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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[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Isn't that Barbara Reynolds

Liz Hurley.

[Keith in Iowa]

http://www.spaceweather.com/

[reflecting]

LOL

[Deep_6]

Arraagghh.....

 

The box:

 

 

 

 

[concerned about politics]

It's a huge flair up!! (More info here)

[Auntie Dem]

That is way cool. Lotta green.

During the winter of 1968-69 I was about 200 miles north of Edmonton, Alberta when I saw the aurora up close and personal. It still remains one of my most memorable life experiences. 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. Totally awesome! What I saw was more purpleish, and rainbow-like, with much less green.

[ex-Texan]

Live Space Cam Images

[montomike]

Sure hope its not the kill Shot!

Kill Shot: When a solar flare is emitted from the sun and the earth is in its path and we all turn into brauts!

[des]

Hugh.

[Dave S]

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.

There was an aurora this Spring I believe that was visible as far south as California and Texas. Really big solar storm caused that one.

[petuniasevan]

Yeah, and it'll be cloudy here in WI tomorrow night (just like now).

No auroras for me, I guess. :-(

[lewislynn]

I swear I could actually HEAR the aurora making a "swish--swish" sound like an icy shower curtain folding over itself.....What I saw was more purpleish, and rainbow-like, with much less green.

Uh huh, and you 'experienced' this 'in the 60's' you say?

[JustPiper]

If my pc goes out, no FR. If my phone goes out, no FR. Hmmmm, I'll just watch my Dish, no, uh I'll call everyone on my cell, no...read? Ahhhhhhhhhhh!

[dc-zoo]

I feel for ya Eddie Willers. I'm more worried about missing game 6 of the world serious. It could be series.

[richmwill]

Great. Not only do I use a satellite at work (for processing credit card transactions), but- we just had that huge, long electrical blackout here (NY) about 2 months ago. Now another inconvenience, and I'll BET you that we won't see any cool aurora borealis here either.

Rich

[hotpotato]

Democrats blame Bush.

Hilary blames Bush.

[ImpBill]

Howard Dean, the french looking John Kerry, Al Sharpton, etal will claim it is Bush's fault.

[ASOC]

If I might - this is not an isolated case - folks report hearing a swish or "buzzing" noise when there is an active display.

I have seen this, out in the middle of nowhere (well, Ft Greely anyway) no lights, no noise. dead of winter, no moon.
It does not get much better -- but at -60 ya gotta look quick or risk the loss of important body parts....
So wrapped up could not hear me pass gas....

[Nexus]

The size of Jupiter, the culprit sunspot:

[Nexus]

One more: