A Starry Night

By Phillip Park

With these trying times and the global crisis that we are struggling to combat, sometimes we forget that the world moves on without us. Recently on December 7th, the sun released highly charged coronal matter straight across the solar system with a massive solar flare, and for the first time in centuries, people who live in places as far as Utah will be able to see the Aurora Borealis, commonly known as the northern lights, right in their home state. Many stargazers and even ordinary citizens are excited by this news and are eagerly waiting for the day the Borealis comes, but scientists are handling a far more serious problem concerning the pretty display.

“If the magnetic field carried with the CME (Coronal Mass Ejaculation) connects well with the earth’s atmosphere,...” Says the NOAA Space Institute, the incoming coronal energy could cause extremely strong storms on the surface. Even now, side effects of this event are taking place right within your devices, as the energy has the power to disrupt GPS navigation and can even interfere with some power grids close to the affected area.

Another once-in-a-lifetime event is a rare conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn and this alignment of planets will be the closest the planets have ever gotten since the Middle ages, and you won’t want to miss this one. Mark this on your calendar, as this won’t happen again until well after 2080. The news has dubbed the name “the Christmas Star”, as some historians have even estimated that the so-called “Star of Bethlehem” in the Christian bible could actually have been this particular planetary conjunction. The optimal viewing time for this is December 15-18, at around 45 minutes after sunset. It is important to note that this time frame won’t last long.

To take our minds off the negative events that have occurred this year, remember that there are other things to look forward to while you are staying at home. Stargazing is a fun, safe hobby and can easily be done in our current situation, and even a chance for a family bonding moment. Remember that we are but one of infinite beings in this universe, and that the sky will always have something meaningful to offer.