Prepare for the Worst, Because Solar Storms Are About to Get Ugly


Science | 649 hits | Mar 27 9:45 am | Posted by: Hyack

Every 11 years or so, the sun gets a little pissy. It breaks out in a rash of planet-sized sunspots that spew superhot gas, hurling clouds of electrons, protons, and heavier ions toward Earth at nearly the speed of light

Comments

  1. Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:27 pm
    I blame global warming.

  2. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:41 pm
    Don't tell Gore or Suzuki!!!!!

  3. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:52 pm
    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.

  4. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:52 pm
    "camerontech" said
    I blame global warming.
    :roll:

  5. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:53 pm
    The sun has no effect on the earth, just ask Algore. :wink:

  6. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:54 pm
    "ziggy" said
    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.


    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."

  7. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:57 pm
    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

  8. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:58 pm
    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.

  9. Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:59 pm
    "BartSimpson" said
    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.

  10. Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:00 pm
    "Bacardi4206" said
    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.


    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.

  11. Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:01 pm
    "Bacardi4206" said
    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.


    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.

  12. Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:12 pm
    Increased solar activity is probably causing the increase in temperatures and not Al Gore's fairy tale...

  13. Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:16 pm
    "stemmer" said
    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.

  14. Thu Mar 27, 2008 8:12 pm
    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.



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