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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[Dixielander]

Amazing and strange events are happening all over the world. I'm overwhelmed! Thanks for the post.

[concerned about politics]

Damn those Bush tax cuts! If it weren't for them, this wouldn't be happening!

[PoorMuttly]

Note to self :

1) add extra layers to Tinfoil Hat

2) unplug Transporter

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Signal propogation for low frequency AM radio signals should be at extreme levels when this coronal mass ejection hits the ionosphere.

I'm going to start warming up my radios and amps right now. I should be able to QSO with Hams in Europe on Friday night.

[concerned about politics]

Scientists say it may knock out electrical grids and satellite communications.

Creepy. I feel so vaunerable. (No FR?)

[Samwise]

http://members.yourlink.net/jgerard/gort/cinder.wav

[explodingspleen]

Not if they use cellphones, they won't. :-P

[uglybiker]

aluminum foil hat time? Maybe an umbrella?

Try a suit.

[eddie willers]

Not if they use cellphones, they won't. :-P

Good idea!
I'll forward all the calls to MINE!

[kayak]

ping

[Keith in Iowa]

Check out the pic on http://www.venhaus1.com/ - way cool.

[GeronL]

well, thats a look I have been needing n my life

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Try a suit.

This suit suits me better.

[sd-joe]

And hugh.

[Brad’s Gramma]

Way cool is putting THAT lightly!!!

[Lunatic Fringe]

Same warnings have been issued on a regular basis for years.

[Poohbah]

SCHWING!

[fqued]

Supposedly we may be able to see some aurora borealis as far south as Texas, thanks to this storm.

Are you serious? I'm above you in Colorado (both on the map, re north, and also much higher altitude; but not necessarily in wisdom and stature), and I have never yet seen the Aurora Borealis. Since I live in Aurora, it would be cool to see the Auroras from here.

[Deep_6]

Isn't that Barbara Reynolds, heiress of aluminum foil
tycoon M. Reynolds?

(nice box!)

 

[Timesink]

Any ETA here? Friday noon Eastern? 5 pm? 11 pm?