Solar Flare Rocks The Sun, Earth Probably Avoided Serious Problems (VIDEO)

A solar flare "rocked the sun" Tuesday morning. The solar flare, which began at 3:48 a.m. EDT, was the largest in four years, writes Space.com.

According to the video report below, solar flare activity is currently on the upswing as the Sun approaches the peak of its 11 year activity cycle, expected in 2013.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientist Joe Kunches said, "We lucked out because the site of the eruption at the sun was not facing the Earth, so we will probably feel no ill effects."

Any particles headed our way are expected to reach Earth in a few days. SpaceWeather.com suggests that "we cannot rule out a glancing blow from the flank of the CME (coronal mass ejection from the solar flare) on or about August 11th."

A solar storm is a “flurry of charged particles that erupts from the Sun,” according to National Geographic. These particles have the ability to create “extra electrical currents” in Earth's magnetosphere (controlled by our magnetic field).

Power grids around the world are “particularly vulnerable” to the extra electrical currents created by solar storms, but Earth's magnetic field offers some protection. Satellites, on the other hand, are unprotected and forced to “weather the storm,” according to the video.

While a storm does have the potential to cause disruption to satellites and also to electrical equipment on the ground, Allie Spillyards explains in the video that the average person won't be affected. But, she warns, the accuracy of consumer GPS units can be compromised if storms affect the satellites that control them.

Forbes reports that a solar storm is not just bad news, as it can help to broaden the visibility of the aurora borealis, or northern lights.

According to TechEye, solar storms have caused significant disruptions in the past. In 1989, six million residents of Quebec, Canada were left without power for several hours because of a solar storm's impact on their province's power grid.

Telegraph systems were severely affected in 1859 in the worst solar storm in history. If the same size storm happened today, Space.com claims the damage bill could reach two trillion dollars.

The Huffington Post reported earlier this year on a large solar flare, with pictures and video available here.

Comments

[aveindustries]

06:01 PM on 08/17/2011

Al Gore should read this article. He never acknowledges solar flares as a source of global warming.

[LMPE]

07:09 PM on 08/10/2011

For once, can't one of these solar flares do something useful like wipe out all of Rupert Murdoch's media outlets?

[Overtone]

06:26 PM on 08/10/2011

IT SHOULD BE WIDELY KNOWN THAT IF ANOTHER BIG ONE HITS NASA WARNS IT CAN COLLAPSE THE POWER GRID IN THE EASTERN AND NORTHWESTERN USA FOR MONTHS!

A nuclear plant without grid power for a month is a candidate for a meltdown. We have 104 of them, mostly in the areas that would be affected.

See www.aesopinstitute.org for maps worth a thousand words.

Ironically, if the threat was widely understood, wise action to minimize the impact could unite the nation, revitalize the economy and generate large numbers of jobs.

[fds]

12:24 PM on 08/11/2011

That website looks like a scam website.

[donbrown]

03:53 AM on 08/18/2011

Good post.

Personally, it worries me that NASA continues to spew the old rhetoric about the incoming comet Elenin as just being a "Ball of Ice", when their recent assumptions on that theory have been proven so wrong.

The concept that it is in fact an asteroid with little water, but a powerful electric charge that PRODUCES ICE CRYSTALS (or some related hydrogen compound) is closer to the truth. When an asteroid with a powerful charge reached the vicinity of our sun, CMEs could well be dangerous to our grid and our survival if the Van Allen belts are destroyed.

It angers me that NASA is silent on this -- especially since the comet will be directly between the sun and earth in just over a month from now.

[Tanrioldu]

11:47 AM on 08/10/2011

Let us pray to Ra that we be spared.

[onionboy]

12:49 PM on 08/10/2011

You worship Ra?

Heretic!

Apollo will wipe the floor with Ra.

[Tanrioldu]

12:57 PM on 08/10/2011

BRING IT ON!!!

[omega777]

10:47 PM on 08/09/2011

Rev 16:8 And the fourth angel poured out his bowl onto the sun. And it was given to him to burn men with fire.

[undertheinfluence]

11:54 PM on 08/09/2011

I live in Texas, it was 109 degrees today where I live. If it gets any hotter the entire state may go up in flames.

[lyredragon]

04:12 AM on 08/10/2011

That's because Rick Perry's prayer for rain did not include maracas and the blood of his firstborn. If you're gonna appeal to the gods, appeal to them the old fashioned way.

