Latest news with #AllisonJaynes
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5 days ago
- Science
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University of Iowa launches first-of-its-kind space probe
A space mission led by professors from the University of Iowa launched in California on Wednesday. The 'TRACERS Spacecraft' was in development for eight years. The university held a launch party for everyone to watch it take off into orbit Wednesday afternoon. 'It's the first of its size and kind that's ever been led by the University of Iowa.' said Associate Professor for the Department of Physics and Astrology Allison Jaynes. Space always seems far away, but for the University of Iowa it's within reach. The university's physics and astronomy department led a mission with NASA to send up Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites, or TRACERS for short. The TRACERS work in a pair and help predict space weather. 'So, we have sort of a shield made of magnetic field around the Earth but some of that energy that comes from the sun in the form of a solar wind gets inside of that shield and we want to know when and where and how much energy gets in,' said Jaynes. Space weather may not seem like something that affects us on Earth, but it does have an impact on farmers. 'In Iowa specifically we use GPS-guided tractors to do all of our farming for example, and space weather can really mess up that signal, so we're hoping that with technology and missions like this we can better predict that space weather just like we predict terrestrial weather,' said Jaynes. Students worked alongside experts on the mission, and it was a learning experience for everyone. 'It was definitely intimidating at first but it's also very cool to see the behind-the -cenes of how the team structure works, how we're deciding the data comes down and the communication with NASA and all that, so I feel like I'm learning so much every week,' said graduate student Brendan Powers, who also worked on the space probes. The mission was successful. The TRACERS were let into orbit and the spaceship landed back on Earth in less than eight minutes. Jaynes described it as an 'ideal launch.' The satellites will orbit for about a year before they burn in the atmosphere. 027-David Miles speaks to a community gathering at the Space and Missile Technology Center, a museum commemorating historic rocket launches at Vandenberg. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Science
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Lyrid meteor shower will soon fly over Iowa. When is the best time to watch?
One of the oldest known meteor showers will return to Iowa's skies during the last few weeks of April. Every April, the Lyrid meteor shower becomes visible on Earth as our planet passes through the debris trails. The Lyrids will be visible in the Northern Hemisphere between midnight and dawn. They emerged from the constellation Lyra, according to astronomers. The Lyrid meteor shower will peak April 21 and April 22, but the peak is hard to predict, said Allison Jaynes, an associate professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Iowa. However, activity could start as early as midnight on April 16. Viewers could see 10 to 15 meteors per hour. "If they're lucky, they'll catch a 'fireball, ' which is an exceptionally bright meteor that creates a long, dramatic tail. Very rarely, there are short bursts of much higher meteor rates, but we're not able to predict when those will happen," Jaynes told the Register in an email. Watch the sky from a reclined position. This can be done by using a lawn chair or blanket on the ground. This allows stargazers to see the majority of the sky to increase their odds of catching a meteor. Look straight up into the sky because there is no specific direction the meteors could be traveling from, Jaynes said. "In Iowa, we have great access to dark skies. Just go out of the cities and towns to farm areas away from concentrations of bright lights," Jaynes said. Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@ or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Lyrid meteor shower will soon pass Iowa. When you should watch
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Science
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The sun is reaching an 11-year peak. What does it mean for the northern lights in Iowa?
Electromagnetic activity is intensifying in 2025 as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year solar cycle. This heightened activity could increase the likelihood of celestial events like the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights. So, does that mean Iowa will see more colors shine over the night sky this year? Here's what we know. The sun has a number of sunspots, which are cooler regions caused by a concentration of magnetic field lines. During the approaching peak, or the solar maximum, these sunspots multiply, which means we can expect more solar flares and coronal mass ejections and thus, more instances of the northern lights. "We're seeing more intense aurorae recently and that correlates with the sun," Steve Kawaler, a distinguished professor of astronomy at Iowa State University. "So we're lucky now we've got lots of sunspots, lots of activity and occasionally clear nights." In 2025, in particular, the solar maximum is expected to be much stronger than the last one in 2014, which was uncharacteristically weak, said Allison Jaynes, associate professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Iowa. We've already seen solar activity ramp up in 2024, Jaynes said, and the trend is expected to continue throughout 2025. Early in October Iowans, and even those as far south as Alabama, had a chance to witness the striking rays, spirals and flickers of the northern lights. That event was amplified when a solar coronal mass ejection of plasma clouds and charged particles drove a geomagnetic storm toward Earth. The storm was so strong that it prompted the National Space Weather Prediction Center to issue a rare G4 geomagnetic storm watch for the second time in 2024. The first came in May when a powerful geomagnetic storm was responsible for some reports of power grid irregularities and interference with GPS signals — even farming equipment. On the bright side, it also unleashed spectacular views of the northern lights in parts of the country where auroras are not often visible. That particular storm watch was the first time the SWPC had issued a G4 storm watch in 19 years. Amid the solar activity, the sun emitted an explosive burst of radiation that became the largest solar flare detected since 2017, according to NOAA. In the months ahead, the resulting glowing auroras may be quite the sight to see — if you look up at the right place and time. The auroras are best seen around the magnetic poles of the northern and southern hemispheres in places like Europe, Asia and North America. In the United States, Alaska is well known to have the best viewing opportunities for the northern lights. Even though conditions are prime for more impending aurora shows, experts have long struggled to accurately forecast exactly when and where the phenomenon will occur. Even the best predictions can only accurately be made a few days or even hours in advance. The Space Weather Prediction Center provides an aurora dashboard that should help skygazers track the phenomenon. And Aurorasaurus has a live map, with notification options. If it looks like the northern lights will flare up near Iowa, it's recommended that you get away from cities and travel to dark locations free from light pollution. If the weather is clear, the best aurora is usually visible within an hour or two from midnight, according to NOAA. Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@ or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The sun is near an 11-year peak. Will Iowa see more northern lights?
