iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Amazing new reconstruction of sunspot number for the last ~1000 years by Saha et al. 2026: link.springer.com/article/10.1...

Sunspot number since the year 971, showing several long minima and the recent, more regular solar cycles

0128

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Jasmine 🌌🔭 @astrojaz.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

i’m obsessed with this very specific genre of photo

A color photograph looking outward through the interior of a spacecraft toward a thin crescent Earth suspended in space. Dark structural elements of the spacecraft frame the view, with the window opening forming an irregular border around the planet. The illuminated crescent floats near the center of the image against a deep black sky. Reflections from the spacecraft interior and faint alignment markings are visible on the window, emphasizing that the photograph was taken from inside the spacecraft.

A color photograph of Earth’s curved horizon viewed through a circular spacecraft window. The dark window frame creates a round border around the scene, while Earth’s blue atmosphere, white cloud systems, and sunlit surface occupy the lower left portion of the view. The upper right portion fades into the blackness of space with a single bright point of light visible beyond Earth’s limb. The composition highlights both the spacecraft window and the planet beyond it.

A color photograph of a half-illuminated Moon viewed through a spacecraft window. The thick, multi-layered window frame surrounds the left and lower edges of the image, with alternating white, black, and reddish sealing rings visible around the glass. The cratered lunar surface is sharply lit against the blackness of space and appears centered in the window. A smaller, bright crescent Earth is visible near the right edge of the frame, while scattered stars and a few small reflections on the window glass appear throughout the dark background.

515525

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

China's Tianwen-2 has first imaged asteroid Kamoʻoalewa, which is on a wide orbit around Earth 🌍 between 0.9 and 1.1 au, but tilted to the ecliptic by 8°. This is close to "distant retrograde orbits" for future space weather forecasting missions like @esa.int HENON. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbbA...

Image by CNSA Tianwen-2 of asteroid Kamoʻoalewa

030

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

We had an amazing time at #solarwind17 in Bath / UK, learning about current solar wind science on all scales and presenting our work on solar storm forecasting and multispacecraft observations of their evolution. Plus a visit of Stonehenge and World Cup wins for England and Austria!

0101

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

At the #SolarWind17 conference in Bath UK this week (after going through London Paddington station) - first sessions about solar wind small-scale physics and turbulence, and a tutorial on getting funding from the @erc.europa.eu!

050

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Looking at the recent #solarstorms that are expected to arrive at Earth 🌍 around late Thu June 4 (from early June 3), I am quite skeptical on their geomagnetic storm potential. The flares were of short duration, there are no clear halo CMEs and all eruptions a going mainly to north/south in LASCO.

170

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Fun and productive week @issibern.ch with an ISSI team working on the connection between heliospheric and magnetospheric data and models for improved #spaceweather forecasts. Bonus: the @science.esa.int launch of SMILE 🚀! teams.issibern.ch/space-weathe...

140

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Great that the @esa.int SMILE launch went so smooth, looking forward to the new images of the magnetopause and aurora! Always good to have another in situ monitor near Earth. I got to shortly comment on the technological effects of #spaceweather on Austrian national TV: on.orf.at/live?channel...

on.orf.at

ORF Live

Verpassen Sie nie wieder den Anfang einer Sendung: ORF 1, ORF 2, ORF III, ORF Sport + und ORF KIDS live sehen und bis zu 24 Stunden zurückspringen.

040

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Seán Doran @theseaning.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Earth eclipses the Sun as seen by Artemis II on Orion. Satellites showing off as usual...

3336129

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Impressions from the @esa.int heliophysics modeling workshop this week at ESOC in Darmstadt - amazing to see a roundup of the #spaceweather modeling landscape, as well as the ESOC control rooms, and even a Rosetta/Philae spacecraft model in real size!

060

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

The #solarstorm from March 30 has gone way off to the east of Earth (solar wind, left), so no problem for #ARTEMIS2. Fingers crossed🤞that during the 10 day journey to the moon a solar energetic particle (SEP) hazard does not occur - see data on the Jan 19 2026 event by the LRO spacecraft👇(right).

193

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Austrian Space Weather Office @aswogeosphere.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

We've been featured on Austrian national TV ORF2 in "Mayrs Magazin" roaming around Austria's magnetic Conrad observatory and talking about solar storms, with @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social and Veronika Haberle. The @esa.int HENON and Vigil missions were mentioned too! on.orf.at/video/143147...

on.orf.at

Sonnenstürme könnten Stromnetze lahmlegen - Mayrs Magazin - Wissen für alle vom 13.03.2026

Die Sonne befindet sich aktuell auf dem Höhepunkt ihres elfjährigen Zyklus. Dadurch treten Sonnenstürme häufiger auf, die Satelliten beschädigen und sogar Stromnetze gefährden können. Forscher des Spa...

082

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 20/02/2026

spaceweather.com sometimes posts solar images from the #Mars Perseverance Rover camera MASTCAM-Z, in low but good enough resolution to see big sunspots (e.g. Feb 19 2026 below). Mars is currently on the opposite side of the Sun as seen from Earth. The images are here: mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mul...