[omega777]

10:45 PM on 08/09/2011

If I died tomorrow, I would be a happy girl.
Amy Winehouse

[Ceregene]

09:51 PM on 08/09/2011

I found this site on another post. Looks like there may be more to come.

As of now on the story is the 5th story down from the top of page. Yikes ...some interesting stuff.

http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/

[undertheinfluence]

12:08 AM on 08/10/2011

May the force be with you.

Obi Juan Kenobie.

[bridge to somewhere]

12:26 AM on 08/10/2011

"I wonder if he means Old Ben?"

[aveindustries]

06:05 PM on 08/17/2011

Are you scared of the 2012 Mayan prophecies yet?

[Genders]

09:19 PM on 08/09/2011

Yet another shock we are not preparing for because of the anti republic Tea and GOP.

[Michael LoCascio]

09:40 PM on 08/09/2011

Funny...wait until December 2012, then what?

[palindrom]

10:38 PM on 08/09/2011

My prediction -- nothing happens.

Why do you think there's anything special about it?

[kareemachan]

10:36 AM on 08/10/2011

No wait a minute, didn't ol' Harry Camping say something about October, 2011?

[bridge to somewhere]

12:27 AM on 08/10/2011

Silly, they don't believe in the sun. It's a flaming happy Jeebus engine built to give us whatever we need until the end of days when he comes back to punisch us all.

[PootiePoot]

07:49 PM on 08/10/2011

fanned!

[RFlo]

09:14 PM on 08/09/2011

its nice to know a potential earth meltdown is less important than a Kardashian story. Comforting.

[undertheinfluence]

11:55 PM on 08/09/2011

Didn't she just have a flare up of some kind?

[undertheinfluence]

12:05 AM on 08/10/2011

Just to be on the safe side..nobody phart for the next couple of days.

[PootiePoot]

07:50 PM on 08/10/2011

if that isn't a sign of the end, i don't know what is...

[supergenius02]

08:18 PM on 08/09/2011

Man made global warming is nonsense. These solar flares are the huge threat. Really scary stuff.

[palindrom]

09:07 PM on 08/09/2011

"Man made global warming is nonsense."

Might I ask why you think this is true?

[Michael LoCascio]

09:39 PM on 08/09/2011

I think the scientists changed the phrase from "Global Warming" to "Climate Change" to cover a warm up or cool down. I am not too sure.

[bridge to somewhere]

12:29 AM on 08/10/2011

And part of a well-predicted 11 year cycle that has nothing to do with our average temperature increase or rising atmospheric and oceanic absorbed CO2 concentration.

[Mistinguette Grandison]

07:52 PM on 08/09/2011

This is too scary.

[Tanrioldu]

11:49 AM on 08/10/2011

yet its been happening for billions of years. Thankfully the earth has a magnetic field that mostly protects us.

[eptjevi]

07:10 PM on 08/09/2011

Comet Elenin,Planet X, Nbiru, Wormwood... hmm what is hiding behind the sun..? Or maybe it is the return of the shining ones ,,? Oh well that would explain the Wall-Street sell off, the flight of middle class wealth upward to the greedy wealthy,, They either purchased high priced bunkers or a ride on the uber wealthy Arks built in China....lol

[getoffmedz]

06:24 PM on 08/09/2011

Clearly, this is Obama's fault.

[ThinkCreeps]

06:52 PM on 08/09/2011

Has he now taken over responsibility for sun-related issues from Al Gore?

[getoffmedz]

07:17 PM on 08/09/2011

Hmmm? Since Al Gore invented heat, maybe you are correct?

; o }

[NoahVail]

08:33 PM on 08/09/2011

Yo, medz.  I spent an hour with Senator McSame this a.m.  He wants to raise your retirement age, but does not know when your kid should come back from Afghanistan.  What a surprise. 

I think the Sun is angry.  We should sacrifice some virgins.

[Michael LoCascio]

09:37 PM on 08/09/2011

No not virgins...do you think we can find a few?

[getoffmedz]

10:10 AM on 08/10/2011

Hello NoahVail

How's the monsoon?

You are lucky out there in the cactus blossoms, you have the always surprising Old Flipper to keep you amused (does he still sport dried oatmeal on his flagpin?) and of course that ultra-attractive Governor to ponder.

Here in Texas we have the downright scary Governor Goodhair and his evangelical Taliban to keep us on our toes. We are hoping he will run for President (as long as he resigns as Governor, first). If Diebold hands him the election, retirement age will be irrelevant and the clown will be living off berries on Prince Edward Island.

No comment on virgins but the thread seems to be full of wisdom on that topic. ; o }