Space Weather News for April 16, 2003<br />http://www.spaceweather.com<br /><br /><br />THE PLANET MERCURY: This is a good week to spot the innermost planet in<br />our solar system. Look low and to the west just after sunset; Mercury will<br />be there shining like a 1st magnitude star. Mercury, which is usually<br />hidden by the Sun's glare, reaches greatest elongation (apparent distance<br />from the Sun) on April 16th. Visit spaceweather.com for sky maps and<br />details. (Note: When you're done looking for Mercury in the west on April<br />16th, spin around and look at the full Moon rising in the east. <br />Low-hanging full Moons very often seem swollen and colorful--a lovely<br />sight.)<br /><br /><br />AURORA WATCH: Earth is once again slipping into a high-speed solar wind<br />stream flowing from a coronal hole on the Sun. Auroras are possible on<br />April 16th and 17th--especially at high latitudes: e.g., New Zealand,<br />southern Australia, northern Europe, Canada, Alaska and other northern US<br />states such as Wisconsin, Vermont and Michigan. Because at this time of<br />year nights are shortening in the northern hemisphere and lengthening in<br />the southern hemisphere, southern sky watchers could be favored during<br />this week's geomagnetic activity. The bright full Moon will make faint<br />auroras harder-than-usual to see in both hemispheres.