A massive solar pot observed on the sun is turning to Earth and is expected to increase in size in the coming days.
The area, called AR2770, has a ‘primary dark core’ the width of Mars and a number of crater-sized ‘spotlets’ that contaminate its surface.
The sunspot is a member of Solar Cycle 25, the new 11-year period of electromagnetic activity, and was observed crackling with small flares.
Although AR2770 has yet to produce ‘killer’ solar flames, experts are keeping a close eye on an event that could disrupt electrical operations and facilities on our planet.
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A massive solar pot observed on the sun is turning to Earth and is expected to increase in size in the coming days. The area, called AR2770, has a ‘primary dark core’ the width of Mars and a number of crater-sized ‘spotlets’ that contaminate its surface.
The new solar pot was observed by amateur astronomer Martin Wise, who snapped the image from Trenton, Florida.
“This sunscreen was an easy target for my solar telescope,” said Wise, noting that he used an 8-inch scope with secure sunscreens to create the image.
AR2770 is said to have emitted a number of B-class torches, the lowest class of solar flames, which have sent small waves of ionization through the Earth’s atmosphere, Space Weather reports.
However, the place is growing and increased activity is possible in the coming days which may produce more intense solar flames.
The new solar pot was observed by amateur astronomer Martin Wise, who snapped the image from Trenton, Florida. According to NASA, ‘Solar flares are a sudden explosion of energy caused by tangling, crossing or reorganization of magnetic field lines at solar eclipses’.
According to NASA, ‘Solar flares are a sudden explosion of energy caused by tangling, crossing or reorganization of magnetic field lines at solar eclipses.’
By predicting when solar activity is set to increase, astronauts can potentially protect the orbit, as well as prevent technologies such as satellites from being destroyed.
In June, scientists with the University of Warwick unveiled a new solar clock that can better calculate the switching time and time of the sun.
Lead author Professor Sandra Chapman said: ‘Big events can happen at any time, but are much more likely to reach solar maximums. By neatly ordering the observations, we find that in 150 years, geomagnetic activity on Earth occurs only a few percent during these quiet conditions. ‘
‘The ability to estimate the risk of a future solar superstorm is essential for space and ground-based technologies that are particularly sensitive to space water, such as satellites, communications systems, power distribution and aviation.
‘If you have a system that is sensitive to space water, you need to know how likely a major event is, and it’s handy to know when we’re in a quiet period, because maintenance and other activities are possible makes systems temporarily more fragile. ‘
The team used observations of sunspots over the past 200 years and mapped the sun’s activity over 18 solar cycles to a standardized 11-year cycle – the sun begins a new solar cycle sometime in 11 years.
By predicting when solar activity is set to increase, astronauts can potentially protect the orbit, as well as prevent technologies such as satellites from being destroyed. In June, scientists with the University of Warwick unveiled a new solar clock that can better calculate the switching times and times of the sun
Halfway through the cycle, solar activity increases which emits more flareups and radiation – all of which can be measured by sunspots.
The team used the daily sand spot number record that has been available since 1818 to map solar activity, allowing them to turn on and off the correct switch of solar activity.
Once the clock is constructed from observations of sunspot, it can be used to order observations of solar activity and space water.
‘Scientists spend their lives trying to read the book of nature. Sometimes we create a new way to transform the data and what appeared to be cluttered and complicated is suddenly pretty simple, ‘said Chapman.
‘In this instance, our method of solar clock clearly showed’ switching ‘and’ switching off ‘times to break down silence and active intervals for space water for the first time.’
SOLAR STORMS presents a clear danger to ASTRONAUTS AND MAY DAMAGE SATELLITES
Solar storms, as solar activity, can be divided into four main components that can affect Earth:
- Solar flares: A big explosion in the atmosphere of the sun. These torches are made of photons that travel directly from the flare site. Solar flares affect the Earth only when they occur on the side of the sun facing Earth.
- Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): Large clouds of plasma and magnetic field erupting from the sun. These clouds can erupt in any direction, and then continue in that direction, plowed by solar wind. These clouds only affect Earth when they are focused on Earth.
- High speed solar currents: These come from coronal holes in the sun, which form everywhere on the sun and usually only when they are closer to the solar equator, the wind affects the Earth.
- Solar energy particles: Parties with high energy charging are thought to be primarily released by shocks formed in front of emissions of coronal mass and solar flames. When a CME cloud plows through solar wind, solar energy particles can be produced and because they are charged, they follow the magnetic field lines between the sun and the earth. Only charged particles that follow magnetic field lines that cross the Earth will be affected.
Although these may seem dangerous, astronauts are not in immediate danger of these phenomena due to the relatively low orbit of manned missions.
However, they should be concerned about cumulative exposure during space weeks.
This photo shows the coronal holes of the sun in an x-ray. The outer solar atmosphere, the corona, is structured by strong magnetic fields, which when closed can cause the atmosphere to release violent bubbles or tongues gas and magnetic fields, coronal mass ejections, suddenly
The damage caused by solar storms
Solar flares can damage satellites and have enormous financial costs.
The charged particles can also threaten airlines by disrupting Earth’s magnetic field.
Very large torches can even create streams in electricity grids and cut off energy supplies.
When Coronal Mass Ejections hit Earth, they cause geomagnetic storms and improved aurora.
They can overload radio waves, GPS coordinates and electrical systems.
A large influx of energy could permanently damage currents in high-voltage grids and transformers.
This could expose businesses and homes around the world.
Source: NASA – Solar Storm and Space Weather
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