General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe sun has just hit peak solar energy. Things are going to get chaotic
The sun has reached the crux of its 11-year energy cycle, heralding a chaotic period of powerful solar storms and flares that could knock out satellites, inflict blackouts and disrupt global communication, NASA has announced.
Roughly every 11 years, at the height of the solar cycle, the suns magnetic pole flips
and the sun transitions from being rather sluggish to being really active and stormy, astronomer Kelly Korreck from NASAs heliophysics division told a press briefing.
We anticipate additional solar and geomagnetic storms leading to opportunities to spot the aurora over the next several months, as well as potential technology impacts.
The so-called solar maximum phase of the current cycle, Solar Cycle 25, will last a year or two before activity begins to wane.
In May, the most powerful solar storm in two decades struck Earth and conjured some of the strongest auroras in 500 years. Earlier this month, another geomagnetic blast unleashed lashes of purple aurora australis across the sky as far north as Queensland.
https://www.theage.com.au/national/the-sun-has-just-hit-peak-solar-energy-things-are-going-to-get-chaotic-20241022-p5kk85.html
Archive: https://archive.md/a4h1C
RandySF
(69,347 posts)Kaiju coming next?
PoindexterOglethorpe
(26,465 posts)very precisely aimed at Earth to be so terrible.
haele
(13,351 posts)We know as we get more satellites in orbit, more electronics networked through SATCOM, more delicate tech running our world, you would think that all the Tech Bros would be bragging about funding Solar Flare (as well as Climate Change) mitigation, even if it would be purely Self-Interest.
"Solar Flares, a Carrington event? Psha, don't worry, we got this handled."
Ya, government space agencies are working on it, but surely all these Titians of Tech would have been able to fund and develop fixed on their own by now? After all, what good is an integrated satellite system like Starlink if a half to 2/3rds of their units are fried from a couple super storms?
Haele
Think. Again.
(16,891 posts)...arguing over whether an "AI" emoji should have purple hair or stars coming out of it's eyes, or both.