X7-class Solar Event Detected

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

X7-class Solar Event Detected

Posted by michael on Thursday January 20, 2005 @05:00AM from the kaboom dept.

SlySpy007 writes "Spaceweather.com is reporting on an enormous solar event which took place earlier this evening. This event, emanating from the gigantic sunspot 720, registered as an X7-class event, and increased the 24-hour probability of a minor geomagnetic storm to 60% in mid-latitudes (70% in high latitudes). The GOES-12 satellite happened to catch this event with its SXI instrument (Solar X-ray Imager), and there's a pretty gnarly animation of the event from 720 over at the SXI site. I know this is gonna cause havoc for plenty of missions in orbit now; wonder if we'll see any disturbance here on terra firma." Another reader points to ground-based monitoring stations detecting a surge in cosmic rays at the time of the flare.

8 of 46 comments (clear)

Min score:

Reason:

Sort:

sorry, my bad by TheSeventh · 2005-01-20 05:06 · Score: 2, Funny

Sorry, I was trying to etch my girlfriend's name (and yes, she is real) on the sun with my new laser pointer, and i must have upped the wattage too much. my bad.

--
Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean that they're not out to get you.
1. Re:sorry, my bad by Nos. · 2005-01-20 05:15 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  That's okay, as long as you didn't point it at a plane.
Oh no! by Yeechang+Lee · 2005-01-20 05:09 · Score: 3, Funny

Another reader points to ground-based monitoring stations detecting a surge in cosmic rays at the time of the flare.

Oh no! Reed Richards, his wife Susan, brother-in-law Johnny, and test pilot Ben Grimm just took off in Dr. Richards' rocketship! They didn't know about the solar storm. I hope they'll be all right!
Hmm by digitalchinky · 2005-01-20 05:13 · Score: 3, Funny

Was there meant to be an earth shattering kaboom?
Risk assessment? by Black+Parrot · 2005-01-20 05:19 · Score: 3, Funny

Which is the greater risk - leaving our tinfoil hats on and having them focus the effects of this in our brains, or taking them off and subjecting ourselves to mind control from the black helicopter people?

--
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
1. Re:Risk assessment? by Ayaress · 2005-01-20 06:29 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  But your RESONANT ANTI BARONITE IDENTITY ENTANGLEMNT SYSTEM (RABIES, derisively called a tin foil hat by GOVERNMENT COLLABORATORS) will not and CAN NOT focus the rays of EVIL SUN BLASTS into your brain!!! These are GOVERNMENT LIES and PROPOGANDA!!! Your RABIES is made of TIN which is REFLECTIVE!!! Relfective tin REFLECTS and thus PROTECTS YOUR BRAIN from EVIL SUN BLASTS just as well as it protects you from EVIL LIZARD PEOPLE and EVIL GOVERNMENT CONSPIRACIES!!! NEVER remove your RABIES under any conditions!!! Anybody telling you to is a GOVERNMENT CONSPIRATOR and probably a REPTILE and/or GIANT SQUID disguised as a human and should be KILLED ON SIGHT.
  
  Ok, I'm sorry. I should stop reading conspiracy websites while drunk.
Coincidence? by 3waygeek · 2005-01-20 05:27 · Score: 4, Funny

Note the time this story was submitted -- the exact time that Dubya's second term starts. Obviously ${Diety} is pissed off about Bush's re-election.
Pissed off? by jellisky · 2005-01-20 06:20 · Score: 4, Funny

Solar flares are $[Diety]'s fireworks. $[Diety] is obviously celebrating it all.

(It's all about the spin. Karl Rove would be proud of me... and that makes me feel so incredibly dirty right now. Must clean off stain of Bush/Rove appreciation... IT BURNS!!!!)

-Jellisky