Slashdot Mirror
Space Telescope Catches Monster Flare
gollum123 writes, "NASA's Swift satellite has seen a giant flare explode from a nearby star. Our sun also flares when twisted magnetic field lines in the solar atmosphere suddenly snap — but this was on a far larger scale, perhaps 100 million times as strong. The energy released by the explosion on II Pegasi was equivalent to about 50 quintillion atomic bombs. If the Sun were ever to produce such an outburst, it would almost certainly cause a mass extinction on Earth. II Pegasi is a binary system 135 light-years from Earth in the constellation Pegasus. Its two stars are close, only a few stellar radii apart; as a result, tidal forces cause both stars to spin quickly, rotating in lockstep once in seven days compared to the Sun's 28-day rotation period. Fast rotation is thought to be conducive to strong stellar flares."
It's Election Day, so I get into work early, before lunch even. The phone rings. Shit!
I turn the page on the excuse sheet. "COSMIC SOLAR FLARES" stares out at me. I'd better read up on that. Two minutes later
I'm ready to answer the phone.
"Hello?" I say.
The Voting machines are messed up, We can't vote!!!
"Ah, yes. Well, there's been some cosmic solar activity this morning, it always disrupts electronics..." I say, sweet as a sugar pie.
"Huh? But I my friends could vote in Itasca County"
"Yes, that's entirely possible, cosmic solar activity is very unpredictable in it's effects. Why just a few years ago, we had some votes just dissappear from a guys total during the middle of a recount!"
It could be worse, it could be Monday.
50 quintillion atomic bombs? The pegasiuns have nukular weapons! Quickly, draw up sanctions/ignore/invade
I'mn scratching that system off of my list of possible destinations if we manage to run our current ecosystem into the ground and need to send refugees off to a replacement.
Sometimes boldness is in fashion. Sometimes only the brave will be bold.
What if we all ran inside real quick?
Dark Reflection
The energy released by the explosion on II Pegasi was equivalent to about 50 quintillion atomic bombs. If the Sun were ever to produce such an outburst, it would almost certainly cause a mass extinction on Earth.
My fellow Americans, our only option is clear: We need to preemptively invade the sun.
The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
He arranged it to distract voters, and to also at the same time energize the "Keep us safe from space aliens" vote.
Where were you when the voynix came?
Before Explosion:
O o
After Explosion:
O o===
Give a man a fish and you have fed him for today. Teach a man to fish, and he'll say "WHERE'S MY FISH, YOU IDIOT?"
This is a 135 year old story!
Now about those TPS reports...
It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
I read that as Space Telescope Monster Catches Fire. Too early in the morning for that kinda headline.
Come to Australia so we can strip search you and rob you of your internets, pr0n, rights and freedoms.
"I'm gonna' say: consume it quitely without much hoopla."
not for the people on the planet!
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on