U.S. Issues Solar Storm Watch After Large Outburst From the Sun

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Source: New York Times

U.S. Issues Solar Storm Watch After Large Outburst From the Sun

An explosion of particles is expected to reach Earth on Thursday, and could lead to visible Northern Lights in much of the country while also raising power grid concerns.

By Kenneth Chang
Kenneth Chang reported on the solar activity forecast for this decade in September 2020.
Oct. 9, 2024, 7:07 p.m. ET

Periodically, the sun spews out gigantic eruptions of particles into the solar system. Sometimes, when the solar eruptions are aimed right at Earth, the particles may create brilliant auroras in night skies in many parts of the planet. Then there are other occasions when the battering can damage satellites, mangle GPS signals and knock out power grids.

On Wednesday, a federal center issued a space weather severe storm watch after sun-watching spacecraft observed a large solar flare emanating from a sunspot in the sun’s northern hemisphere, accompanied by an explosion of particles known as a coronal mass ejection.

“The concerning thing here is that it was right in the center of the sun,” Shawn Dahl, the service coordinator for the Space Weather Prediction Center, which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon.

If the eruption was right in the center of the sun, that meant at least part of it was probably aimed right at Earth. It looked big enough to cause potential disruptions. The barrage could also result in Northern and Southern Lights being visible on Thursday evening, reaching much closer to the Equator than usual.

{snip}

Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/09/science/solar-storm-sun-aurora.html

[twodogsbarking]

1. Number three I think.

Tom Ridge... is someone who has the leadership qualities of a gerbil. He was a part of coming up with is known as the color coded system of security. You know, orange, and yellow, and what ever the fuck the others are. And what's stupid about it is they have the color coding. LIKE WE'RE IN FUCKIN' ELEMENTARY SCHOOL!! There's no need for that. Because every time they tell us what the color is, then they have to fuckin' explain it, so get rid of the fuckin' color! Simplify it. There should be three levels of security: "Jesus Christ," "God damn it!," "FUCK ME!"


Lewis Black
Black on Broadway (2004)|

[Nigrum Cattus]

2. More to come in 2025

Here is a link to NASA's info.
https://blogs.nasa.gov/solarcycle25/
The flares are suppose to increase/peak in 2025

[slightlv]

3. The link you gave said this one may produce auroras much closer to the

equator than usual, both from the North and South Poles. I've never seen one... I'm in the middle of the country in KS. I looked on that page, and also on a link to space weather from it, but it never gave any kind of graph as to possible aurora sightings. Have you seen one for this latest flare? I understand it's an unusually large one. I'd love to see an aurora, but don't hold out much hope! LOL

[k0rs]

4. NOAA

has an Auroral prediction webpage.

Check here: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/aurora-30-minute-forecast

Incidentally, this is one of the services proposed to be discontinued by P-2025.

[slightlv]

5. I was on this page, but those are only 30 minute forecasts

I love the space weather page, btw! I was looking more for one that would give an estimate for Thursday viewing, when this latest one is suppose to hit us. Guess I could start in tomorrow and check in every 30 minutes (gryn), but I'd rather see if what they're saying is true, or if they're over-forecasting the range of the auroras. Like I said, I've never seen one come anywhere close to NE KS before.

BTW, killing this resources is going to end up killing a LOT of people. But then, I truly think that's what the R's want to do, anyway... in every possible way they can without being held directly accountable for it. More resources, more food for them and the 1%. But that's just my cynical view of them...

[Qutzupalotl]

9. There is a link to a 3-day forecast

on this page, but it changes a lot.
https://www.softservenews.com/
https://cdn.softservenews.com/free-member/aurora-borealis-forecast-3-day-bar.html

[slightlv]

12. The CDN address was perfect. Thanks!

[canuckledragger]

7. I've only seen one aurora in my liftetime

and it was where I still live today, in Southern Ontario, around this time of year I think.

It wasn't a big glowing green colour like you see in pictures, but a very faint, wispy, white colour that would roll over certain parts of the night sky.

So you can see them, but have to really look for them sometimes. I haven't had the patience in a long time to sit out in the cold and search.

[republianmushroom]

11. Northern Ca just had one.

[0rganism]

6. Wow it's like the whole solar system hates us

I used to think it regarded our stupidity with cold indifference but now I'm not so sure.

[canuckledragger]

8. there's a few athiest astronomers/astrophysists that like to point out...

...that the universe wasn't 'made' with nurturing life in mind. It's a deadly place that's hostile to life in SO many ways!

My big fear for future space travellers is all the unknown stuff they'll be exposed to that we have no knowledge about yet and how it will affect the human body...like all the radiation we haven't discovered yet once we're outside the sun-produced electromagnetic protective 'bubble' surrounding our solar system.

The TV series 'The Expanse' predicts the effects of weightlessness on our bodies based on what we already know about when astronauts return to earth, crippled by the unavoidable bone and muscle density loss. In the series they predict that those born out there (the 'belters') might not be able to live on a planet at all, as the gravity would crush their fragile skeletons and such. Gravity is even used as a form of torture on those folks in the show.

[Martin68]

10. It's a bit narcissistic - or paranoid - to feel that the solar system cares about us or even "knows" we're here.

The same is true of Milton, who is not evidence of Mother's Earth's revenge for climate change. No feelings involved, just physics. If the solar system was really out to get us, it would have the means to dispose of us overnight by sending a late asteroid our way.