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NASA via SpaceWeather.com
NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captures a picture of sunspot 1402 unleashing an X2-class solar flare on Friday, seen in ultraviolet wavelengths.
The sunspot responsible for setting off a colorful round of northern lights over the past week got off a doozy of a parting shot today, just as it was about to pass around the edge of the sun's disk.
Sunspot 1402 let loose with an X-class flare, the most powerful class of solar outburst, at 1:37 p.m. ET today, and NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory captured a sequence of ultraviolet images as the blast went out. Fortunately, this one was not directed right at Earth.
SpaceWeather.com says NASA's Goddard Space Weather Laboratory detected a "spectacular" coronal mass ejection blasting away from the sun at 5.6 million mph (2,500 kilometers per second). CMEs send out electrically charged particles that can eventually interact with Earth's magnetic field — but here again, this particular ejection is not heading directly for Earth. There's a chance that it might strike a glancing blow on Monday or so, sparking another bout of auroral displays.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center reports that the flare created R3-level radio blackouts at about 1:30 p.m. ET today. That level can result in wide-area loss of high-frequency radio comunication, as well as a temporary degradation of low-frequency GPS signals, but no significant problems came to light immediately. Solar radiation levels are elevated — which may lead to the rerouting of some airline flights. NOAA's guide to space weather scales explains what's what.
Active regions move across the sun's disk from left to right, as seen from earth, so sunspot 1402 is just about to go around to the far side of the sun. There's a chance that the sunspot will come around again as the sun goes through its 27-day rotational cycle, and there are certain to be more (and stronger?) outbursts as the sun approaches the peak of its 11-year activity cycle in 2013 or so.
Keep a watch on SpaceWeather.com, NOAA's space weather website and the prediction center's Facebook page for updates during the weekend. And if you're living the high-latitude life, keep a watch for better-than-usual auroras as well.
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory captured this video of today's CME. Credit: SOHO / ESA / NASA
Update for 4:05 p.m. ET: Sunday's solar storm not only blasted past Earth; it also sent solar particles streaming by NASA's Mars Science Laboratory, which is on its way to the Red Planet. Today, the Southwest Research Institute reported that one of the instruments on the spacecraft, the Radiation Assessment Detector, measured the effects of the solar storm.
"We only have a few hours of data downloaded from the RAD so far, but we clearly see the event," RAD principal investigator Don Hassler, science program director in SwRI's Space Studies Department, said in a news release. "It will be very interesting to compare the RAD data, collected from inside the capsule, with the data from other spacecraft."
Once Mars Science Laboratory gets to its destination, it will measure radiation levels on the Martian surface to determine what the effect might have been on past life ... as well as the radiation effects that astronauts can expect to experience during future interplanetary missions.
Update for 10:30 p.m. ET: In a Facebook update, the Space Weather Prediction Center says its "forecasters and scientist believe there will be very little effects of the CME observed here at Earth." The update also provides a killer video of the eruption, as seen in ultraviolet imagery from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. SpaceWeather.com, meanwhile, quotes experts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab as saying the CME "will just miss Earth when its edge passes by our planet on Jan. 30-31."
On tonight's "Nightly News," NBC's Brian Williams talked about a time-lapse video showing the aurora over Norway earlier this week. We included this video in Wednesday's northern lights roundup, but it's nice to hear Brian marvel over it again:
The solar flare created a beautiful aurora borealis in Norway. NBC's Brian Williams reports.
More auroral glories:
- Planet looks back at northern lights
- Auroras spark awe across the north
- Northern lights go way, way south
- Speed through Lapland's lights
- Beautiful blasts from solar storms
- Get a video view of Canada's aurora
- Slideshow: The best of the northern lights
- Cosmic Log's auroral archive
Alan Boyle is msnbc.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page, following @b0yle on Twitter or adding Cosmic Log's Google+ page to your circle. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for other worlds.
