Approaching Solar Storm Forces ISS to Take Cover

vichyschwa writes "A Coronal Mass Ejection resulting from an X3 Solar Flare earlier today is forcing the ISS and Shuttle astronauts to take cover and may result in communication disruptions. Last week, the same sunspot generated what astronomers described as a rarely imaged solar tsunami. The activity began with an X9 flare Dec. 5. According to Spaceweather.com, "satellites may experience some glitches and reboots, but astronauts are in no danger." However, the astronauts were ordered to a protective area of the space station as a precaution."

Comments

Why would they take cover?

[Anonymous Coward]

When they can get cool powers like the Fantastic Four?

X2 vs X9

[andphi]

I was confused by this, so I looked it up.

From the Wikipedia article on Solar Flares: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_Flare

Solar flares are classified as A, B, C, M or X according to the peak flux (in watts per square meter, W/m2) of 100 to 800 picometer X-rays near Earth, as measured on the GOES spacecraft. Each class has a peak flux ten times greater than the preceding one, with X class flares having a peak flux of order 10-4 W/m2. Within a class there is a linear scale from 1 to 9, so an X2 flare is twice as powerful as an X1 flare, and is four times more powerful than an M5 flare. The more powerful M and X class flares are often associated with a variety of effects on the near-Earth space environment. Although the GOES classification is commonly used to indicate the size of a flare, it is only one measure.

BOFH - Solar Flares

[ServerIrv]

It's friday, so I get into work early, before lunch even. The phone rings. Shit!
I turn the page on the excuse sheet. "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.
"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET YOU ALL MORNING?!"
I hate it when they shout at me early in the morning. It always puts me in a bad mood. You know what I mean.
"Ah, yes. Well, there's been some solar activity this morning, it always disrupts electronics..." I say, sweet as a sugar pie.
"Huh? But I could get through to my friends?!"
"Yes, that's entirely possible, solar activity is very unpredictable in it's effects. Why last week, we had some files just dissappear from a guys account while he was working on it!"
"Really?"
"Straight Up! Hey, do you want me to check your account?"
"Yes please, I've got some important stuff in there!"
"Ok, what's your username..."
He tells me. Honestly, it's like shooting a fish in a barrel. Twice. With an Elephant Gun. At point blank range. In the head.

Re:BOFH - Solar Flares

[djupedal]

Have you EVER shot at a fish in a barrel? Two times? With an elephant gun? At point blank range? In their shiny little slimy head?

Word to the wise. I'm here to tell you that you only need to do this once to appreciate the benefit of a good barrel when fish shooting. I mean, unless you have some pretty large fish (especially in the head area), and a pretty small caliber weapon, you are at risk of not only offing the fish, but you are also liable to put an NRA certified water-draining hole in your barrel. Now me, I use fish-shooting barrels from the Ukraine, and I've never had an issue with water stained carpets.

Try explaining it to your significant other when they get home. "Have you been discharging weapons inside the apartment, again...?" - "Don't we recall what happened when you put the dartboard up on the wall at the end of the hall and shot at it with your new Glock? That little-bitty bullet went thru the dart board and the wall and all four of your alpaca sweaters hanging up on that end of the closet...right?"

Re:Take Cover?

[Unholy_Kingfish]

One of the modules of the ISS is hardened against just this type of event. All of the modules have radiation protection, but this class of flare exceeds the safety limits of the those modules.

Think of it as a storm cellar in space.

glitches for satellites, no danger for astronauts

[Anonymous Coward]

So why don't they make satellites out of the stuff astronauts are made of?

tsunami

[KillerCow]

Image of the referenced tsunami