Space storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe

Originally posted by yellowcard
.but if people read this headline, well, it's a great plug for the movie. True or untrue

I seriously doubt New Scientist is plugging a movie

That the best you can come up with?

reply to post by zorgon


Haven't seen you in a while, z....hope you're well!

I am wondering (and not being coy or sarcastic here....)
about the OP's title....90 seconds from catastrophe.

Our Sun is about 8 light-minutes away, you would agree?

Should we all be getting our 'affairs' in order? (Oh....that really won't matter if the planet is destroyed...)

Personally, I don't care to live in a post-apocalyptic World....

reply to post by zorgon



1859 is the year you wanna look at

Oh and this pdf may be of interest to you too:

www.leif.org...

Originally posted by zorgon

Originally posted by Zaphod58

We've been through literally hundreds of solar minimums and maximums. The only difference with this one is so many people are freaked out about something horrible in 2012.

Hmmmm really? If that is true why is this new one called Cycle #24?

Solar Cycle #1 was 1755-1766. There's a LOT of history prior to 1755-1766, or did sunspots and solar cycles suddenly start because they discovered the cycle in the 1700s?

How do we on Earth know a killer shock space storm is actually from our Sun verses and alien race that is using incredible technology to devastate the Earth for they can take over.

[edit on 25-3-2009 by amari]

True, because of our world-wide reliance on the electrical grid, a major sun storm, no matter when it occurs, would cause widespread problems and terror. A major event would be exactly like an enormous EMP, because that's what it is, whether from the Sun or from an atomic device. Of course, if your "electronic devices" aren't on at the time they would hardly be affected, if at all.
Of course, that your PC works will be of little consequence if there is no power, or working satellites to provide all of the communications that they do.

The problem right now is it seems more likely day to day that we're heading towards another "Maunder Minimum" (Google it). Earth's climate is directly related to Sun spots and Solar flares (or the lack of them) and how they react with WATER VAPOR, NOT Co2. Check out www.solarcycle24.com... from time to time.

The Earth stopped warming around 1998, at the same time solar activity came to a minimum. So, at a time when we should be stockpiling natural gas and oil, we are doing exactly the opposite, with the very real possibility of worldwide disaster from the next mini ice age.

reply to post by alphabetaone


Yes and as it is technically impossible to predict the outcome or events of the future. The answer lies in "time will tell".

So until then......

[edit on 25-3-2009 by N3krostatic]

Originally posted by weedwhacker
reply to post by zorgon

 

I am wondering (and not being coy or sarcastic here....)
about the OP's title....90 seconds from catastrophe.

Our Sun is about 8 light-minutes away, you would agree?

Should we all be getting our 'affairs' in order? (Oh....that really won't matter if the planet is destroyed...)

Personally, I don't care to live in a post-apocalyptic World....

Agreed about 8 minutes away. So if the sun emitted some horrendous CME that "could" potentially wipe out life or technology we would be 8 minutes from catastrophe assuming the CME was reported within seconds of it happening. Give or take a few seconds....

Yeah honestly if the world were to end in 2012 and we knew it without a doubt, I think I would live happier not knowing about it. Otherwise my time might be consumed with depression and hyper worthless preparations.

But we shall see what happens I suppose.
I am trying to remain optimistic about this being another failed prediction.

reply to post by N3krostatic


Actually the fastest a solar flare has ever reached earth was about 15 minutes.

This was in 1859, the biggest ever recorded.

normally they take several days to get here.

reply to post by Chadwickus


Ah so if a CME where to happen we would have more time for preparation. If preparation in any way made a difference.

I'll read that PDF you listed. Theoretically though if a CME of mass proportions were to happen it would probably reach earth under 15 minutes? Possibly? If it were of something as seen on the movie Kn0wing? is that correct reasoning?

Edit for grammar corrections.

[edit on 25-3-2009 by N3krostatic]

reply to post by N3krostatic


Sorry my figures are a little off.

The solar storm of 1859, also known as the Solar Superstorm[1], or the Carrington Event[2], is the most powerful solar storm in recorded history. From August 28 until September 2, numerous sunspots and solar flares were observed on the sun. Just before noon on September 1, the British astronomer, Richard Carrington, observed the largest flare[3], which caused a massive coronal mass ejection (CME), to travel directly toward Earth, taking eighteen hours. This is remarkable because such a journey normally takes three to four days. It moved so quickly because an earlier CME had cleared its way[4]. From the 1st to the 2nd, the largest recorded geomagnetic storm occurred, causing the failure of telegraph systems all over Europe and North America.[5] Auroras were seen as far south as the Caribbean[3], and those over the Rocky Mountains were so bright, the glow awoke gold miners, who began preparing breakfast because they thought it was morning[3]. These such events are rare, occurring every 500 years or so; although less powerful storms occur roughly every 50 years. Since 1869, storms have occurred in 1921 and 1960, when widespread radio disruption was reported[

en.wikipedia.org...

Also, CME's don't travel at the speed of light.

Coronal Mass Ejections range in speed from about 20 km/s to 2,700 km/s with an average speed (based on SOHO/LASCO measurements between 1996 and 2003) of 489 km/s.

en.wikipedia.org...

reply to post by Chadwickus


Kool so I was way off. 18 hours definitely outnumber 8 minutes and that's a good thing. Thanx for the info Chadwickus!

Either way who knows how it all will play out. I for one hope no life exterminating CME's or other weird solar activity takes us out. But time will tell.....



