Important: Aurora Borealis, mobile phones and GPS

[BrendanS]

There has been huge sunspot activity over the past week, with warnings about disruption to GPS and mobile phones.

This is as nothing to the solar flare that's been reported over the past few hours. It's humungous.

So Wednesday night, and possibly Thursday night, get outside. It's possible that the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) might be visible even in Southern England, and if you're in Scotland you should get a stunning display. I wish I was in Iceland or Norway now!!

Here's one report, but they are coming in continually, so do a Google search (click on the News tab, not the usual internet search) for 'solar flare' for the latest predictions
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.nbc4columbus.com/technology/2588038/detail.html>http://www.nbc4columbus.com/technology/2588038/detail.html</A>

It's quite likely that even in the UK, GPS and mobile phone reception will suffer, though it usually hits places like Canada more severely

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[Happy1]

Important? Interesting maybe /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[wakeup]

IMPORTANT

Actually Important rather than 'interesting' as these Solar flares can cause electrical damage to sensitive equipment, can also corrupt hard disks of computers and memory chips so make sure you take a back up of any important data...

/forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....

 

[Happy1]

Re: IMPORTANT

Now that could very well be 'important', thanks for the excellent information, I will do a risk assessment immediately and take whatever action I feel is required.

P.S. Should we tape up the windows as well? /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[wakeup]

Re: IMPORTANT

"P.S. Should we tape up the windows as well?"

No just your trap door!!

<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....

 

[oldgit]

Sky and telescope have an excellent email astro alert link.will e mail you warning of any poss interesting events.Also one of the NOAA sites has some stunning time lapse pictures of Sun activity.
Set up scope (Meade ETX)at work yesterday to watch sunspots,very interesting,biggest number of sunspots ever.with some usual shapes. High chance of good for low latitude display if cloud buggers off.

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[BrendanS]

Yes, been watching realtime info on spaceweather.com and the lancs university magnetometer as well. The magnetometer is showing the storm starting to hit.

Hope it clears up and we do get a good display

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[EME]

Brilliant ! - Trap Door

ROTFLMFHO !!

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=blue>I am WHAT I say I am</font color=blue>

 

[wakeup]

Re: Brilliant ! - Trap Door

Ahem................./forums/images/icons/wink.gif

<hr width=100% size=1>.....can't be arsed.....

 

[burgundyben]

snigger

. nm

<hr width=100% size=1>Sod the Healey - I think I'll buy an E-Type.

 

[oldgit]

Re: Borealis

10 min display to NNE of North Kent coast.Rays of green fading to purple.
bit faint but obvious.first time seen .

<hr width=100% size=1>If it aint broke fix it till it is.

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Borealis

Low cloud and rain here in Berks. Not a chance in hell of seeing anything.

Which is a shame cos I've been watching the online monitoring and the magnetic portion of the storm went from Northerly to Southerly (Bz Southern), and about 19:30 all hell broke loose as it punched through. Magnetometer traces were amazing. Should be some great displays further north if they have clear skies

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[BrendanS]

Re: Aircraft radio

Seems aircraft HF radios have been knocked out on planes flying north of 57 degrees (rough north of scotland to south of canada). Planes flying those routes are being given strict height and course instructions by air traffic control, and told not to deviate

They can use VHF when they are closer to the air traffic control centres and airports at start and end of journey

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[gonfishing]

Re: Brilliant ! - Trap Door

Please explain ROTFLMFHO !!

it is now after the 10.00pm watershed!

<hr width=100% size=1>It will be O.K soon, nothing else can go wrong,Honest !!!

 

[BrendanS]

Re: Brilliant ! - Trap Door

Rolling on the floor laughing my f****** head off

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[gonfishing]

Re: Brilliant ! - Trap Door

Thank you

<hr width=100% size=1>It will be O.K soon, nothing else can go wrong,Honest !!!

 

[Happy1]

Re: IMPORTANT

And I thought you were a ........ BUT you can be quite funny sometimes /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

<hr width=100% size=1><font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[Happy1]

When can I come out?

When can I come out of the 'shelter' it's dark in here and I can't see the keyboard very well? I only have enough spare food and drink in here for 2 years, has the Aurora sailed past yet? OR are am I the only one left alive?

<font color=purple> "You only see what you recognise, and you only recognise what you know" <font color=purple>

 

[BrendanS]

Re: When can I come out?

They are forecasting activity for the next 24-48 hours. But they are also forecasting possibilty of more solar eruptions. Sun spot activity is very high.

But it's forecasting - bit like weather forecasting.

Probably better to be on the safe side and stay in the shelter for a week or two

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[BrendanS]

Re: Duck..incoming!

Live from spaceweather.com site

"Auroras are visible right now over Ireland and England.

Meanwhile, another powerful solar flare (X11-class) has erupted from giant sunspot 486 at 20:49 UT on Oct. 29th. The blast hurled a coronal mass ejection toward Earth, which could excite more auroras when it arrives on or about Halloween"



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