ockham opened this issue on Oct 23, 2003 ยท 26 posts
ockham posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:17 PM
The biggest sunspot since 1844 is sending magnetic disturbances toward Earth.... due to arrive about 24 hours from now. Big magnetic storms can throw all kinds of random impulses into running computers and phone lines, and can cause power outages. So: Back up everything that matters! Now!!!
Nevermore posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:21 PM
Cheers for the heads up. Thankfully I've got most of the important stuff backed up - but I'll go double check now :o)
Marque posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:26 PM
Sounds good to me, thanks for the tip! Marque
Marque posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:27 PM
How long will they be lasting do you know? Marque
Veritas777 posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:45 PM
As if SPAM wasn't BAD ENOUGH! Now it's SUN STORMS!
Dizzie posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 2:56 PM
Yeah? and my car didn't start during Y2K...grin
SAMS3D posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 3:11 PM
lol----:-)
denden posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 3:13 PM
I don't get the National Enquirer...what else did they say?
ockham posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 3:16 PM
I didn't hear a prediction of length, but usually a magnetic disturbance lasts a few hours.
Marque posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 3:38 PM
I remember the last time this happened and there were a ton of problems, no joke for me I'm looking it up. Again, thanks. Marque
mateo_sancarlos posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 5:16 PM
And don't forget to wear your aluminum-foil hats
bloodsong posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 5:28 PM
Attached Link: http://www.spaceweather.com
heyas; they make killer auroras too. you can check this kinda stuff at spaceweather, i believe.
Dizzie posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 5:28 PM
ROTFLLLLLLLL...love that pumpkin too!
Mason posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 5:45 PM
No wonder all those computers went down in 1844.
PabloS posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 5:53 PM
I used to work with some folks that did space weather but forgot most of the good stuff. Historically speaking, you may experience power outages, especially in the higher lattitudes (look out Canada), some disruption to cell phones, pagers, and the like ... anything that uses satellites -- they're especially prone to these hazards. On the plus side, like bloodsong mentioned killer auroras, perhaps at lower lattitudes too.
millman posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 6:56 PM
Solar flare is the proper term, sometimes connected with a sunspot, sometimes not. They can cause problems with electronics, mostly at the high latitudes as our magnetic field channels the particles to the north and south poles. As an amateur astronomer, I have more than passing interest, they're just damn pretty, when strong enough that I can see them through the light polution of Milwaukee. We use terms such as curtains, beams, searchlights, to describe the different effects. Something that may be interesting to try to model.
SamTherapy posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 7:31 PM
Thye cn shure cuase porblems to us wehn weer' using oru cmoptuers. ist os uperditctabel. Forinstacne only thsi mroningn I, was a;; fsy&7&&789)))ywhand%%%@~????8(*&!"HH"""!jd?.>,<,<<,>.1h ;)
Coppula eam se non posit acceptera jocularum.
hauksdottir posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 8:12 PM
Yup, Spaceweather has them pegged. (There are actually two major flares which went off less than a day apart and which ought to make things interesting for quite a while.) I'm not sure if I should wish for an aurora visible here in the SF Bay Area or not... but I know of a few quiet places for meteor viewing which ought to be packed if we actually get an aurora! Spaceweather has a phone alert system for any astronomers in this group. Carolly
sandoppe posted Thu, 23 October 2003 at 10:27 PM
Maybe that's why everyone's DSL line in Vernon Center went on the fritz today at about noon. The phone company (our ISP) thought it was a "hiccough" in the system, but maybe it was "sunspots". They screw up my c-band satellite sometimes :) As if I don't have enough to think about!!
bikermouse posted Fri, 24 October 2003 at 2:06 PM
Whoa! So That's what I've been feeling - usually it turns out to be earthquakes! Thanks Ockham. Is there anything we can do to protect our stuff?
Jumpstartme2 posted Fri, 24 October 2003 at 2:28 PM
Oh perfect, and I just got my SAT internet day before yesterday...I better make some calls and see what all can go wrong :(
~Jani
Renderosity Community Admin
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Jumpstartme2 posted Fri, 24 October 2003 at 2:41 PM
Ok, just got off the phone with DirecWay...they say it shouldn't affect my SAT...~whew~ but that a backup is always a good idea because ya never know..;)
~Jani
Renderosity Community Admin
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quixote posted Fri, 24 October 2003 at 2:41 PM
Thanks for the link. Pretty interesting stuff.
Un coup de dés jamais n'abolira le
hazard
S Mallarmé
kawecki posted Fri, 24 October 2003 at 4:02 PM
Great oportunity to catch Saddan, the solar storm can disrupt the warp engine's work and unhide the WMDs, Saddan, the 40 virgins and Ali Baba for a short lapse of time.
Stupidity also evolves!
mon1alpha posted Tue, 28 October 2003 at 5:51 AM
I myself will be encasing myself in a lead suit..but that's got nothing to do with sunspots, I just like the feel of lead on my skin ;) I'm hoping for a free light show in the sky but, as I'm in the Uk, I'm expecting full cloud cover :)
Jumpstartme2 posted Wed, 29 October 2003 at 12:24 AM
Attached Link: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031028/ap_on_sc/solar_flare_2
This time it might hit full force ...yea! woohoo! my SAT is doomed yet again!~Jani
Renderosity Community Admin
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