Sunspot Tosses Plasma Cloud Toward Earth

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Sunspot Tosses Plasma Cloud Toward Earth

Posted by Soulskill on Friday January 20, 2012 @08:36AM from the how-inconsiderate dept.

parallel_prankster writes "The Washington Post reports that a huge sunspot unleashed a blob of charged plasma Thursday that space weather watchers predict will blast past the Earth on Sunday. Satellite operators and power companies are keeping a close eye on the incoming cloud, which could distort the Earth's magnetic field and disrupt radio communications, especially at higher latitudes. The huge blob of charged gas spotted by NASA satellites is speeding toward Earth at more than 2 million mph. The most damaging solar discharges, which are very rare, can move at speeds more than twice that fast. Here's a more detailed article with some animation."

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Anonymous Coward releases huge first post by Anonymous Coward · 2012-01-20 08:39 · Score: 2, Funny

Anonymous Coward releases huge first post towards slashdot discussion.
Could this cut off Facebook access? by akeeneye · 2012-01-20 08:39 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh the humanity!

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The man who dies rich dies disgraced. -- Andrew Carnegie
1. Re:Could this cut off Facebook access? by RenderSeven · 2012-01-20 09:13 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  It will just cut off any useful Facebook access. Oh, wait... never mind.
2. Re:Could this cut off Facebook access? by Nidi62 · 2012-01-20 09:16 · Score: 2
  
  Only if we're really lucky.
  
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  The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
3. Re:Could this cut off Facebook access? by MobileTatsu-NJG · 2012-01-20 10:28 · Score: 4, Funny
  
  I've thought long and hard about my flamebait moderation and I was just like to stop and apologize for implying that posting on Slashdot in the middle of a work day is as much of a waste of time as Facebook. I never meant any harm and I hope we can put this behind us.
  Now let's return to our discussion about how much Facebook sucks in this story about a plasma storm.
  
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  "I like to lick butts!" by MobileTatsu-NJG (#32700246) (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Mayan Calendar by darkpixel2k · 2012-01-20 08:43 · Score: 4, Funny

Coincidence? Or does this remind you of a scheduled event per the Mayan Calendar anyone?
Hmm...let me check my Mayan calendar...

...hmm...Thursday I have that office party....and next Sunday is your mother's birthday....

uh...nope--no scheduled giant plasma cloud.

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Shinku... by PlatyPaul · 2012-01-20 08:45 · Score: 4, Funny

Hadoken!

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It is likely to miss by Cochonou · 2012-01-20 08:47 · Score: 5, Informative

If you are interested in such matters, you will follow the Space Weather Prediction Center site. Here is their latest advisory:

SWPC Forecasters have determined that the CME from NOAA Region 1402 near disk center yesterday will likely pass above (north) of Earth. This glancing blow will cause just G1 (Minor) Geomagnetic Storm activity. Look for the first signs of it around 1800Z (1:00 pm EST) on Sunday, January 22, with the bulk of the disturbance to occur Monday, January 23. Watch here for updates.
A question: by 3seas · 2012-01-20 08:56 · Score: 2

What makes for a good shielding for home electronics on such matters? Lead sheets?
1. Re:A question: by M0j0_j0j0 · 2012-01-20 08:59 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  Tin foil hat should be enough
2. Re:A question: by The+Grim+Reefer · 2012-01-20 09:02 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  What makes for a good shielding for home electronics on such matters? Lead sheets?
  Lead sheets crumble and make a mess, and probably won't do you much good. I think a Faraday cage is what you are looking for.
3. Re:A question: by celtic_hackr · 2012-01-20 13:59 · Score: 2
  
  Well that depends on your definition of damage.
  If you mean it can't permanantly damge the physical structure of your home electronics, then yes.
  However, the Earth's protective shield will not stop highly energetic charged particles from entering the atmosphere. It will not stop the above average X-Rays incumbent with SMEs. While An old AT 8086 computer was not likely to be impacted by highly energetic particles smashing through them, the newer much, much more densely packed chips of today have much higher probabilities of have bits randomly flip by these kind of events. Still very highly improbable.
  It's very plausible that a large Solar storm could cause you to lose that last half hour's worth of work because you didn't save it regularly.
  But as this storm is going to pass "above" the Earth, I'd say we have very little chance of any effect. Unless of course you happen to be in orbit above the pole in a Tardis or Goa'uld ship, or are a spy satellite.
4. Re:A question: by not-my-real-name · 2012-01-20 14:35 · Score: 2
  
  For electromagnetic shielding, you want something that is highly conductive. Lead is a poor conductor, so it wouldn't be very good (unless you cool it enough to become superconducting). Silver would be good, but is a bit expensive. Copper is almost as good, but still expensive, though not as much as silver. Aluminum is fairly good and readily available. I would suggest wrapping any electronics that you're worried about in aluminum foil.
  That said, for this sort of event, just unplugging your electronics or using a good surge suppressor would be adequate.
  
