The largest solar storm for seven years is expected to send a shower of radioactive solar particles racing towards Earth at almost 1,400 miles a second this week, according to NASA.The flare, caused by a huge eruption on the sun's surface on Sunday, is expected to affect GPS systems and other communications when it reaches the Earth's magnetic field on Tuesday.Solar flares are our solar system's largest explosive events and can last from minutes to hours, according to NASA, releasing up to a billion tons of matter in the process.The National Weather Service has issued a rare major geo-magnetic solar storm warning, which sounds more ominous that it really is. You will not experience bodily harm unless you count acute withdrawal symptoms from disruption of your cell phone service, internet, electricity and TomTom device. Will Old Sol also disrupt drone strikes from Nevada trailers? Let's hope!
More information can be found here.
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| Solar Flare Photographed by NASA 1/23/12 |
The Sun Reigns Supreme…
ReplyDelete“That orbed continent, the fire that severs day from night.” - William Shakespeare
“Suppose the chariot of the sun were given you, what would you do?”- Ovid, Metamorphoses (Apollo's question to Phaeton)
For a brief overview of the sun, visit “The Sun” at Views of the Solar System:
http://www.solarviews.com/eng/sun.htm
For a comprehensive look at the sun and the effects of its extended atmosphere on the Earth (“The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.” – Shakespeare) visit NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center’s Heliophysics Science Division, which conducts research on the Sun, its extended solar-system environment (the heliosphere), & interactions of Earth, other planets, small bodies: http://science.nasa.gov/heliophysics/
For more amazing picture of the sun, visit Goddard Space Flight Center’s Solar Dynamics Observatory: http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
“When the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport, But creep in crannies when he hides his beams.”
- William Shakespeare
“Thou material God!
And representative of the Unknown,
Who chose thee for His shadow! Thou chief star!
Centre of many stars!--which mak'st our earth
Endurable, and temperest the hues
And hearts of all who walk within thy rays!
Sire of the seasons! Monarch of the climes,
And those who dwell in them! for near or far,
Our inborn spirits have a tint of thee,
Even as our outward aspects,--thou dost rise,
And shine and set in glory!” - Lord Byron
The Bard, NASA, Byron? I don't think so, Denis.
ReplyDeleteThe sun is annoyed with us.
Not to worry. Our High Priest's ritual SOTU will fix that about as well as he's taken care of other big problems.
We in south Florida are getting a double whammy. Not only the solar flares, but with Newt & Mitt campaigning in state, we're being bombarded by their political lunar energy. Very lunaticky!
ReplyDeleteI've got my fingers crossed that the solar storm knocks out coverage of the President's SOTU speech. Of course I won't be watching anyway since I have no nausea medication in the house and no booze either.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the show! My bet is on his using the word 'fight' a lot.