SPACE STATION FLARES:

Yesterday, astronauts unfurled a new set of solar arrays on the International Space Station. The panels, which measure 115 feet long, are actually visible in backyard telescopes. In a related development, people watching ISS flybys during the past 24 hours report seeing a number of "flares"--sudden brightenings of the ISS caused by sunlight glinting from the station's growing number of flat surfaces. This phenomenon adds an element of excitement to ISS watching. Check today's edition of http://spaceweather.com to see some remarkable movies made by amateur astronomers in Europe.