Incoming!

Posted : 2 Aug, 2011 07:55 AM

"INCOMING CME: Magnetic fields above sunspot 1261 erupted this morning at 0648 UT, producing an M1-class solar flare. The blast also hurled a bright coronal mass ejection toward Earth. This movie from the STEREO-Ahead spacecraft shows the cloud racing away from the sun at almost 900 km/s. Geomagnetic storms are possible when the CME reaches Earth on or about August 5th. Stay tuned for updates."

"Scientists classify solar flares according to their x-ray brightness in the wavelength range 1 to 8 Angstroms. There are 3 categories: X-class flares are big; they are major events that can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms. M-class flares are medium-sized; they can cause brief radio blackouts that affect Earth's polar regions. Minor radiation storms sometimes follow an M-class flare. Compared to X- and M-class events, C-class flares are small with few noticeable consequences here on Earth."

The sun's activity cycle is expected to peak with 'solar maximum' around May 2013.

http://www.spaceweather.com/

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