Solar flares

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Alpha Dog, May 10, 2012.


  1. Alpha Dog

    Alpha Dog survival of the breed

    Seen this today thought I would pass it on Fox news said this morning could cause some possible black outs. So keep some prepps and ammo near.

    Monster sunspot threatens to unleash powerful solar flares

    By Mike Wall
    Published May 08, 2012
    Space.com

    • giant_sunspot.JPG
      The monster sunspot group AR 1476 (upper left) measures more than 60,000 miles from end to end. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory spacecraft snapped this photo on May 7, 2012. (NASA/SDO)

    An enormous sunspot group has taken shape on the surface of the sun, hinting that our star may soon start spouting off some powerful storms.
    The huge sunspot complex, known as AR 1476, rotated into Earth's view over the weekend. It measures more than 60,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) across, researchers said. Scientists with NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory mission, a space-based telescope watching the sun, dubbed the solar structure a "monster sunspot" in a Twitter announcement.
    AR 1476 is big enough for amateur astronomers with decent equipment to spot from their backyards, weather permitting. (Warning: Never look at the sun directly with telescopes or the unaided eye. Special filters are required for safe solar viewing to avoid serious eye damage.)
    "With at least four dark cores larger than Earth, AR 1476 sprawls more than 100,000 km from end to end, and makes an easy target for backyard solar telescopes," the website Spaceweather.com reported Monday (May 7).
    Sunspots are temporary dark patches on the surface of the sun that are caused by intense magnetic activity. These structures sometimes erupt into solar flares, which send high-energy radiation streaming into space.
    Solar physicists classify flares into three main categories: C, M and X, with C being the least powerful and X the strongest. X-class flares can cause long-lasting radiation storms in Earth's upper atmosphere and trigger radio blackouts. M-class flares can cause brief radio blackouts in the polar regions and occasional minor radiation storms, while C flares have few noticeable consequences.
    AR 1476 has already proven quite active, firing off a number of C and M flares over the past few days, including one Monday evening that seems to be an M1, one of the least powerful M flares, according to Spaceweather.com.
    Big solar flares are often associated with coronal mass ejections (CMEs), massive clouds of solar plasma that streak through space at 3 million mph (5 million kph) or more. If these clouds hit Earth, they can wreak havoc, spawning geomagnetic storms that can disrupt GPS signals, radio communications and power grids. CMEs also often super-charge the northern and southern lights, providing dazzling shows for skywatchers at high latitudes.
    Monday evening's eruption from AR 1476 apparently generated an Earth-directed CME, which should hit Earth sometime Wednesday morning (May 9) Eastern time, researchers said.
    After remaining surprisingly quiet from 2005 through 2010, our star began waking up last year, spouting off numerous powerful flares and CMEs.
    Most experts expect such outbursts to continue over the next year or so. Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle, and scientists think the current one β€” known as Solar Cycle 24 β€” will peak in 2013.


    m9-solar-flare-jan-2012.



    sun-eruption-solar-prominence-march19.
     
  2. Brokor

    Brokor Live Free or Cry Moderator Site Supporter+++ Founding Member

    I don't think I am going to black out any time soon, but I carry a hydration kit in the form of saline lock, drip and saline bag with me for extended trips just in case. Dehydration is no laughing matter.
     
    Alpha Dog likes this.
  3. Cephus

    Cephus Monkey+++ Founding Member

  4. groovy mike

    groovy mike Immortal

    Solar flare 'could paralyse Earth in 2013' | Mail Online

    Massive solar flare 'could paralyse Earth in 2013'





    A massive solar flare could cause global chaos in 2013, causing blackouts and wrecking satellite communications, a conference heard yesterday.

    Nasa has warned that a peak in the sun's magnetic energy cycle and the number of sun spots or flares around 2013 could generate huge radiation levels.


    The resulting solar storm could cause a geomagnetic storm on Earth, knocking

    out electricity grids around the world for hours, days, or even months, bringing much of normal life grinding to a halt....

    Read more: Solar flare 'could paralyse Earth in 2013' | Mail Online
     
  5. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    You know.... Lots of these "Scientists" like to pontificate about all this stuff, because they get Grants from .Gov to do just that. NO ONE can KNOW if this senerio will ACTUALLY happen. It is ALL "COULD" or "MIGHT" and other Weasel Words that really tells us Monkeys, that there is a 'Possibility" of such an occurrence, HOWEVER, NONE of these Yahoos can SAY, for SURE, that this senerio WILL Happen... Mostly a bunch of guys sitting around, on YOUR DIME, pontificating about stuff, they can't Prove as FACT, but can only GUESS AT. What are the Percentages of this happening? You will NEVER see those in print, simply because, they can NOT be calculated, based in FACTS Known. Lots of HOT Air expended, listening to each other, Blab On..... My Opinion, Not News, Nothing to see here.... Move along.... YMMV....
     
    gunbunny and Cephus like this.
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