We are in a solar maximum, due to run out in 2013, it's a neat 12 year cycle. Being at a period of extreme solar activity, anything can happen. Like stated earlier, we have a few days warning, but otherwise helpless, aside of the earth's magnetic field, which usually deflects the harmful solar radiation.

I like threads like these, when extreme points of view come together. I don't look at it as fear mongering, simply putting out useful information. Thanks OP. SnF. (The title didn't say PROOF of a cme. It simply said could.)

What effects would elenin and yu55 have on solar activity?just wondering...

One minor thing to consider along with the images is the fact that we, as humans, recently gained the ability to see this kind of detail and near constant coverage of the Sun. It's possible things like this come and go more frequently than any of us would be comfortable knowing, and simply didn't have GOES up there to show us from two directions and in High Def.

It could be short term Geomagnetic doom we see...or just another storm we haven't seen enough of yet to know better. I guess we'll know as we get years and decades of close in and highly detailed observation to go by.

I hope this does turn out to be a footnote to a fascinating chapter of solar activity and not a short term doomsday to our electrical generating system. It isn't the wires and transformers we'd lose and be in the dark for months...It's the turbines and equipment at the actual power plants themselves. They don't stock spares to the big stuff, and 1859 seems to imply the air itself carrier enough charge to put the whammy on solid state systems of today. We'll see...

So when is this thing supposed to be facing the earth? A pretty important question, wouldn't you all agree?