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AAAARHHHH by j35ter · 2012-01-20 08:57 · Score: 3, Funny

We're all gonna die!!!!
*runs to the nearest adult store for shelter*

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Delta-Mike November Bravo Tango
Re:Aurora by bored_engineer · 2012-01-20 08:59 · Score: 2

Probably not, unless you live at a pretty high latitude. If it's not cloudy and doesn't cool off from the current balmy temperature of -35F, then I'll be out taking pictures on Sunday.
Invest in T-Shirts by retroworks · 2012-01-20 09:01 · Score: 2

" I survived the sunspot blob of plasma 2012 "

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Gently reply
I direct your attention to the Absorption Map by GodfatherofSoul · 2012-01-20 09:09 · Score: 3, Funny

Clearly, Jesus does not like South America, and by implication the pagan parade of sin and debauchery that is Carnivale. Repent!
Pat Robertson

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I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
1. Re:I direct your attention to the Absorption Map by evilviper · 2012-01-20 20:23 · Score: 2
  
  Clearly, Jesus does not like South America,
  Being in So.Cal, I asked my neighbor, Jesus Hernandez, if that was true. He said he only went there for a short trip once, but he liked South America just fine.
  
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Re:Another sequel to the 1958 hit by X0563511 · 2012-01-20 09:14 · Score: 4, Informative

Would this help you take it more seriously?
(really, nothing to worry about anyway. it will just fuck up radio propagation and such)

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For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
The upside by The+Grim+Reefer · 2012-01-20 09:19 · Score: 5, Interesting

I think the upside to this is stated at the end of TFA:

Besides sparking pretty auroras, heightened solar activity has a more tangible benefit: It cleans up space junk. As the sun acts up, the Earth’s atmosphere expands, increasing friction on dead satellites, rocket parts and other trash in low Earth orbit, pulling them down.
The amount of debris in Earth orbit “actually decreased during 2011 as solar activity increased toward an anticipated maximum,” NASA’s chief space junk watcher, Nicholas Johnson, wrote in the January issue of the agency’s Orbital Debris Quarterly Newsletter.
Re:who cares? by X0563511 · 2012-01-20 09:20 · Score: 3, Informative

Perhaps it's "news for nerds" because it does actually affect nerds?

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For large sets, this will be our guide even unto death, for the LORD will work for each type of data it is applied to...
unit conversion by ThePeices · 2012-01-20 09:30 · Score: 4, Informative

For those that need to know, that plasma cloud is travelling at almost 5.7 billion furlongs/fortnight.
study of energy transfer by phrostie · 2012-01-20 09:37 · Score: 2

I know our magnetic field protects us from the radiation, but has there been a study to see if and how much energy from the flares and CMEs gets converted into heat?
Re:who cares? by Chris+Burke · 2012-01-20 09:45 · Score: 2

You don't think coronal mass ejections -- a stream of plasma bigger than our planet and traveling at millions of miles an hour -- or other aspects of space weather are nerdy?
Um, okay.
Anyway, who cares? I care. This is very nerdy news which I am happy to have on /.

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Rimshot? Anyone? by Cazekiel · 2012-01-20 16:59 · Score: 2

Imma get a big jar and scoop it up to sell to a blood bank. I'm either hilarious, or I really, really need to go to bed.

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You want to know how to help your kids? LEAVE THEM THE F*&K ALONE. --George Carlin
Re:No it doesn't. by Hognoxious · 2012-01-20 22:29 · Score: 2

You can't just pick and choose some bits of it and not others and pretend it's still a match.
You can if it = { Koran, Bible, Torah }

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Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
Charged gas? by lee1 · 2012-01-21 02:14 · Score: 2

A solar physics expert will please correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe CMEs are made of neutral plasma. I don't know where the original article got the " charged gas" description. They are magnetized, like the solar wind, which is why they interact with the earth's magnetic field