091

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Dr. Ryan French @ryanjfrench.bsky.social · 31/01/2026

BREAKING: This is Richard Carrington, the first person to document solar flares on the Sun & suggest their influence on aurora at Earth. The largest solar storm on record, the Carrington Event, bares his name. But, there has been no photograph available of Carrington – until now!

48122

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Sonja Hartl @sonjahartl7.eurosky.social · 19/01/2026

Crazy 21:36 UTC Jan 19, 2026 Location Koralpe Austria 46N #Aurora #spaceweather @vincentledvina.bsky.social

0306

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

This solar cycle is so funny because whenever you think you don't know exactly what to do for the next paper or project these things happen.

090

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Vincent Ledvina @vincentledvina.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

Wow! Here is the current view over Falkenberg, Germany! Quite amazing red aurora from this mid-latitude location. Europe get outside! go.theauroraguy.com/webcams

39920

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/01/2026

This is likely the strongest near-Earth #solarwind magnetic field I have ever seen in my career - 90.6 nT total field, and perfectly northward 61.7 nT Bz component. If this is the main flux rope, the north and west pointing field is consistent with the right handed source region - Bz would stay > 0!

13310

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Austrian Space Weather Office @aswogeosphere.bsky.social · 23/12/2025

A press story is out today (german) on our forecast for the chances for #aurora nights at mid-latitudes in 2026. We predict another 1-2 possible nights in 2026, as we expect 20-30 #solarstorm impacts at Earth 🌍 in 2026. ☀️ Solar cycle 25 is not done yet! ☀️ science.apa.at/power-search...

1142

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

🤯 Very interesting study featured on spaceweather.com today about #solarstorms lowering satellite orbits and thus collision avoidance maneuvers are needed, in particular for satellite megaconstellations ➡️ #spaceweather may form a tipping point towards Kessler Syndrome. arxiv.org/abs/2512.09643

arxiv.org

An Orbital House of Cards: Frequent Megaconstellation Close Conjunctions

The number of objects in orbit is rapidly increasing, primarily driven by the launch of megaconstellations, an approach to satellite constellation design that involves large numbers of satellites pair...

051

Reposted by Christian Möstl

ESA Operations @operations.esa.int · 08/12/2025

Check out the first poster in our new series: "Space Safety - in action!" Mission: Vigil Objective: Advanced warning of solar storms Unique feature: Location in deep space offers 'side-on' view of solar material heading towards Earth Launch: 2031 Download the poster at: www.esa.int/Space_Safety...

Stylised poster depicting spacecraft watching the Sun with Earth depicted below

0617

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

My take away so far from discussions on the #Airbus software updates due to potential #spaceweather induced electronics upsets: the Sun ☀️ seems not responsible for the incident on October 30 (no significant eruptions on that day), but solar energetic particles could lead to similar failures.

180

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Prof Jim Wild @jim-wild.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

An interesting #spaceweather story developing. Airbus has made a statement saying that “Analysis of a recent event involving an A320 Family aircraft has revealed that intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

bbc.co.uk

Flights disrupted as Airbus requests modifications to thousands of planes

About 6,000 plans are thought to be affected, about half the European aerospace giant's global fleet.

34126

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

We will hear more details in the coming days but it also looks like ESA Space Safety - with a highly ambitious program - was very well funded, and besides the Asteroid mission to Apophis in 2029 (once in a lifetime chance), eager to hear more about the #spacewather missions to be designed and built!

051

Reposted by Christian Möstl

European Space Agency @esa.int · 24/11/2025

📺 Our Ministerial Council takes place this week, 26-27 November, in Bremen, Germany. Vital decisions will be made on Europe's future in space. You can follow events live on the days here! 👇 www.esa.int/About_Us/Min... Also check out our dedicated #CM25 website 👇 🔗 esa.int/CM25

esa.int

Follow CM25 online

The European Space Agency's Ministerial Council – more formally Council at Ministerial level – takes place in Bremen, Germany on 26 and 27 November 2025. 

15011

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 31/10/2025

Day 4 of #ESWW2025! @maikebauer.bsky.social + @lelouedecj.bsky.social presented posters on #solarstorm automatic detection and modeling to make life easier for forecasters. @hannahruedisser.bsky.social took part in a panel on the best practices and future use of AI in #spaceweather! 1/3

192

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Day 3 at #ESWW2025! @hannahruedisser.bsky.social presented our automatic solar storm detection method ARCANE, combined with our models for the storm magnetic field (3DCORE) and arrival time (ELEvo), showcasing their power for real time application. (1/2)👇

1102

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 29/10/2025

Day 2 at #ESWW2025! @spacedavies.bsky.social rocked the stage with a talk on solar storm forecasts with sub-L1 monitors with @esa.int #SolarOrbiter. I participated in 2 panel discussion, on the role of validation, and the future of space weather modeling at ESA in the next 10-15 years. ☀️💥🤖

0163

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 27/10/2025

Some impressions from day one at #ESWW2025 including first poster presentations and big congrats to long-time collaborator Erika Palmerio @erikapal.bsky.social for receiving the Alexander Chizhevsky Medal for early career scientists!

