Unchained Preppers

General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: JoJo on September 11, 2014, 03:28:17 PM

Title: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: JoJo on September 11, 2014, 03:28:17 PM
News media are tell people that an extreem solar storm is heading our way. It could be here as early as today or the next couple of days. Forcasters don't know which part of the planet will be facing the sun when it hits.
  http://nypost.com/2014/09/10/extreme-solar-storm-heading-to-earth/ (http://nypost.com/2014/09/10/extreme-solar-storm-heading-to-earth/)
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: crudos on September 11, 2014, 04:48:43 PM
 :tinfoil:

If nothing else, might actually get to see the aurora finally.  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: Kbop on September 11, 2014, 05:32:27 PM
I follow space weather on a daily basis for work - links below.  This is a small to middling flare.  Any terrestrial problems will show up in upper latitude power grids.  the largest radio blackouts happened yesterday.  (in the range of 2-3 radio only).  the Carrington event was a 4-5 level geo-magnetic.  Some communication birds may be blacked out for a bit but there isn't enough radiation flux to move them too much - the follow on atmospheric disturbance will affect LEOs, only in the coming few days.

an analogy that might help; this event type x1.6 is like a popping fireplace spark hitting your carpet (annoying and can be dangerous).  as compared to a forest fire engulfing your house (annoying and probably fatal) G5.

this was a CME (coronal mass ejection).  if you live in the northern hemisphere and the sky is clear you just might be able to see an aurora as the particles catch up from the original blast.  best dates are the nights of the 12th and 13th.  look for a green glow low in the northern sky.

here is what you can expect from an X1.6 from the NOAA web site.
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/index.html#GeomagneticStorms (http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/NOAAscales/index.html#GeomagneticStorms)

links mentioned above.
the fun one - go to the bottom, it tracks NEO asteroids too.
http://www.spaceweather.com/ (http://www.spaceweather.com/)

the one I use most
http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/index.html (http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/index.html)
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: JoJo on September 11, 2014, 06:36:33 PM
Thanks KBOP. Being uneducated in these matters I was a little worried. Now I know why the tv news media hasn't mentioned it.
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: crudos on September 11, 2014, 09:58:16 PM
Thanks for the linkage kbop.  :thumbsup:

I remember back in the day such an event wouldn't warrant any news coverage, and only ham radio operators seemed the most concerned and would actually follow solar activity. It is a subject I need to educate myself alot better, even being a radio geek for most of my life.
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: Burt Gummer on September 12, 2014, 01:45:17 AM
Thanks for the context K-bob!



I think I saw you on the news the other day.

http://youtu.be/5YYtSkKtCqQ (http://youtu.be/5YYtSkKtCqQ)

guy in the end right?  :pirateThumbUp:
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: JohnyMac on September 12, 2014, 03:05:33 PM
Great discussion gents  :thumbsUp: Thx Jojo and Kbop.  :cheers:
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: Kbop on September 12, 2014, 09:07:32 PM
I remember back in the day such an event wouldn't warrant any news coverage, and only ham radio operators seemed the most concerned and would actually follow solar activity. It is a subject I need to educate myself alot better, even being a radio geek for most of my life.

the good old days indeed

I'm going to go outside if a bit and see if I can see the aurora from 39.8294° N.
sigh, no aurora for us down here. :(
Title: Re: Extreem solar storm heading to earth
Post by: JohnyMac on September 13, 2014, 08:08:52 AM
Nothing at 41.7N  :)