Sun's storms set to intensify

The Gympie Times ^ | 7th July 2009 | Rebekah Polley

[kenth]

I’ve often advocated heating Mecca to the temperature of the surface of the sun.

[Squidpup]

Still nothing on SOHO, so....never mind

[PreciousLiberty]

"Probably just another imaginary “ghost spot” hyped from NASA as usual."

No, this is the real deal, though its size may be a sign of strange solar happenings. I'm reminded of the NSO paper predicting no visible sunspots by 2015, as the cores are getting warmer. The same paper said the magnetic fields are getting less intense, which makes the spots larger.

The other thing that's far from normal is the solar wind, which is still running only a little over 300 KPS, where 600 used to be the norm. That effects cosmic ray incidence on the Earth.

The Maunder Minimum wasn't completely spotless, especially at the beginning (~1600-1650). I find it amusing that we're being reassured that "it's very unlikely" this is a Maunder style minimum, when astronomers have no idea what caused the first one...

[hoosier hick]

But, but how do I determine my sunspot footprint?

hh

[CharacterCounts]

It's a good thing it didn't occur on the side that's in view of the US !

It shows up on the side that's in view of the US only at night when the sun is off.

[goodnesswins]

LOL...thanks for my first morning laugh!!!

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Prolonged Sunspot Drought Ends as New Spots Appear

As the local weather folks tell us just about every summer, a single thunderstorm cannot be called a drought-ender.

[Iron Munro]

But, but how do I determine my sunspot footprint?

I'll calculate it for you.
I know it will be large and require a significant quantity of expensive offsets.

But you will rest easy knowing you have helped saved the galaxy.

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Is this from the Onion?

It seems to lack true statements.

[AFPhys]

Thank you for posting something factual. The author of this piece has absolutely NO idea what reality is.