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Large solar eruption: possible electrical effects July 16-17
Space Weather.com ^ | 07/16/2002

Posted on 07/16/2002 10:43:14 AM PDT by cogitator

SOLAR BLAST: Twisted magnetic fields above giant sunspot 30 erupted on Monday, July 15th, at 2005 UT. The explosion sparked a powerful X3-class solar flare and hurled a coronal mass ejection (CME, pictured right) into space. Although the CME was not squarely Earth-directed, it might nevertheless buffet our planet's magnetic field as early as July 16th (although the 17th is more likely). NOAA forecasters estimate a 10% chance of severe geomagnetic activity on Wednesday; sky watchers should be alert for auroras.



TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aurora; cme; power; solaractivity; sunspot
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To: cogitator
Looks like a closup of a Lasik surgery...
21 posted on 07/16/2002 11:12:18 AM PDT by isthisnickcool
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To: cogitator; All
There are links to take you to real-time solar observations here:

The Sun has a Thousand Faces--- Thread 3

22 posted on 07/16/2002 11:12:20 AM PDT by backhoe
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To: Clarinet_King
Ping. Son, get the perspective right. Compare the size of the flare to the size of the sun (blue dot).
23 posted on 07/16/2002 11:18:23 AM PDT by NerdDad
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To: cogitator
Wait a minute, something's wrong here. How can there be a solar flare when it's nighttime and the sun is turned off? Huh? Yeah, I thought you'd find that hard to explain...
24 posted on 07/16/2002 11:31:09 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: cogitator
Nice birthday present.
25 posted on 07/16/2002 11:32:56 AM PDT by Bogey78O
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To: Dog Gone
It takes sunlight 8 minutes to get from the Sun to the Earth. Does this come through the US Postal Service?

You may know this and asked the question in jest, but the CME is not light, it's charged particles (plasma). It has to travel 93 million miles to get here. Now 93 million miles in a day or so may not be lightspeed, but at that speed I'd get from Maryland to the West Coast (scribble scribble) in about 2.5 seconds.

26 posted on 07/16/2002 11:39:47 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: cogitator
Sure, but why would you want to? ;-)
27 posted on 07/16/2002 11:47:09 AM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: dead
I did.

For you I had them leave a little white circle to mark what you affectionately call your 'Sun'.

Cheers.

28 posted on 07/16/2002 11:47:46 AM PDT by Sundog
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To: cogitator
What did the President know

The president knows the sun is that hot, bright thing in the sky. I'd like to know what those three bright points of light are, the ones that move in the movie. There are other less-bright points as well, probably stars. Especially what are the two bright points with a horizontal line through each? And what is the one above the sun?

29 posted on 07/16/2002 11:53:34 AM PDT by RightWhale
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To: Bogey78O
Happy Birthday! It's "Mygirlsmom's" Mom's birthday too!
30 posted on 07/16/2002 11:57:25 AM PDT by Mygirlsmom
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To: cogitator
The last time this happened the cell phone system in the US WAS totally disrupted.
31 posted on 07/16/2002 12:00:47 PM PDT by NotJustAnotherPrettyFace
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To: Mygirlsmom
Sorry. Not till tomorrow. I read it as happening today and tomorrow. Happy Birthday to your Mom nonetheless.
32 posted on 07/16/2002 12:06:00 PM PDT by Bogey78O
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To: cogitator
What did the President know and when did he know it?

< democrat=liberal,whacko >
We're all going to die and it's the shrub's fault!
< /democrat >

33 posted on 07/16/2002 12:15:40 PM PDT by Salman
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To: RightWhale
Especially what are the two bright points with a horizontal line through each? And what is the one above the sun?

If you go to the Web site (link in the header), I think that it indicates the points with the lines through them are planets. The bright one above the Sun should be a star.

34 posted on 07/16/2002 12:55:46 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: RightWhale
I had to check. From the Web site:

"The orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, however, can. SOHO's coronagraph blocks the Sun's blinding glare with an opaque disk, revealing stars, planets and the Sun's faint corona. SOHO captured the above coronagraph image on July 15th. Later this week Mars will join Mercury and Jupiter in the field of view. (Note: the horizontal lines are digital imaging artifacts, not planetary rings.)"

Jupiter is to the left of the Sun, Mercury to the right.

35 posted on 07/16/2002 12:57:39 PM PDT by cogitator
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To: Dog Gone
LMFAO
36 posted on 07/16/2002 1:14:06 PM PDT by My Favorite Headache
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To: cogitator
I'm ready.


37 posted on 07/16/2002 1:29:28 PM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
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To: Dog Gone
Sure, but why would you want to? ;-)

Seems to me that going from Maryland to the West Coast in 2.5 seconds should create one hell of a shock wave and sonic boom when you slow down .. if he times it just right he could possibly level SF and LA (And all the attendant Liberals) all at the same time.
I admit there would be a lot of collateral damage (Some Redwoods, condors and a spotted owl or two) and there could be some "friendly Fire" casualtis -- but hey it's the price of doing business ;-)

38 posted on 07/16/2002 1:42:08 PM PDT by commish
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To: commish
Well, there you have it. There is a valid reason, after all.
39 posted on 07/16/2002 2:09:02 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: Sabertooth
Yep it is warm. Mr. Sun has been a blowing and going for the last twelve months.

The green weanies are afraid of blowing it big time if they were to shout the global warming sky is falling right now.
40 posted on 07/16/2002 2:12:25 PM PDT by snooker
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