http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heVeq_anewU&feature=player_embedded
Yes, we are finally moving out of the sunspot minimum of the past few years.
Hey, that'd be a cool breeze in Texas about now.
Hmmmm... does this prove AGW? Does it have anything to do with islam?
No?
NASA isn’t interested, sorry.
Looks like the sun could use a tube of Clearasil.
But seriously, that looks like quite a show. Here’s a link to another video of the event:
MAJOR FLARE, NOT EARTH-DIRECTED: On August 9th at 0805 UT, sunspot 1263 produced an X7-class solar flare—only the third X-flare of new Solar Cycle 24 and the most powerful so far. NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured the explosion’s extreme ultraviolet flash:
The brunt of the explosion was not Earth directed. Nevertheless, radiation from the flare created waves of ionization in Earth’s upper atmosphere, briefly disrupting communications at some VLF and HF radio frequencies. The blast also accelerated a mild torrent of protons toward Earth; they can be seen speckling the images in this SOHO movie of a CME emerging from the blast site. The CME will probably miss Earth. At this time, however, we cannot rule out a glancing blow from the flank of the cloud on August 11th or 12th. Stay tuned for additional analysis. Solar flare alerts: text, voice.
X-flares of Solar Cycle 24: Feb. 15, 2011 (X2), March 9, 2011 (X1), Aug. 9, 2011 (X7). Before these three, the previous X-flare occured on Dec.14, 2006, (X1) during old Solar Cycle 23.
is there a far side of the sun?
Until we figure out how to shield ourselves from these, there will be no manned space travel beyond the Moon. Earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield that extends that far—at least when the Earth is between the Moon and the Sun. One of these shot in your general direction, and you’re dead if you’re lucky. Who knows what would happen to the systems running your life support and navigation even if you survive the flare hit?
Actually, Al, the "Gore-bull Smarming" is coming from you....