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Domain: spacew.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to spacew.com.
Stories · 4
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Today's Solar Flare
An anonymous reader writes "X1-class solar flare today (13:30 Universal Time). Still the SOHO spacecraft offers some of the all-time greatest snapshots anywhere on the web. The flare's residual activity would be shown white and at around 9 o'clock position here. There are 3 major categories, each 10 times stronger than the next: X-class flares are big; they are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. M-class flares are medium-sized; they generally cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth's polar regions. C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth. If it were headed towards Earth, arrival is usually 48-72 hrs later (this is not coming this way). Future Mars astronauts should take a lead umbrella because one radiation day on Mars is like living at 70,000 feet on Earth." Nature is pretty. -
Aurora Visible In Mid And Low Latitudes
vortmax(OU) writes: "According to Solar Terrestrial Dispatch, an Auroral Activity Warning has been issued for the middle and lower latitudes due to the recent huge solar flare and coronal mass ejection which hit the Earth today. Best chances to see the aurorae are after midnight local time tonight and tomorrow." -
Aurora Visible In Mid And Low Latitudes
vortmax(OU) writes: "According to Solar Terrestrial Dispatch, an Auroral Activity Warning has been issued for the middle and lower latitudes due to the recent huge solar flare and coronal mass ejection which hit the Earth today. Best chances to see the aurorae are after midnight local time tonight and tomorrow." -
G3 Solar Storm
Thanks to VerucaDave (and goatbert) for passing on this NOAA advisory. Seems that the people of Earth are experiencing the effects of a little solar action. And kevlar wrote with the news "There are sightings, as we speak of the Aurora Borealis, as far south as Washington DC. ... This is a rare anomaly to be seen so far south. To see it, look north right now (best time is around/after midnight). See if you can spy some fast moving particles! If your latitude is anywhere north of DC, then you should see something with a little effort!" So if you are anywhere on Earth where it still matters, run -- do not walk -- to the nearest spot from which you can scan the sky. May you have clear skies and no light-polluting neighbors. [Updated 14:40GMT by timothy.]On a related note, periscope sent in some information about some new satellites that are going up to study this summer's expected solar storms. They're also looking for names for the satellites: here's your chance to put your name in the sky, so to speak. I vote for Andre, Libe, Setsuko and Golfball.
