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In Other News
Good Day Again;
As a follow-up on my survival truck post from yesterday I thought I would post this update from SpaceWeather.com:
STRONG FLARE, INCOMING CME: Departing sunspot AR1429 unleashed another strong flare on March 13th, an M7-class eruption that peaked around 1741 UT. Although the sunspot is no longer directly facing Earth, the blast will affect our planet. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab say a CME is en route to Earth, and its impact on March 15th at 06:20 UT (+/- 7 hours) could trigger minor to moderate geomagnetic storms. Also, protons accelerated by the flare are swarming around Earth, causing an S2-class radiation storm. Space weather alerts: text, phone.
If you are unfamiliar with x-ray classes of solar flares there are 3 classes of flares; C, M, and X. Each class has 9 subdivisions, i.e. C1 – C9. There are many C class flares which have little noticeable affect on the earth. M class flares cause varying degrees of Aurora Borealis or Northern lights. The M-5 and above flares can cause radio, TV and other communications problems as well as trouble with power transmission systems. X class flares can enhance the Northern Lights over larger sections of the planet. A class X-6 flare known as the Bastille Day Event, July 14 of 2000 caused Space Weather.com to issue the following statement:
There’s no cause for alarm. When a CME hits the magnetosphere — the region around Earth controlled by our planet’s magnetic field — most of the incoming material is deflected away. If the shock wave is very strong, as this one might be, it can compress the magnetosphere and unleash a geomagnetic storm. In extreme cases, such storms can induce electric currents in the Earth that interfere with electric power transmission equipment. Satellite failures are possible, too. Geomagnetic storms can also trigger beautiful aurorae. These “Northern Lights” are usually seen at high latitudes, but they have been spotted farther south than Florida during intense disturbances. The last time this happened was April 6, 2000.
This is not to say that larger X-class flares can not and in the past have caused more damage. In the modern world we live in a really large X class flare that hits the earth dead on could cause great havoc. Most of the time though solar flares are merely an annoyance. And occationally put on great light shows in the sky for those of us living in the Northern part of the Continental United States.
Regular Joe
Too Many Appointments!
Good Morning Guys
My wife and I were up early looking to see if the CME (Coronal Mass Ejection) that just reached the earth was causing any Aurora Borealis that we could see here in western Montana. No such luck, at least not with a full moon and the first glimmerings of blue sky showing along the crest of the Sapphire range to the east. Just a faint orange to pink trace of the sun glimmering off distant scattered clouds lit the east.
My calendar is full!
Life can get really busy! I have appointments for finishing cabinets and delivery by early afternoon, a teleconference late this afternoon, a job to look at tomorrow morning and of course while not really an appointed time, I have my daily devotional blog to do which is usually early in the morning. I have appointments stretching through the month of March, some in April and May already. I know…. your calendar is probably the same.
There are some appointments that will get canceled and some postponed. There are some that even though I keep them the other person will forget to show up and I will end up waiting in vain. Now don’t think that I am perfect. I have been the one busily working on a project when the phone rings and the voice on the other end says: “Hey are you coming still? I’ve been waiting half an hour.” Oppps!
There are some really big appointments that you don’t want to be late for. Last night Tim Tebow was in Missoula for a fundraiser for a local Christian charity. I didn’t have tickets but I know some people who did and I am sure they didn’t forget that appointment!
Imagine that you had an appointment with the President of the United States…. well ok someone you really respect and admire anyway. This is something you would really be looking forward to. You would prepare both how you looked and things that you might say. Read the rest of this entry
