What's Up? The Space Place

 Hey, Space Placers! Easter Island Moai statue Greg Redfern Before I get into the Aurora, I wanted to share with you this incredible statue on Eastern Island. I got to see a few more and they were spell binding. Read about them. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC)  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/   issued this statement  https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/news/g2-watch-19-21-march-due-cme-and-ch-hss-effects   this morning: G2 WATCH FOR 19-21 MARCH DUE TO CME AND CH HSS EFFECTS published: Thursday, March 19, 2026 13:53 UTC “A G2 Watch is in effect 19-21 March due to a mix of potential CME arrivals and CH HSS effects. While there is a high level of uncertainty related to the CME arrivals, there is more certainty regarding the likely CH HSS effects to begin by 21 March, with at least a G2 storm levels likely. There is at least a slight chance for G3 (Strong) storm conditions throughout this period. Continue to follow ...

 Hey, Space Placers! Artemis II Stack Greg Redfern Read my gift article from the New York Times about Dr. Robert Goddard and the birth of spaceflight 100 years ago today. How far we have come....... Sky Guy Underway in the South Pacific Ocean

 Hey, Space Placers! A new study suggests our sun might be a migrant from a more central region of our home galaxy, the  Milky Way . It suggests our sun joined a migration of other stars, which moved outward from the inner part of the galaxy some 4 to 6 billion years ago. Image via NAOJ/  EurekaAlert . New research on our star. Sky Guy Underway in the South Pacific Ocean

 Hey, Space Placers! A NASA illustration of a lunar base. (Image credit: NASA) VERY INTERESTING ARTICLE! Sky Guy underway in the South Pacific

Hey, Space Placers! ARTEMIS II STACK JANUARY 17, 2026 GREG REDFERN MY NOTES FROM TODAY'S NASA ARTEMIS II PRESS CONFERENCE : THE ARTEMIS II CREW PARTICIPATED VIRTUALLY IN THE TWO DAY FLIGHT READINESS REVIEW, WHICH CONCLUDED ARTEMIS II IS GO FOR LAUNCH.  NET APRIL 1, 2026 AT 6:24 PM.  NASA HAS ADDED AN EXTRA DAY 4/2, SO 4/1-4/6 WITH MAYBE 4 LAUNCH OPPORTUNITIES DURING THAT TIMEFRAME. ROLL OUT TO THE LAUNCH PAD IS PLANNED FOR 3/19/26. BEFORE ROLL OUT MORE WORK TO BE DONE AT THE VAB AND THE PAD. NOT A LOT OF WORK AT THE VAB LEFT. IT WAS TWO WEEKS AGO NASA HAD TO DO A ROLL BACK AFTER A VERY SUCCESSFUL WET DRESS REHEARSAL. FIXED THE HELIUM LEAK TO THE UPPER STAGE, CAME UP WITH A DESIGN FIX WHICH HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED. FLIGHT TERMINATION SYSTEM IS BEING UPDATED IN THE VAB.  QUICKEST TURN AROUND OF A ROLL BACK TO VAB AND BACK TO THE PAD IN THE ARTEMIS PROGRAM IN 22 DAYS. CREW IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND READY TO FLY. THEY WILL START QUARANTINE ON THE 19TH. NASA IS TOTALLY FOCUSED ON...

 Hey, Space Placers! An artist's impression of the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS, with methanol (blue) flowing from both its nucleus and icy grains in the coma, while hydrogen cyanide (orange) is released mainly from the nucleus. (Image credit: NSF/AUI/NSF NRAO/M.Weiss) "Observing 3I/ATLAS is like taking a fingerprint from another solar system." Full story here. Sky Guy in the Stormy South Pacific - ROCK N'    ROLL!!