Giant sunspot shoots out intense, X-class solar flare

WaPo ^ | 02:31 PM ET, 07/12/2012 TheWashingtonPost | Jason Samenow

[BenLurkin]

UPDATE, 3:30 p.m.: NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) just posted the following:

The R3 (Strong) Radio Blackout today at 12:49 EDT (1649 UTC) was accompanied by an earth-directed CME. Hampered by limited observations of the event, SWPC forecasters are now anticipating the passage of the [coronal mass ejection] around 1:00 a.m. EDT, Saturday, July 14. G1 (minor) Geomagnetic Storm activity is expected to then ensue through the rest of the day.

In short, NOAA is predicting minor effects from this space weather event - no major impacts on the power grid or satellites anticipated - although we remind you forecasting space weather is difficult and surprises are possible. Sky watchers in northern U.S. (and high latitudes) may have an opportunity to see aurora late Friday night into early Saturday morning.

Original post, from 2:30 p.m.: A massive sunspot region facing Earth - known as 1520 - has unleashed a large solar flare. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center says the flare is rated an X1.4. This type of flare is considered “strong” and can cause a blackout of high frequency radio communication on the sunlit side of Earth for one to two hours.

It is not yet known whether the flare was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME) - an outburst of particles that can trigger a geomagnetic storm on Earth and damage the electrical grid.

[BenLurkin]

Joe Kunches of NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder said one of the NASA satellites tasked with watching for solar weather, SOHO, was “on maneuvers” when the flare launched.

That will make the task of predicting the course of any subsequent CME more difficult.

“The home plate umpire wasn’t paying any attention,” said Kunches.

Good grief Joe, would it kill you to just tell us what actually happened with the satellite? Why the all cutesy stuff?

[BenLurkin]

ping

[smokingfrog]

I'm ready.

[djf]

Solar storm PING!!

Just read about it 5 minutes or so ago... all indicators seem to show it was and is AIMED DIRECTLY AT US!!!

[Standing Wolf]

The article didn’t say it was Bush’s fault, but it obviously had to have been, right?

[dragnet2]

xx

[SolidRedState]

Are we all gonna die?

Should I log out?

Should I take out the trash?

Does this mean I won’t have to pay my electric bill?

So many decisions, so little information.

[familyop]

X1.4—no biggie during all the solar max that we’re going to see now. Spots were, all in all, not very frequent over the past couple of years. The wise will prepare for the fluctuations toward cold about 4-6 years from now in this possible extended minimum. Have fun. Enjoy the slide.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

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[wxgesr]

If I run up my Visa bill, will they send the zombies to collect after the CME hits?

[DarkWaters]

Is this the first X class flair in this upswing cycle that you know of? I know we came close a couple of weeks ago, but things have been relatively tame so far.

[rdl6989]

That suit doesn’t look very comfortable for some reason.

[rdl6989]

Bush’s fault? Naturally!

[familyop]

It’s the first one that I noticed. There are several sites around the Net on sun activity. It’s been a while, since I took aurora pictures and followed those sites closely. Frequency of sunspot activity is also important, as you know. That’s what’s been lacking most of each year recently.

[redhead]

"Are we all gonna die? Should I log out? Should I take out the trash? Does this mean I won’t have to pay my electric bill? So many decisions, so little information."

No, just hop into the shower, then pop some popcorn. Oh. Set your beeber to "stune."

[Lancey Howard]

Guess I won't be needing these anymore.

[BenLurkin]

Ask Joe.

He has all the colorful analogies.

[BenLurkin]

Indubitably.

[BenLurkin]

Oh, yes....