[edit on 25-3-2009 by N3krostatic]

[edit on 25-3-2009 by N3krostatic]

Originally posted by Zaphod58 There's a LOT of history prior to 1755-1766, or did sunspots and solar cycles suddenly start because they discovered the cycle in the 1700s?

And how many power stations were around before 1700s?

Originally posted by weedwhacker
I am wondering (and not being coy or sarcastic here....)
about the OP's title....90 seconds from catastrophe.

The OP didn't make the title... and in fact if you noticed the mod INSISTED that the ORIGINAL title from New Scientist was used... so I would suggest you take it up with them

reply to post by N3krostatic


The problem is that even if it takes 2 days to get here we might not have 2 days warning because we don't really have much in the way of tracking these storms. They have that 1 satellite that I forget the name of that is past its prime and they aren't even very sure how well it would register a large event because of its age. And even with 2 days notice we would still be hosed.

Originally posted by N3krostatic18 hours definitely outnumber 8 minutes and that's a good thing.

18 hours from the time it happens to the time it reaches Earth true...

BUT first SOHO has to record it happening, transmit that data to Earth.... then some scientist at ESA has to analyze the threat... then pass it on to NASA.... who will then make the appropriate press release in due time...

Nothing to worry about... will have plenty of warning... errrmmm





Now then about the possibility of predictions...

As was mentioned things are cooling and we may see another ice age...

In Antarctica lies Lake Vostok... last time it saw day was 420,000 years ago...

This graph below is drawn from the data gathered from the Vostok ice core samples and, unlike the tree ring data, is scientifically sound and uncontroversial. Looking at the graph, there have been six periods in the last 415,000 years when global temperature exceeded today’s temperature by as much as nine degrees. And notice the length of the cold cycles compared to the warm ones.

Also notice where we are today....

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/598a5f87ba15.jpg[/atsimg]


Invest in Parkas, blankets and stock up some firewood. You can buy wood stoves for around 350.00 now

Like Gamma-Ray Bursts, Large Asteroidal Bodies, and wandering singularities... we are just not at a point to be able to prevent the consequences of such an event.

Until we can really protect ourselves, it is essential that we move out into the galaxy. At the G20, the leaders should come together and resolve to begin to phase back military spending in favor of massive and committed space exploration and colonization.

If committed today, a lunar colony could probably be operational by 2020 and one on Mars by 2050. If we were really to try to spread mankind out into the universe, if only for the simple fact that, with one random act of God, we are all toast, we could move very quickly.

This kind of thinking could usher in an age of world collaboration, economic prosperity, and significant decreases in poverty and overcrowding. These are long-term effects, but they are still positives.

Instead, humanity will meander along, thinking that its blissful ignorance will save it. If we don't look at the hungry tiger, it won't eat us.

Nevermind who predicts what in 2012, we can all rest assured that when any current electrical equipment is rendered unusable by a solar storm that the Governments will release at vastly inflated prices of whatever currency is left , free energy devices and free energy generators to all.
We will be able to pay for power , and pay we shall , through the nose.
Power will be available from your local Government/Corporation office/showroom.
Sizes will range from your trailler , to your home , to huge industrial complexes.
So please don't worry your minds, just go back to watching daytime TV and eating your fastfoods, drinking your beers and smoking your cigarettes. All will be well when the storm hits.

reply to post by zorgon


Geomagnetic disruptions caused by solar flares can affect people and animals. It can cause disorientation to people, and can affect animals ability to navigate, etc. If the animals couldn't find their way to where they usually were, people wouldn't find food where they normally did, causing famines.

I wrote this all out, somehow missing this thread, thinking it was new info... so please be kind, I don't feel like retyping it all.....

DocMoreau

Here goes:
www.newscientist.com...

IT IS midnight on 22 September 2012 and the skies above Manhattan are filled with a flickering curtain of colourful light. Few New Yorkers have seen the aurora this far south but their fascination is short-lived. Within a few seconds, electric bulbs dim and flicker, then become unusually bright for a fleeting moment. Then all the lights in the state go out. Within 90 seconds, the entire eastern half of the US is without power.

A year later and millions of Americans are dead and the nation's infrastructure lies in tatters. The World Bank declares America a developing nation. Europe, Scandinavia, China and Japan are also struggling to recover from the same fateful event - a violent storm, 150 million kilometres away on the surface of the sun.

I understand this is an editorial piece, but is it also being predictive? I guess what slammed me in the face was the 'September 22, 2012' aspect. The numerology of that date: 22/9/2012 or 9/22/2012 has as strange 9/11/2001+'11' math going on.

I have long wondered if the cell phones and such could get wiped out by the sun, and I guess they could, theoretically. But is this article actually predicting an event that is to come, due to the turning to the age of Aquarius? It is my understanding that the Mayans used 2012 as a point in time to work back from in order to have a precise event in the future to do their math on the calendar to. That the sun revolves around the milky way, the same way we revolve around the sun. That the solar system is completing one of those rotations, and the Mayans knew 2012 would be that date.

Maybe it is the end of the world, because of events like those described in the article, but is there evidence that is the case? Is that the reason for the Swedish seed banks and lack of investment in certain infrastructure? I don't know, I need someone to explain to me if there is any real proof of this happening or not, or if this article is describing a 'could be' not a 'will be'....

Not too worried, what will be, will be.
DocMoreau