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Stargazers eager for their next opportunity to witness the northern lights have a formidable ally: a dedicated cadre of space weather forecasters vigilantly observing the sun for the next major solar outburst.

Last month’s mesmerizing aurora, visible as far south as Florida, was an extraordinary event. Experts, however, predict even more spectacular displays in the coming years as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year sunspot cycle.
In a fortified facility in Boulder, forecasters at the federal Space Weather Prediction Center are poised for the sun’s next move. This center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, features immense screens showcasing the sun in various spectrums—from visible light to its potent magnetic fields and the ever-present solar flares erupting from its surface.

“We’re constantly trying to anticipate what will impact our little blue planet,” remarked senior forecaster Shawn Dahl.
Extra-potent sunspots, often coupled with the sun ejecting vast quantities of superheated plasma, not only trigger auroras but also threaten satellites, aircraft, GPS systems, and power grids.

While inhabitants near the poles—from Alaska, Iceland, and Finland to New Zealand and Australia—routinely witness the aurora during winter, last month’s spectacle was notable for its visibility in numerous locations unaccustomed to such phenomena, particularly in late spring. Experts maintain that usual viewing patterns will persist, yet the substantial sunspot increases the likelihood of another grand display soon gracing extensive parts of the United States.

Ordinary auroras are forecasted with mere hours of notice, but grand spectacles like last month’s result from solar explosions detected by forecasters days in advance of their atmospheric arrival.

Utilizing data from a network of sun-focused satellites, forecasters are scrutinizing the sunspot group designated as Region 3697, alongside solar flares and coronal mass ejections—colossal plasma eruptions with self-generated magnetic fields.
Appearing as a gray blemish on the sun’s surface, the magnitude of this sunspot cluster is astonishing: it spans an area 15 times larger than Earth. And remember, the sun itself is a staggering 93 million miles away.

Fans of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce eager to uncover the future of the couple’s relationship have Jason Sudeikis to thank for stirring the pot.

Kelce appeared alongside Sudeikis and comedians Robert Smigel and George Wendt during a comedic sketch at the Big Slick Celebrity Weekend charity event in Kansas City, Missouri. Social media videos captured the scene, with the three comedians dressed as fervent sports fans. Smigel and Wendt humorously suggested that Kelce should ask Swift to finance a new football stadium for the Kansas City Chiefs, jesting that “a few hundred million to Taylor is like the cost of four concert tickets.”

Kelce, caught off guard, replied, “She just got to Kansas City, boys. Jesus!” But the situation only grew more uncomfortable. In full costume, complete with a fake mustache, Sudeikis pressed Kelce with a question he likely wanted to avoid. “Travis, real talk, okay, just the guys here,” the “Ted Lasso” star began, peering over his sunglasses and raising his eyebrows.

“When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?” Sudeikis continued, prompting applause and cheers from the audience. He added, “Taylor doesn’t need to be working anymore and, again, I know your kicker agrees with me. He gets it.” This remark alluded to a controversial commencement speech by Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, who suggested that most women are more excited about marriage and children than their careers.

Kelce, clearly embarrassed, responded with a smile and an awkward chuckle, hoping the moment would pass quickly.
Swift and Kelce began their relationship last summer, with the singer frequently seen supporting him at his games.