient luminous event over Oklahoma, US

An enormous swarm of sprites was observed across the top of a thunderstorm during a severe weather outbreak in Oklahoma, US on May 23, 2016. The phenomenon was recorded by amateur astronomer Thomas Ashcraft, almost 640 km (400 miles) away, SpaceWeather.com reports,…

One of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years subsiding

One of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years subsiding

Earth's magnetic field is still reverberating from a CME strike on August 5th that sparked one of the strongest geomagnetic storms in years. Registering 8 on the 0 to 9 "K-index" scale of magnetic disturbances, the storm, at its maximum, sparked…

Geomagnetic storm still in progress but lingering

Geomagnetic storm still in progress but lingering

A geomagnetic storm is in progress. It began on August 5th around 18:00 UT when a CME struck Earth's magnetic field. At its peak during the hours just after impact, the storm registered 8 on the 0 to 9 "K-index" scale of geomagnetic disturbances,…

Sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts

Sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts

On July 7th, the sun produced a series of strong shortwave radio bursts. Click on the dynamic spectrum below to play a 21 MHz sample recorded by amateur radio astronomer Thomas Ashcraft in rural New Mexico. The action begins about 18 seconds into the 2-minute…