Solar Storm ALert

ninebeanrows

A massive coronal mass ejection has occurred on sunspot 1302.

The thing looks HUGE.

STRONG SOLAR ACTIVITY: Having already unleashed two X-flares since Sept. 22nd, sunspot AR1302 appears ready for more. The active region has a complex "beta-gamma-delta" magnetic field that harbors energy for strong M- and X-class eruptions. Flares from AR1302 will become increasingly geoeffective as the sunspot turns toward Earth in the days ahead.

I am not the most knowledgeable on this subject so please help me out.

http://spaceweather.com/

ninebeanrows

The CME has reached a level of 8.5 Kp, where the scale goes to 9.0Kp

It means that an aurora may be visible from as far south as northern France.

ninebeanrows

http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/wingkp/wingkp_15m_24h.gif

AlmightyCushion

Weathercheck wrote: »

The CME has reached a level of 8.5 Kp, where the scale goes to 9.0Kp

It means that an aurora may be visible from as far south as northern France.

No way! When would this be visible, would love to see it.

DjFlin

As someone who knows nothing about this, I feel as though I can safely say:

"We're all f*cked! This is it. We're gonna die!"

ninebeanrows

Just to show how significant this is

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-index

emo72

this better not interfere with our good weather this week. WE WERE PROMISED:D

Cherry_Angel

When should we expect or those in France except to see this??

The Hill Billy

It looks like it has been & gone already. However, according to SpaceWeather.com there is a 40% chance of more X-flares in the coming days.

Here's the current aurora prediction for the northern hemisphere:

Chief

View north from Malin Head early this morning

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/294134_2278058343784_1018503212_2465899_610609071_n.jpg

Pat Dunne

Chief wrote: »

View north from Malin Head early this morning

http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/294134_2278058343784_1018503212_2465899_610609071_n.jpg

Fantastic photo.

What equipment did you use to get the shot?

Chief

Hey Pat, Canon 550D, 10-22mm lens @ f3.5 and a 289 second exposure at iso 400 i believe... Thanks for the compliment!

FreudianSlippers

Massive CME on the 1st after a comet hit the sun. It's heading right for us at about 500 km/s, so we could have massive geomagnetic activity either Tuesday or Wednesday.

EDIT: Added pic for extra awesomeness.

Captain Chaos

The beast is finally wakening from it's long slumber.

A direct CME blast after a comet strike, them smart aliens and their technology.
Now where's the 2012 tinfoil hat bomb shelter.

amacachi

How could a comet have that kind of effect on the sun? :S

emo72

a comet hit the sun and noone told us told us till after the event? Major bummer dudes.

FreudianSlippers

amacachi wrote: »

How could a comet have that kind of effect on the sun? :S

They don't seem to know lol.

Before 2011 most solar physicists would have discounted the events of Oct. 1st as pure coincidence--and pure coincidence is still the most likely explanation. Earlier this year, however, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) watched another sungrazer disintegrate in the sun's atmosphere. On July 5, 2011, the unnamed comet appeared to interact with plasma and magnetic fields in its surroundings as it fell apart. Could a puny comet cause a magnetic instability that might propagate and blossom into a impressive CME? The question is not so crazy as it once seemed to be.

FreudianSlippers

Just as an update, looking at the stereo ahead angle of the impact it looks as though the animation is slightly misleading. The CME and the comet impact are unrelated as can be seen from this angle:



Nevertheless, it is a relatively large and Earth-directed CME which we should see sometime tomorrow evening.

It is possible that the 2nd, larger CME had something to do with the comet, but it'd be unusual.

Captain Chaos

FreudianSlippers wrote: »

They don't seem to know lol.

Wow, I was only joking and all.

Very interesting if there is some sort of link, but unless a comet has it's own magnet field I don't know how it could interact with the sun's field. Unless it's a heavy iron comet causing magnet flux as it crossed the sun's magnetic field but how that can effect a CME is good topic to ponder.

slade_x

normal and half speed video from may

http://www.space.com/11661-comet-dives-sun-solar-eruption.html

FreudianSlippers

CME hit Oct. 5th at approximately 0700 UT. Picture of aurora over Queenstown, New Zealand via spaceweather:




kp max 5 over next 24 hours, likely southern hemisphere.

FreudianSlippers

Another very large, strong and fast CME erupted on the 4th approx 1300 as well. This one is heading the opposite direction of us towards Mercury and Venus:



24 Hour growth:




LASCO C2:




LASCO C3:





This is a very active spot and should be facing us in 10-14 days. Obviously we can't predict what it'll be like when it's facing us, but it is looking extraordinarily active:

tvbrat

I dont have a youtube account yet but I've posted some videos here of Active region 1302, taken in my back garden last week.


http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=237025963015868

this one is a few clips merged together

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=237680786283719




some photos









I've added more here on these links, I'm still learning how to use my scopes, hope ye like them. Thanks for looking.

http://www.bam.ie/bam_bright_arc_man/universe/sun/dublin_sunspots_september_26_2011.html

http://www.bam.ie/bam_bright_arc_man/universe/sun/dublin_solar_active_regions_september_27_2011.html