Yup. I was right. It was AR3415, now AR3536. Batten down the hatches!
Spaceweather:
MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Mere hours after emerging over the sun's eastern limb on Dec. 31st, big sunspot AR3536 erupted, producing a major X5-class solar flare. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash.
Radiation from the flare has caused a deep shortwave radio blackout over the Pacific Ocean: blackout map. #HamRadio operators may notice loss of signal at all frequencies below 30 MHz for more than 60 minutes after the flare's peak (2155 UT).
It's too soon to know for sure, but this explosion probably launched a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. Because the blast site is located near the extreme eastern edge of the sun, the CME is unlikely to have an Earth-directed component, but stay tuned. Solar flare alerts: SMS Text
Update: This explosion caused a #SolarTsunami. You can see the shock wave in this animation from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
This is the strongest flare of #SolarCycle25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017.
Solar storms could cause train accidents, scientists warn
Story by Andrew Griffin, December 11, 2023
“#SpaceWeather – changes in the atmosphere that include blasts of energy from the Sun – can disrupt everything from communications to #PowerGrids. Scientists have repeatedly warned that the Earth faces potentially catastrophic danger from #SolarStorms, which could be powerful enough to bring down much of the #infrastructure on which we depend.
“Now researchers warn that danger could be enough to cause malfunctioning #rail signals, which in turn could lead to #TrainAccidents.
“Researchers modelled how geomagnetically induced currents from solar storms could cause danger, by looking at two routes: the Preston to Lancaster section of the #WestCoastMainLine, and the #GlasgowToEdinburghLine. Those are just two lines that rely heavily on that rail signal, and there are more than 50,000 signalling track circuits in the UK, which control the railway signal with an electric circuit.
“In the new study, they found that space weather would be able to change those circuits. Models suggest that could happen every few decades, the researchers found.
“’Crucially, our research suggests that space weather is able to flip a signal in either direction, turning a red signal green or a green signal red. This is obviously very significant from a safety perspective,' said Cameron Patterson from Lancaster University.
“’By building a computer model of the signalling track circuits using realistic specifications for the various components of the system, we found that space weather events capable of triggering faults in these track circuits are expected in the UK every few decades.'
“Patterson had previously worked on research that suggested solar storms could lead to 'right side' failures, where signals turn from green to red. Those are less dangerous, since trains will stay at a stop.
“But the new research suggests that they can also happen for 'wrong side' failures, that change signals to green. What’s more, they actually require less strength to be flipped, suggesting they could happen with less powerful solar storms.
“‘Our research shows that space weather poses a serious, if relatively rare, risk to the rail signalling system, which could cause delays or even have more critical, safety implications,' said Cameron. 'This natural hazard needs to be taken seriously. By their nature, high-impact, low-frequency events are hard to plan for, but ignoring them is rarely the best way forward.'
“In 1859, the world was hit by what is known as the ‘#CarringtonEvent’, which was powerful enough to knock telegraph signals offline as well as other disruptions. If that happened today, it would cause widespread disruption – including causing widespread problems on both train lines that were examined in the study.
“But there have been more recent, if less powerful, examples of space weather that is powerful enough to hit power grids. In 2003, the Swedish city of Malmo suffered problems from space weather, for instance.
“The work is reported in a new study, 'Wrong Side' Failures Caused by Geomagnetically Induced Currents in Electrified Railway Signalling Systems in the UK’, published in the journal Space Weather.”
Anche da questo corto è nato poi un lungometraggio decisamente famoso. Personalmente il film non mi ha fatto impazzire e credo anche che David F. Sandberg (ponysmasher) abbia realizzato corti migliori, tuttavia merita la visione (al massimo avrete buttato meno di 3 minuti 😅)
#SolarMaximum could hit us harder and sooner than we thought. How dangerous will the sun's chaotic peak be?
The sun is quickly approaching a major peak in solar activity. Experts warn it could potentially begin by the end of 2023, years before initial predictions suggested.
By Harry Baker, June 23, 2023
"Originally, scientists predicted that the current solar cycle would peak in 2025. But a bumper crop of sunspots, #SolarStorms and rare solar phenomena suggest solar maximum could arrive by the end of this year at the earliest — and several experts told Live Science we are poorly prepared. "
• The sun is becoming more active and may reach peak activity sooner than expected.
• Solar maximum was predicted to happen in 2025, but #sunspot activity has changed that.
• An unusual burst of sunspots this year suggests solar maximum could hit by the end of 2023.
Failure to harden electrical structures and spent nuclear fuel storage leaves US, global population vulnerable to solar or terrorist induced apocalypse
by Michael Collins, October 14, 2014
"Should a serpentine #CME hit Earth head-on, the consequences would be catastrophic."
How light pollution causes more harm than realized
By Ashley Carter, April 26, 2023
"Not only are humans facing the effects of light pollution, but wildlife are as well. Animals are mainly disrupted through an alteration of migration patterns, sleeping habits and habitat formation. For example, turtles are guided by moonlight when they are migrating. Because of light pollution, turtles are unable to follow their typical migration patterns, often leading to death. Many animals are naturally drawn towards light, such as birds, which has resulted in large numbers of deaths in large cities.
"Especially harmful are the impacts of light pollution on marine ecosystems. Boats can often have underlight panels on their bottom side, which light up the water underneath. As a result, many marine species will move further away from the light areas, disrupting where they find shelter and form habitats. Prolonged exposure to light pollution among any form of wildlife can affect their hormones, skin coloration, thermoregulation and reproduction.
"Not only are animals needing to adapt to habitat degradation and climatic changes, but the unfortunate effects of light pollution are also disrupting daily behaviors that they rely upon for survival. We humans, who may not realize the harmful extent of such an issue, will find that their short and long term health will become greatly affected."