Major Flare Today: Sun Kicks Up Biggest Storm in Years

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Ivan Seeking
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Major Storm Sun Years
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around a recent significant solar flare and its potential effects on Earth, including the possibility of northern lights and power surges. Participants explore the implications of solar activity on weather patterns and share personal experiences related to the event.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants note that the solar flare is among the most powerful recorded and could lead to visible northern lights in mid-latitudes.
  • One participant reports a power surge and subsequent blackout, questioning the timing of the flare's impact on Earth.
  • A humorous comment about government survival bunkers raises speculative concerns about societal impacts from solar events.
  • Another participant recalls learning that solar activity affects wind, questioning if this flare will lead to windy weather, while others clarify that wind is primarily caused by daily temperature changes rather than solar flares.
  • Some participants share personal experiences of witnessing northern lights, expressing a desire to see more dramatic displays.
  • There is mention of historical correlations between solar activity cycles and climate, particularly referencing the Maunder Minimum and its effects on temperatures during the Little Ice Age.
  • One participant discusses beliefs associated with auroras in different cultures, specifically asking about Chinese beliefs regarding children conceived under the aurora.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of curiosity and personal anecdotes regarding the solar flare and its effects. There is no consensus on the relationship between solar flares and weather patterns, with some asserting no direct connection while others share differing views on the topic.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference various sources and personal experiences, but the discussion includes uncertainties about the timing and effects of the solar flare, as well as differing interpretations of the relationship between solar activity and weather.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in solar activity, its effects on Earth, and personal experiences related to astronomical phenomena may find this discussion engaging.

Ivan Seeking
Staff Emeritus
Science Advisor
Gold Member
Messages
8,215
Reaction score
2,661
The Sun today unleashed what appears to be the third most powerful flare in recorded history, a storm of charged particles that could hit Earth mid-day Wednesday with more effect than any since 1989, when an entire Canadian province had its power knocked out.

Depending on the storm's magnetic orientation, it could set off a dramatic display of colorful northern lights well into mid-latitudes of the United States and Europe.

http://space.com/scienceastronomy/solar_flare_031028.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
it is interesting...does anyone know what time it hit earth? here on the pacific coast, at 3am i woke up to a huge power surge and then the electricity was out...
 
Say, I was just curious. How many of you were invited to stay in the US government survival bunker for the elite? It is hoped that we'll be able to rebuild society after the solar disaster wipes out life on the surface. I'm in sector 7-G, look me up.

Njorl
 
Originally posted by Njorl
Say, I was just curious. How many of you were invited to stay in the US government survival bunker for the elite? It is hoped that we'll be able to rebuild society after the solar disaster wipes out life on the surface. I'm in sector 7-G, look me up.

Njorl

Sorry Njorl, I had to cut life support to that sector. Before you're gone, here's an update.

Major Solar Storm Begins Onslaught of Earth
http://space.com/scienceastronomy/solar_flare_031028.html
 
Last edited by a moderator:
i remember learning in school MANY years ago that the sun directly affected wind...because of this flare up, will we have windy weather ahead?
 
http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/sftheory/questions.htm#weather

There is no known relationship between individual solar flares and weather. There is, however, evidence for a relationship between the solar activity cycle and global climate. The best known case is the correlation of a long period of solar inactivity called the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715) with the lowest temperatures recorded during the "Little Ice Age" that occurred from 1500 to 1850. Almost no spots were observed on the Sun during this period. There is evidence for the correlation of other periods of low solar activity with cooler temperatures on Earth as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
there may be better information on the net, or PF members may
know more, i came across this one.
 
Great shot of the Northern Lights: USA Today

New, major solar storm slams into the Earth
The geomagnetic storm level is was listed as "severe" and magnetic field of the new cloud is pointing south, which means it could interact much more violently that if the magnetic field is pointing north, the same way as the Earth's, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) scientists said.

http://www.usatoday.com/weather/news/2003-10-29-new-flare_x.htm
 
Originally posted by wolram
http://hesperia.gsfc.nasa.gov/sftheory/questions.htm#weather

There is no known relationship between individual solar flares and weather. There is, however, evidence for a relationship between the solar activity cycle and global climate. The best known case is the correlation of a long period of solar inactivity called the Maunder Minimum (1645-1715) with the lowest temperatures recorded during the "Little Ice Age" that occurred from 1500 to 1850. Almost no spots were observed on the Sun during this period. There is evidence for the correlation of other periods of low solar activity with cooler temperatures on Earth as well.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
there may be better information on the net, or PF members may
know more, i came across this one.

A related story?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/3221795.stm
 
Originally posted by Kerrie
i remember learning in school MANY years ago that the sun directly affected wind...because of this flare up, will we have windy weather ahead?
That is true, but that's got nothing to do with solar flares. Wind is a result of radiative heating of the ground, which naturally occurs on a daily cycle. In the morning, the ground is cool and about the same temperature as the air. And the air is still. By late morning or early afternoon, the ground is heated by the sun to be much warmer than the air. Warm air rises like bubbles in boiling water causing convection currents and wind.
 
  • #10
Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
Depending on the storm's magnetic orientation, it could set off a dramatic display of colorful northern lights well into mid-latitudes of the United States and Europe.

We had amazing "northern lights" here in NH on Oct 30. Quite the treat...I had never seen them before.
 
  • #11


Originally posted by Phobos
We had amazing "northern lights" here in NH on Oct 30. Quite the treat...I had never seen them before.

Lucky dog! I have looked and looked but no lights on the west coast at the 45th parallel. They were seen up in Washington though.

I once got to see a glimse of them, way off in the distance, and while at 30,000 feet over Colorado. That's it for me. I would love to see a dramatic display...should have gone to Alaska this week.
 
  • #12


Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
I would love to see a dramatic display...should have gone to Alaska this week.
Ditto
 
  • #13


Originally posted by KL Kam
Ditto

This would be a fairly short trip for me, but this would be no small trip from Hong Kong.

KL, as I understand things, [I saw this on a TV show so who knows?] the japanese believe children concieved under the Aurora are specially blessed. Do the Chinese have any similar beliefs?
 
  • #14


Originally posted by Ivan Seeking
This would be a fairly short trip for me, but this would be no small trip from Hong Kong.

KL, as I understand things, [I saw this on a TV show so who knows?] the japanese believe children concieved under the Aurora are specially blessed. Do the Chinese have any similar beliefs?
No, I haven't heard of it. :smile:
I think the next time when the sun turns so active, I won't mind traveling as close to the north pole as possible so as to witnesses a facinating auroras show.

By the way, from the pictures in spaceweather.com, the giant group of sunspots is rotating away from us.
 
  • #15
A friend of mine lives in El Paso, TX he said he saw the Northern Lights.
 

Similar threads

Effect of Solar Storms on the Grid and Nuke Plants?
  • · Replies 50 ·
2
Replies
50
Views
22K