Solar Flares

The sky is falling, the sky is falling! Well, that's what most Mayan soothsayers may be saying, as Earth prepares itself to be bombarded by the second biggest flare of the Solar Cycle.

If floods, storms and increased earthquakes weren't enough to freak out conspiracy theorists, then perhaps a potential global shutdown of satellites and electronics might just tip them over the edge. But never fear, it's all part of the Universes grand plan!

Using data from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) and the Solar Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) NASA have now provided more information about two solar flares which erupted on March 6, 2012 - the first of which is traveling faster than 1300 miles per second; the second more than 1100 miles per second.

NASA's models predict that the solar flares will impact both Earth and Mars, as well as pass by several NASA spacecraft - Messenger, Spitzer, and STEREO-B. It's also predicted that the leading edge of the first CME will reach Earth at about 1:25 AM EST on the morning of March 8 (plus or minus 7 hours).

What does it all mean for us? As a result, the flares could result in a severe geomagnetic storm, causing aurora at low latitudes, with possible disruption to high frequency radio communication, global positioning systems (GPS), and power grids.

The flare was categorized as an X5.4, making it the second largest flare - after an X6.9 on August 9, 2011 - since the sun's activity entered into a period of relatively low activity called "Solar Minimum" in early 2007.

Those freaking out should note, the current increase in the number of X-class flares is part of the sun's normal 11-year solar cycle, during which activity on the sun ramps up to solar maximum, which is expected to peak in late 2013.

In association with these flares, the sun also expelled two significant coronal mass ejections which are travelling faster than 600 miles a second and has dumped solar particles and magnetic fields into Earth's atmosphere and distorted Earth's magnetic fields, causing a moderate geomagnetic storm, rated a G2 on a scale from G1 to G5.

Such storms happen when the magnetic fields around Earth rapidly change strength and shape. A moderate storm usually causes aurora and may interfere with high frequency radio transmission near the poles. This storm is already dwindling, but the Earth may experience another enhancement if the most recent CMEs are directed toward and impact Earth.

This movie of the March 6, 2012 X5.4 flare was captured by the SDO. One of the most dramatic features is the way the entire surface of the sun seems to ripple with the force of the eruption. They can travel across the full breadth of the sun and move at over a million miles per hour, zipping from one side of the sun to the other in about an hour.

It's one of natures most impressive miracles - check it out...