BIG SUNSPOT:

[Whitters]

BIG SUNSPOT:  An impressive sunspot, "NOAA 822," has appeared on the Earth-facing side of the sun.  Measured from end to end, it is wider than Jupiter, and it is crackling with M-class (medium-sized) solar flares.   So far none of the explosions has hurled a coronal mass ejection toward Earth.  Geomagnetic storms and auroras are possible, however, if this 'spot unleashes a major flare in the days ahead.

TAURID FIREBALLS:  The Taurid meteor shower, which peaked in early November and should be subsiding, continues to produce fireballs, according to reports submitted to the American Meteor Society.  If you're outside at night this week, keep an eye on the sky for bright meteors.

Visit http://spaceweather.com for more information and updates.

[Rick]

Saw a fireball over Gatwick Airport yesterday evening abou 18:40, low in the west. At first I thought it was a plane heading for the runway far too fast...