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Alan, I will be very interested in a follow-up story in a couple of weeks about the results from the Radiation Assessment Detector (RAD) on the Mars Science Laboratory. These results will really tell us if we (humans) stand a chance for extended manned missions to Mars and other destinations. I've got my fingers crossed that the RAD results will show low enough radiation levels that are survivable for humans, even in the face of solar flares and CME's. When NASA does the first extended Orion testing in a couple of years (unmanned first), they should include a number of different detectors inside of the Orion capsule, each shielded by different materials, and see what results they get.
Also, do you think you could write a better article for MSNBC about the Delta Mariner cargo vessel that collided with the bridge on Thursday night. This could have the potential to affect Delta IV launches here at the Cape if the CBC rockets can not be delivered from the factory.
Mr. Sun been eatin' some jalapenos.
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Someone should start producing t-shirts with "I survived the 2012 solar flares" printed on them. (Could become collector items and/or be added to a time capsule for future generations to discover.)
These articles are interesting, keep them coming. Thanks.
x2 huh, i wonder what wouldve happened if it had hit earth?
Can't they calculate when this sunspot will move back into a position facing the Earth? Seems like a nasty area on the sun with potential for even larger x class flares.
I think they'll know exactly when the sunspot will be Earth-facing again. It'll be in the next two or three weeks. The precise time of rotation depends on the solar latitude. So they'll be watching for this one to come around again, I'm guessing.
Keep buying that tinfoil folks, I'm making lots of money on the tinfoil stocks.
keep showing us your stupidity starbuck
I'm satisfied with Starbuck's intelligence.
boon-3649244
You worry to much, it's going to drive you insane. If anything is going to happen in the universe or our own sun, resulting in the destruction of the Earth there's absolutely nothing anyone can do about it. We will go the way of the dinosaurs.
Hey, I'm glad real stuff - important stuff like science is front page rather than some Kardashian or Jersey Shore moron. Great article, can't wait for more.
"Active regions move across the sun's disk from left to right, as seen from earth" This is only true if the observer is situated in the northern hemisphere...
Technically there is no direction that is considered "up" in space, but most astronomers use Earth's north pole as a general indicator of direction, so the article is correct in simplified terms.
The sun does not reverse its rotation for people on the southern half of Earth.
I wonder if all the chemtrails the Government spends millions on all over the world is due to the on going issues with the sun. I noticed a pattern when they spray in the path of the sun. I believe these chemtrails are done to block out or attempt to cover up the over activity of the sun and it effects on earth. I believe the sun is the major culprit on the global weather related issues.
Just saw that YOUTUBE video of the 1/27/2012 class x-2 CME its scary stuff, reminds me of the movie KNOWING with Nicolas Cage where the earth was hit with such a huge solar flare it scorched the entire earth to oblivion. MMM I wonder why this movie was created.....its very suggestive of the times we are facing.
YOUTUBE is the root of all evil
Praise our Creator for these beautiful and colorful lights for us to enjoy. God is in control and He won't allow anything to destroy the Earth. These are worldly fantasies and fears.
Besides, God'll just make a new Earth for us if this one goes ka-blooey... no worries
Hello! and yes, Glory to God the Creator and life giver.
He allowed something to destroy the dinosaurs. Wonder what they did to piss Him off.
Untill it can get close enough to singe your eyebrows i wouldn't worry much. Far more likely you are to meet your doom walking across the street with your welding helmet on trying to protect yourself..
I'm excited to know what the mars lab discovers regarding radiation levels. Do you like that will need to consider craters and underground facilities given the suspected high levels of radiation? I know they are thinking about this for the moon inhabitant.
