If the CME has a southward polarity, and is anywhere above 200 nanoteslas in power, it could be lights out for planet earth, literally. All the important info will come to us from the ACE satellite, which was designed to measure cme's polarity and power. We are entering an almost two year phase where the area of the sun with the most explosive solar flares will be pointed at the earth, "like the barrel of a shotgun", to quote one scientist. This IS a real threat. If we lose all or most electricity, many will die. Water won't run out of the tap (electric pumps). Hospitals and firestations have generators that may only last 72 hours. This will be, to quote NASA, "a once in a lifetime solar event." GET READYPosted by John101 (here)
I too will be keeping an eye on the sky the next few nights.
This might be worth a look too.
Are solar flares a real threat?
Defence Secretary Liam Fox has highlighted warnings from scientists that essential infrastructure could be paralysed by a once-in-a-century solar flare.
Newsnight's Science editor Susan Watts considers how much we really need to worry about the warning and the possibility of life without electricity.
Broadcast Monday 21 September 2010.
Short video I found Interesting. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programme...ht/9020059.stm