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NASA Records Solar Blast of Epic Proportions

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the i-burnt-my-fingers dept.

Arvisp writes "As predicted, the a 'mega-filament' of solar magnetism erupted on Dec. 6th, producing a blast of epic proportions. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the action as the 700,000-km long structure lifted off the stellar surface and--snap!!--hurled itself into space. The eruption produced a bright coronal mass ejection (CME) observed by the STEREO-A spacecraft: video. Earth was not in the line of fire; the cloud should sail wide of our planet. Earth-effects might be limited to pretty pictures."

6 of 123 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Detecting CMEs Aimed Directly @ Earth by nametaken · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I just read somewhere that these filament bursts contain cooler plasma, so they show as dark areas when observing the sun.

  2. Hello CmdrTaco.. Helloo anybody home? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ", the a 'mega-filament'.."

    pick one, the or a, but not both.

    or did you fail to mention the b 'mega filament'..

  3. video by Internal+Modem · · Score: 5, Interesting

    video = http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/browse/2010/12/06/ahead_20101206_cor2_512.mpg

  4. Scale by pete-classic · · Score: 5, Interesting

    For scale, 700,000km is half the diameter of the Sun.

    -Peter

  5. Article is very light on information... by TWX · · Score: 2, Interesting

    ...and it would be nice to know how strong such a solar flare would be by the time it reaches the ~150,000,000 kilometers distance that the Earth is from the Sun, and what kind of ramifications such a flare could have, now that we've actually seen one for real. I'm not looking for the gloom and doom worst-case type stuff either, rather I'd like to know the range of effects, including human-eye-observable effects, that such a discharge could have...

    --
    Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  6. Re:Interesting... by unity100 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    if they hit, as much as they hit, they have a huge effect on magnetosphere. and also can cause failures in electrical, electronical equipment.

    it is also possible that by presurizing earth's magnetic field, they are affecting all creatures on the planet. (Since all gets affected by the magnetism). shrinking magnetic field also means more cosmic rays coming in, i presume.

    energy of the blast, its emissions, may increase heating of the planet, i presume. but i dont remember it well.

    --
    Read radical news here