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Sunspot Grows to 20 Times Size of Earth

Posted by michael on from the tan-don't-burn dept.

TheHedgehog writes "A sunspot group aimed squarely at Earth has grown to 20 times the size of our planet and has the potential to unleash a major solar storm. 'The implications of this spot have scientists on the edge of their seats,' NASA said in a statement Friday. 'If the active region generates coronal mass ejections (CMEs), massive explosions with a potential force of a billion megaton bombs, it will be a fairly direct hit to Earth and its satellites and power grids.'"

5 of 117 comments (clear)

  1. Over-excited reports by Teancom · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems like everytime something along these lines happens, we get news reports detailing all the various ways that our lives will be disrupted and/or the world can come to an end. And in the meantime, I have *yet* to actually have *anything* noticeable happen as a result of a sunspot/solar flare. No loss of cell service. No random computer crashes. Nothing even close to actual power loss. Much like how constant terror alerts reduce the feeling of eminent danger, I'm now to the point that I'd say "meh" to anything short of a Texas-sized asteroid hurtling directly towards earth.

    1. Re:Over-excited reports by LordNimon · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I agree with the grandparent. I don't notice anything either. What am I supposed to notice? If I subscribed to DirectTV, would I lose my signal? Would my GPS stop working?

      --
      And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start
      To mold a new reality... closer to the heart
  2. Go for it ! by SILIZIUMM · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I mean, I can't wait for auroras to show up ! Me and my camera are waiting !

  3. solar zit by joeslugg · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I actually saw the thing during my morning commute - must have been on Friday. There was just the right amount of fog and clouds so that you could "look" at the sun. I saw a black dot - reminded me of the pictures of the transit of Venus a while back. It occurred to me that if it was a sunspot, and I could see the thing that clearly, it must be gigantic.

    And when it swooped down to attack, I could see that I was right...

  4. I Saw This One Last Week... by PateraSilk · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I was driving to work and the sun was coming up through some haze and I could clearly see this big ass sunspot in the lower left-hand quadrant. I kept meaning to find an article about it, maybe some pix, too, but better late than never, I guess.

    --
    Danke tres mucho, tovarishch.