(Sept 10, 2014) A cantankerous sunspot region erupted with a powerful X1.6-class solar flare at just the wrong time Wednesday. The blast was pointing right at us. That means any resulting outburst of electrically charged particles, known as a coronal mass ejection or CME, could have a disruptive effect. Initial information suggests that CME is likely associated with this event, but further analysis is underway at this time, the National Weather Services Space Weather Prediction Center reported on its Facebook page. Solar storms dont have a significant impact on human health, although high-altitude fliers and astronauts may get an extra dose of radiation. In a worst-case scenario, the storms can deal a blow to orbiting satellites and power grids on Earth. In a best-case scenario, they merely cause heightened auroral displays. It generally takes a couple of days for the charged particles associated with a CME to make their way to Earth. The sunspot region is known as AR2158, and its been acting up over the past few days. Wednesdays flare was detected at about 1:45 p.m. ET and was strong enough to cause a wide-area blackout of high-frequency radio communication for about an hour. X-class flares represent the most powerful kind of solar blasts (as opposed to medium M-class flares or the lower-energy A, B or C classes). On Tuesday, the magnetic canopy of sunspot AR2158 erupted, producing an explosion that lasted more than 6 hours. The flare peaked on Sept. 9th at 00:30 UT with a classification of M4 on the Richter Scale of Solar Flares. Long-duration flares tend to produce bright CMEs, and this one was no exception. Coronagraphs onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory observed a CME racing out of the blast site at nearly 1,000 km/s (2.2 million mph). (Luke 21:25-26) And there shall be signs in the (SUN), and in the Moon, and in the Stars; and upon the Earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; mens hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the Earth: for the powers of Heaven shall be shaken 1) (SPACE WEATHER.COM)- spaceweather/ 2) (ATTACK OF THE SUN VIDEO)- youtu.be/fMUHkz5nx8g 3) (NASA: CARRINGTON CLASS SOLAR FLARE NARROWLY MISSED, WREAKING HAVOC ON EARTH IN 2012)- forbes/sites/bridaineparnell/2014/03/19/massive-solar-superstorm-narrowly-missed-blasting-the-earth-back-into-the-dark-ages/ 4) (EARTH’S MAGNETIC FIELD WEAKENING 10 TIMES FASTER THAN SCIENTIST EXPECTED)- cbsnews/news/earths-magnetic-field-is-weakening-10-times-faster/
Posted on: Wed, 10 Sep 2014 20:18:52 +0000
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