It is worth noting that former scientist for the Office of Naval Research, Stephen A. Schwartz, who helped set up the DOD remote viewing effort (Project Grill flame, Project Stargate) spoke off the cuff about the impact of solar flares will have at the peak of the cycle. He spoke during the 2011 International Remote Viewers Association meeting at Las Vegas during the outbounder remote viewing demonstration he hosted with Paul Smith. MSNBC would be very wise to interview him () or at least get a copy of the video that was being recorded as part of the documentation of the conference. As a futurist, Schwartz pointed out that a certain small percentage of humanity is effected by the changes in earth's magnetism much like the biological navigation systems that migrating birds and dolphins depend on that can be negatively effected. Some of these people may not only have borderline personality disorder, but serve as government leaders (e.g. Akmadidjad of Iran) with influence and control over weapons of mass destruction. Given the flights of fantasy that the current leader of Iran has demonstrated, it begs the question how much of the whack factor that has episodically rolled out of Iran can be possibly attributed to solar flare induced imbalance. In short, it might not only be the power grid that goes down if we have the kind of solar flare the size of the Carrington super flare of 1859, or the great flares of the late 50's during IGY. Let's hope our leaders have at least read "The 23rd Cycle" by NASA contractor Sten Odenwald. 'Nuff said."
If it sees in this way, it will be thought that it is adjusting so that the earth itself may keep the temperature of the earth constant.
However, I think that not only the earth but the sun is taking the part of responsibility for the temperature control of the earth.
Although it becomes a hypothetical talk, it can understand, even if it sees change to temperature-izing from the global warming from several years before.
If the cause by which the dinosaur was ruined thinks in the theory to which the factor of the meteorite became strong, a meteorite will collide with the earth and will be considered that the temperature of the earth rose abruptly after that.
Does a sunspot catch change of the magnetic field which produced the temperature to which the earth went abruptly up from the weather for the earth (the magnetic field which occurs from thunder or others is seemed), and is it unthinkable that the influence which the sun itself has on the earth was adjusted? Is the result the super ice age?
I observed the sunspot.
About the sunspot, it turns out that it is what is compared to an animal and can be seen among the countries in the world from ancient times with the naked eye.
The sign the "fylfot" within the limit of India expresses the sun.
It will be a form of a fylfot why.
That is because the solar magnetic field is drawing the fylfot.
However, ancient people did not necessarily have the technology of a present astronomical observatory.
That it has observed with the naked eye means that that the sunspot which is a magnetic field is drawing the fylfot has observed from the point in India.
It is a form of a fylfot why... It seems that I am because the information on the magnetic field from all the directions gets across to guessing easily.
For the temperature control (or there may be other reasons) of the earth, clouds, rain, and thunder have a meaning and exist.
I think that this world maintains balance in the state of the best in which all also including the universe omitted futility.
I hear that all influence and suit.
We the human beings pay attention to this balance from now on. Don't they have to progress?
If it sees in this way, it will be thought that it is adjusting so that the earth itself may keep the temperature of the earth constant.
However, I think that not only the earth but the sun is taking the part of responsibility for the temperature control of the earth.
Although it becomes a hypothetical talk, it can understand, even if it sees change to temperature-izing from the global warming from several years before.
If the cause by which the dinosaur was ruined thinks in the theory to which the factor of the meteorite became strong, a meteorite will collide with the earth and will be considered that the temperature of the earth rose abruptly after that.
Does a sunspot catch change of the magnetic field which produced the temperature to which the earth went abruptly up from the weather for the earth (the magnetic field which occurs from thunder or others is seemed), and is it unthinkable that the influence which the sun itself has on the earth was adjusted? Is the result the super ice age?
I observed the sunspot.
About the sunspot, it turns out that it is what is compared to an animal and can be seen among the countries in the world from ancient times with the naked eye.
The sign the "fylfot" within the limit of India expresses the sun.
It will be a form of a fylfot why.
That is because the solar magnetic field is drawing the fylfot.
However, ancient people did not necessarily have the technology of a present astronomical observatory.
That it has observed with the naked eye means that that the sunspot which is a magnetic field is drawing the fylfot has observed from the point in India.
It is a form of a fylfot why... It seems that I am because the information on the magnetic field from all the directions gets across to guessing easily.
For the temperature control (or there may be other reasons) of the earth, clouds, rain, and thunder have a meaning and exist.
I think that this world maintains balance in the state of the best in which all also including the universe omitted futility.
I hear that all influence and suit.
We the human beings pay attention to this balance from now on. Don't they have to progress?