- Joined
- 21 Apr 2006
- Messages
- 7,129
- Age
- 49
Hello everyone. I though I'd post about recent solar activity here.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field today, on March 8th around 1100 UT. The impact was weaker than expected, sparking only a mild (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm. However, the storm could intensify in the hours ahead depending on electromagnetic conditions in the wake of the CME. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. This CME could have been a lot worse with just a few different factors.
A HUGE SUNSPOT is active and pointing at us. AR1429 continues to grow. It is now more than seven times wider than Earth, which makes it an easy target for backyard solar telescopes. AR1429 is in a position to send more CMEs toward earth. Of these, we could see a CME event on a scale not experienced by modern man. AR1429 is so massive, that sun-gazers can spot AR1429 without a telescope.
I am not sounding the 2012 "doomsday" bell here. I am merely pointing out current events. However, I do encourage everyone to be aware of what a major CME can do to us here on earth. I do encourage all members to figure out what they would need to do to far well in the event AR1429 or some other sunspot causes a major catastrophe where you live.
Please feel free to discuss this topic here as well as news of solar events if you become aware of them before I can post.
A coronal mass ejection (CME) hit Earth's magnetic field today, on March 8th around 1100 UT. The impact was weaker than expected, sparking only a mild (Kp=5) geomagnetic storm. However, the storm could intensify in the hours ahead depending on electromagnetic conditions in the wake of the CME. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. This CME could have been a lot worse with just a few different factors.
A HUGE SUNSPOT is active and pointing at us. AR1429 continues to grow. It is now more than seven times wider than Earth, which makes it an easy target for backyard solar telescopes. AR1429 is in a position to send more CMEs toward earth. Of these, we could see a CME event on a scale not experienced by modern man. AR1429 is so massive, that sun-gazers can spot AR1429 without a telescope.
I am not sounding the 2012 "doomsday" bell here. I am merely pointing out current events. However, I do encourage everyone to be aware of what a major CME can do to us here on earth. I do encourage all members to figure out what they would need to do to far well in the event AR1429 or some other sunspot causes a major catastrophe where you live.
Please feel free to discuss this topic here as well as news of solar events if you become aware of them before I can post.