Warning: Sunspot cycle beginning to rise

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/8/09 | AP

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON – The sun is moving into a busier period for sunspots. Forecasters expect a relatively mild outbreak by historical standards, but one major solar storm can cause havoc with satellites and electrical systems.

Researcher Doug Biesecker (BEE-sec-ker) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's space weather prediction center compared solar storms to hurricanes: A weak cycle may mean fewer storms, but even one powerful one can be devastating.

[NormsRevenge]

Just when you thought it was time to get the mukluks out..

[Red Badger]

Swine flu?...............

[NormsRevenge]

Current Space Weather Conditions
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/

from

NOAA/ National Weather Service
National Centers for Environmental Prediction
Space Weather Prediction Center

[NormsRevenge]

not much on the Alerts Chart page

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/alerts/alerts_timeline.html

[steve86]

WASHINGTON – The sun is moving into a busier period for sunspots.

Compared to "Zero"?

[TaraP]

May 8th No Sunspots... On May 5th and 6th, magnetic fields in the vicinity of these regions erupted, hurling at least three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) into space. Since then, no explosions have been observed. The sunspots probably located at the base of these active regions might be in decay--or they might be regrouping for a new round of CMEs. We'll find out when the sun's rotation turns the active zone toward Earth for a better view in the days ahead. Readers with solar telescopes should train their optics on the eastern limb.

[EGPWS]

The sun is moving into a busier period for sunspots.

It's a carbon issue.

[John123]

We can't just stand around... we need to throw billions of dollars at this problem...

Let's get a spokesman... Oh Al? Are you busy at the moment?

[poobear]

Yep, another ‘crisis’.

[backwoods-engineer]

What is AP/Yahoo’s point in putting this article out? We are still at the bottom of Cycle 23, and Cycle 24 really hasn’t gotten started yet. (http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/SolarCycle/index.html). I’m an amateur radio operator, and the bands I use (particularly 15 & 10 meters) are heavily dependent on sunspot activity for worldwide communications. These bands are dead, and AP is talking about a solar storm? In 4 YEARS, maybe.

I bet they need something else to get the population roiling in fear, and they’re floating trial balloons like this one.

[xcamel]

http://spaceweather.com/

...still looks pretty blank to me...

[NormsRevenge]

I hear ya,, it’s a non-article but.. maybe this piece is just to sell more sun screen.

Good luck with the radio. we may need ya when disaster strikes.

[SaraJohnson]

“A recent report by the National Academy of Sciences found that if a storm as severe as one in 1859 occurred today, it could cause $1 trillion to $2 trillion in damage the first year and require four to 10 years for recovery.”

Well, thank goodness we have dear leader and the banksters in charge. A couple of trillion is a drop in the bucket.

[Huskrrrr]

Global warmiing is causing an increase in sun spots. Blame Bush. Details at ten (after the Obama news conference).

[NormsRevenge]

Man, that is quiet.

[KarlInOhio]

Warning: Sunspot cycle beginning to rise

Warning? How long ago was the last "The sunspots are extinct and thus we are sure to DIE!!!!!" article?

Did they post a "Warning: First robin of spring sighted"?

[ckilmer]

No. Its a grudging admission that the sun may have something to do with heat.

[EGPWS]

...it could cause $1 trillion to $2 trillion in damage the first year and require four to 10 years for recovery.”

Nothing a printing press on a 24 hour solar day schedule can't handle.

[LasVegasMac]

I’m an amateur radio operator,

Ditto.

Some good solar news for a change!

[re_tail20]

Don’t we still have SOHO (Solar and Helioscopic Observatory) midway between the Earth and the Sun which functions as a de facto early warning?