I blame global warming.

Don't tell Gore or Suzuki!!!!!

It's a natural cycle,ham radio enthusiasts wait years for this as they can work the skip and talk to people all over the world easier then usuall.It also makes for some awesome northern lights.Everyone predicted doom and gloom the last time it was at its peak but most radio comm.s worked just fine.

The sun has no effect on the earth, just ask Algore.

How do you suppose that will happen? "These solar windstorms have been known to knock out power grids and TV broadcasts, and our growing reliance on space-based technology makes us more vulnerable than ever to their effects."

Space Weather is one of my favourite sites. The Chandra telescope and SOHO observatory are also stunning.

Seeing the power of our plain ordinary little star is just humbling.

http://www.spaceweather.com/

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/gallery/ ... lares.html

Solar storms happen frequently enough and satellites are designed to survive such things. It'll be interesting, maybe slightly disruptive, but then when it's over it'll be promptly forgotten.

For about 7-11 years,then it happens all over again,common knowledge in the freaqers world.

How do you suppose that will happen? "These solar windstorms have been known to knock out power grids and TV broadcasts, and our growing reliance on space-based technology makes us more vulnerable than ever to their effects."

The increased ionization of the upper atmosphere reflects some radio signals better, blocks others. It also overloads some electrical networks.

The increased particle density can also drag LEO objects back to Earth sooner. Skylab was brought down because of a solar storm.

How do you suppose that will happen? "These solar windstorms have been known to knock out power grids and TV broadcasts, and our growing reliance on space-based technology makes us more vulnerable than ever to their effects."Because last time we got the doom and gloom and all our gps and radios worked fine,Were I was at things stopped dead if the gps went down.Plus I'm a freaqer,these cycles are no big deal.

Increased solar activity is probably causing the increase in temperatures and not Al Gore's fairy tale...

What it means is down here in the south we will get what they get at the poles normally.

It's not something that just happened,it's been studied for years and was responsible for a huge power outage in Quebec years ago.

I have seen solar winds before at night checking cows when its very cold outside. they were awesome to watch like a river flowing overhead. I dont think there is any reason to worry.