0182

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 10/09/2025

🇬🇧UK Space Weather meeting in Sheffield, day 3 starts with a session on new 🛰️ missions, including @craig.deforest.org on @punch-mission.bsky.social, Jorge Amaya on a new fleet of @esa.int spacecraft and a possible later far-side ☀️ mission (near L3), and Jonathan Eastwood on ESA HENON for sub-L1 data.

3161

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 09/09/2025

Some impressions from the UK 🇬🇧💂‍♂️ Space Weather and Space Environment Meeting III in Sheffield this week - I talked about research to operations to research at @aswogeosphere.bsky.social and the usage for spacecraft measuring solar storm magnetic fields closer to the Sun ☀️ (so called sub-L1 monitors).

2151

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 31/08/2025

This #solarstorm from late Aug 30 2025 will arrive at 🌍 noon to late Monday Sep 1. Depending on its internal magnetic field, it has the potential for #aurora in central Europe and maybe #GNSS errors. Parker Solar Probe will tell us in hindsight if its field was predictable from 0.5 au.

1166

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 19/08/2025

This is a really great summary of the current state of #AI. For my scientific work 🧑‍💻 its useful to (1) quickly summarize fields that I am not familiar with and (2) to give me templates for coding. Both are great tools ⚒️ but a far cry from AGI/ASI. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

theatlantic.com

AI Is a Mass-Delusion Event

Three years in, one of AI’s enduring impacts is to make people feel like they’re losing it.

152

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Dr. Jessie Christiansen @aussiastronomer.bsky.social · 07/08/2025

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, ALPHA CEN A b!!! First hinted at in Wagner+21, now Chas Beichman, Aniket Sanghi and team have published new JWST images of alpha Cen A showing another hint of this Saturn-sized planet candidate! exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/overview/alp...

Screenshot of the NASA Exoplanet Archive homepage for the alpha Cen system.

010318

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

This years @erc.europa.eu Advanced Grant results are out! In solar system sciences and #heliophysics there are projects on solar coronal heating, stellar convection and icy moons. Otherwise in #astrophysics topics like planet formation, black holes and dark matter were selected.

071

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 17/06/2025

What a week for #heliophysics 🔥: first #solarstorm imaged with NASA @punch-mission.bsky.social, @esa.int Solar Orbiter provides the first view of the solar south pole, and @esa.int Proba-3 demonstrates formation flying and imaging the inner solar corona.

160

Reposted by Christian Möstl

European Space Agency @esa.int · 16/06/2025

Breaking space news: We have made our own solar eclipse in space! 🌘 Today, we release the first images from our Proba-3 mission, which flies two spacecraft in precise formation to create artificial solar eclipses in orbit. Learn more ➡️ www.esa.int/Enabling_Sup...

7445101

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 06/06/2025

Highly fascinating that for the @esa.int gravitational wave observatory #LISA (launch ~2035), #spaceweather effects need to be studied. Kind of logical, due to the superhigh sensitivity of the observations. 2035 is the max of solar cycle 26, and we might know its strength in the early 2030s. paper👇

130

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

This is a new tool to look at @science.esa.int #SolarOrbiter imaging data (or data from other missions) and the field of views of different instruments. hpa.esa.int/hpa/#/home

1122

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Erin Reed @erininthemorning.com · 01/06/2025

This morning we drove to Bozeman Pride for @zoandbehold.bsky.social to speak, then went down to Yellowstone and saw incredible sights. Then, on the drive back to Missoula at 1AM, the heavens erupted. Naked eye visible aurora. The northern lights told us Happy Pride :)

1289470969

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

The @egu.eu General Assembly week in #Vienna 🇦🇹 May 3-8 2026 may overlap with the @eurovision.tv Song Contest 2026 week! Could be more likely though that the #ESC happens one week later, with the final on Saturday May 16. If the #ESC goes to #Graz, visitors @aswogeosphere.bsky.social are welcome! 😀

062

Christian Möstl @chrisoutofspace.bsky.social · 15/05/2025

Theoretically the special theory of relativity was invented in Switzerland 🇨🇭 😆 - when at an @issibern.ch teams meeting, pay a visit to the Einstein Haus in downtown Bern, where he lived in 1905 when he invented special relativity!

090

Reposted by Christian Möstl

Austrian Space Weather Office @aswogeosphere.bsky.social · 09/05/2025

Tomorrow is the anniversary of the 10-11 May 2024 geomagnetic superstorm! Our paper in @agu.org Space Weather led by Eva Weiler demonstrates the solar source of 5 interacting #solarstorms and the possibility to better predict such events with sub-L1 monitors in the future. 🧵👇 doi.org/10.1029/2024...

Aurora over the Sonnblick Observatory in Austria on 11 May 2024

Solar storms observed by STEREO-A in May 2024

The solar source active region of the geomagnetic superstorm in May 2024

Simulations of the solar storms at the GeoSphere Austria

1228