Sun Fires Solar Storm Directly at Earth [but only Aurora activity is expected]

space.com ^ | August 20, 2013 02:18pm ET | Mike Wall, Senior Writer

[BenLurkin]

The sun unleashed a powerful storm early Tuesday morning (Aug. 20), sending an enormous cloud of superheated particles rocketing toward Earth.

The solar eruption, known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), occurred at 4:24 a.m. EDT (0824 GMT) Tuesday and blasted billions of tons of solar particles toward Earth at a mind-boggling speed of 2 million mph (3.3 million km/h). ... Tuesday's blast doesn't appear to have too much disruptive potential.

"In the past, geomagnetic storms caused by CMEs of this strength have usually been mild," NASA officials wrote.

CMEs that hit Earth can also ramp up the auroras, also known as the northern and southern lights. In fact, an enhanced auroral display may be on tap tonight and tomorrow for some skywatchers, thanks to a CME that erupted on Saturday (Aug. 17).

[usconservative]

CQ, CQ, CQ........

[Kip Russell]

Why couldn’t this have happened when I was in Iceland earlier this year? While I did see auroras one night, they were fairly low-key.

[baddog 219]

[rktman]

Quick. Call algore and alert him to yet another man made catastrophe. Maybe he can buy some flare credits.

[NormsRevenge]

One of these days.. Zammm poooof..

Al Jazeera is off the air.. Uhhh

So is everything else.

Embrace change.. Cold hard change

Have a Nice Day!:-)

[metmom]

possible aurora ping

[metmom]

So when are the clouds going to move in?

It ALWAYS does when there’s a chance for a good aurora.

[struggle]

If I remember the CME report for this week, the CME is ahead of earth’s orbit by quite a bit.

[BigEdLB]

Chris Matthews has been particularly incomprehensible in recent days... Now we all know why.

[Tanniker Smith]

Global Warming suspected.

[Kip Russell]

So when are the clouds going to move in?

It ALWAYS does when there’s a chance for a good aurora.

I was relatively lucky; when I was in Iceland, it wasn't that cloudy.

[pgyanke]

[BenLurkin]

Be Prepared.

[metmom]

Heh. This is central NY.

[BenLurkin]

“33”

“EE”

[familyop]

Heh. Some interests don’t want people looking at the cold spell ahead.

[NormsRevenge]

Tin foil at the ready! :-]

[NormsRevenge]

it’s gotta hit a target moving at 66,000 mph ,, good luck! :-}

[Therapsid]

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/0815/Solar-flare-Maybe-not.-Explaining-four-different-kinds-of-solar-storms/Coronal-holes