Thanx for the warning!
 

Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7 Years

:1orglaugh

A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow (Jan. 24), as the strongest radiation storm since 2005 rages on the sun.

Early this morning (0359 GMT Jan. 23, which corresponds to late Sunday, Jan. 22 at 10:59 p.m. EST), NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught an extreme ultraviolet flash from a huge eruption on the sun , according to the skywatching website Spaceweather.com.

The solar flare spewed from sunspot 1402, a region of the sun that has become increasingly active lately. Several NASA satellites, including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), and the Stereo spacecraft observed the massive sun storm.

A barrage of charged particles triggered by this morning's solar flare is expected to hit Earth tomorrow at around 9 a.m. EST (1400 GMT), according to experts at the Space Weather Prediction Center, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. [Video & photos of the huge solar flare]

According to NOAA, this is the strongest solar radiation storm since May 2005, and as a precaution, polar flights on Earth are expected to be re-routed within the next few hours, Kathy Sullivan, deputy administrator of NOAA, said today at the 92nd annual American Meteorological Society meeting in New Orleans, La.

Scientists call these electromagnetic bursts "coronal mass ejections" (CMEs), and they are closely studied because they can produce potentially harmful geomagnetic storms when the charged particles rain down Earth's magnetic field lines.

In addition to generating stronger than normal displays of Earth's auroras (also known as the northern and southern lights), geomagnetic storms aimed directly at our planet can also disrupt satellites in orbit, cause widespread communications interference and damage other electronic infrastructures.

"There is little doubt that the cloud is heading in the general direction of Earth," Spaceweather.com announced in an alert. "A preliminary inspection of SOHO/STEREO imagery suggests that the CME will deliver a strong glancing blow to Earth's magnetic field on Jan. 24-25 as it sails mostly north of our planet."

Sunday's solar flare was rated an M9-class eruption, which placed it just on the verge of being an X-class flare, the most powerful type of solar storm. M-class sun storms are powerful but mid-range, while C-class flares are weaker.

NASA routinely monitors space weather conditions to determine any potential hazards to the astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Based on the agency's assessment, the six spaceflyers currently living and working on the orbiting outpost are not in any danger, said NASA spokesman Kelly Humphries.

"The flight surgeons have reviewed the space weather forecasts for the flare and determined that there are no expected adverse effects or actions required to protect the on-orbit crew," Humphries told SPACE.com in an email.

Last week, a separate sunspot group unleashed several M-class flares, and SDO scientists said these types of flares are occurring almost daily as the sun's rotation slowly turns the region toward Earth.

The sun's activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle. Currently, our planet's nearest star is in the midst of Solar Cycle 24, and activity is expected to ramp up toward solar maximum in 2013.

Watch out for Aurora Borealis if the sky is clear.

we can have a giant worldwide rave b4 we die :GFYBand

I saw a documentary on this type of event. There is also a pole shift that could take place, which would then make the Earth much more vulnerable to these flares, doomsday shit. Some said a pole shift has occurred before, and is likely to occur again. Others argue against. Makes for some great extra worries if you're paranoid to begin with :1orglaugh

well at least we got a warning might have to move my bucket list :Oh crap we have till dec. 21st or whatever :1orglaugh :1orglaugh :1orglaugh

I think the pole shift is fairly well proven due to shocked quartz evidence. Basically alignment of crystals in solidified molten material in same geographic areas over eons of time should align in the same direction if the poles remain the same, but they dont.

Or, could be aliens or super-jesus. Who am I to guess? Just a guy looking for a job.

:1orglaugh Definitely super-jesus. Well, let's all hope the pole's don't shit until after 9 am tomorrow!

Here's a good link for information on solar flares in the recent past. Even X-class solar flares hit us before (a class above what's supposed to his us tomorrow). It's going to be fun to watch some in the media make a huge ordeal out of this and sell us some of that good old fear we all love.

http://science.nasa.gov/science-news...n_solarflares/

it's quite uninteresting at the end of the day.. .the biggest solar storms do what? milimetres worth of damage to our magnetic shield? WOW!

it's been a boring event cycle for the last billion years, it's not going to start getting exciting now, but try to explain that to people right? haha

Lightning or even rain has a much higher % of damage, why aren't people afraid of that shit?