Big Solar Storm Will Hit Earth Friday

CBC News ^

[webber]

Big solar storm will hit Earth Friday Oct 24th

BOULDER, COLO. - A strong geomagnetic storm is expected to hit Earth on Friday. Scientists say it may knock out electrical grids and satellite communications.

A "sunspot cluster" said to be 10 times the size of Earth could damage satellites and power grids, as well as cable TV, pager and cellular telephone service.

Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, Colo., say it is one of the largest sunspot clusters in years.

Larry Combs, a forecaster at the federal Space Environment Center in Boulder, says the sunspot cluster released a chunk of the sun's outer atmosphere early Wednesday morning.

NASA's Goddard Space Center says the sunspot clusters produce a "coronal mass ejection" – an explosion of gas and charged particles from the outermost layer of the sun's atmosphere.

In 1997, television networks in the U.S. were affected when satellites used to beam programming to local stations were knocked out of service.

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Written by CBC News Online

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[upchuck]

As the C in C and person ultimately charged for protecting our country, I wanna know what President Bush is doing about this? Why has he let this happen? Clearly, this threat from outer space is vey series. And, speaking of series, why is he letting the Yankees win the World Serious, again?

[upchuck]

As the C in C and person ultimately charged for protecting our country, I wanna know what President Bush is doing about this? Why has he let this happen? Clearly, this threat from outer space is vey series. And, speaking of series, why is he letting the Yankees win the World Serious, again?

[freebird5850]

Hello CQ Hello CQ DE N7LRG

[Ditter]

bump

[Moleman]

LOL

[CygnusXI]

Are is everyone still alive??

All your CME are belong to us!

[blam]

"My phone will be ringing off the hook with puzzled (and angry) customers."

I have two, what's your number.

Seriously, what should I expect?

[blam]

"I swear I could actually HEAR the aurora making a "swish--swish" sound like an icy shower curtain folding over itself. It looked like it was only a few hundred feet above my head. "

There was a large scientific study done on this subject. Some people claim to be able to hear them...the scientists with very sensative instruments, heard nothing.

[LikeLight]

ABC Radio News on my local (WHP 580 Harrisburg, PA) ABC affiliate just had two "blank" spots in it's Noon report - is the feed starting to be impacted? Anyone else notice this?

[LikeLight]

And some more dead air. I have no idea if has anything to do with the sunspots.

[Johnny Gage]

Women, children & minorities to be hardest hit

Tom Daschole was quoted as being "deeply saddened" at this news.

upChuck Schumer and Hitlery Xlinton immediately went on the offensive, and demanded information was to "What did Bush know about this, and when did he know it"

little Dickie Gephart promised a full investigation as this "appeared to be part of a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy"

The Revrund Al Sharpton continued the assault and stated that "this is just another way that african americans are being held down be 'The Man'".

Meanwhile, not wanting to be left out, John Kerry, told reporters, "While I was in Vietnam we experienced this as well.

[Eala]

What will we do if FR gets knocked offline?

Go back to work.

[Lokibob]

First wave passed a little over an hour ago.
This from spaceweather.com:

IMPACT: A coronal mass ejection (CME) swept past Earth at approximately 1500 UT on Oct. 24th. The impact did not trigger an intense geomagnetic storm (at least not yet) because the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth is pointing north--a condition that suppresses geomagnetic activity. Another CME is en route to Earth, due to arrive later today or tomorrow. Geomagnetic storming is possible when that one arrives.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Dent, is that you?

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

[blackie]

I worked for CME (California Motor Express.) :-/

[nicko]

not to worry- I invented the internet, and I keep the reboot instructions in a lock box along with my SSN and chad collection- (trying hard to do his best AL G imitation)

[Moleman]

It's supposed to hit 3:00pm EST. I hope it warms things up, it's only in high 40's here in Michigan

[StoneColdGOP]

What will we do if FR gets knocked offline?

Ummm, get a life?

[Dr._Joseph_Warren]

"coronal mass ejection"

Its been a long time since I've had one of those!

[finnman69]

THE SUN IS PISSED!

The other weekdn I was at the Rose Planetarium in NYC where they have the comparitive size of the Sun and Earth Illustrated by The Central Musueum Sphere (87 foot diameter), and a little 10 inch diameter globe.

You can see the little Earth globe, Mars and an Early Earth side by side on the lower right in scale if the Bug Sphere is the Sun.