AURORA ALERT: Did you sleep through the northern lights? Next time get a wake-up call: Spaceweather PHONE. | | | SPACE WEATHER RADIO: For a change of pace, why not listen to today's space weather news? Geomagnetic storm forecasts, backyard astronomy tips, and live sounds from space are a few of the things you can hear on Space Weather Radio. SEVERE SPACE WEATHER: The National Academy of Sciences has just released the results of a study entitled Severe Space Weather Events--Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts. The 132-page document examines what might happen to our high-tech modern society in the event of a super solar flare followed by an extreme geomagnetic storm. Such a storm did occur in the year 1859. It electrified telegraph lines, shocking technicians and setting telegraph papers on fire; Northern Lights as far south as Cuba were so bright, you could read a newspaper by their eerie glow. (continued below) According to the report, "a contemporary repetition of that event would cause significantly more extensive (and possibly catastrophic) social and economic disruptions." The report warns of widespread failures in telecommunications, electric power, banking and finance, and transportation; even water supplies could be disrupted. The total economic impact in the first year alone could reach $2 trillion--about 15 times greater than the costs of Hurricane Katrina. Depending on damage, full recovery from the solar storm could take 4 to 6 years. No one knows how often super solar storms occur. We've only seen one like it in the past 200 years. The next one could be another 200 years away--or just 200 days. All the more reason to study space weather! AURORA WATCH: "Happy New Year from Canada's Arctic," says Claus Vogel of Baffin Island. "Last night the Northern Lights made their first appearance of 2009. What a sight! The half moon cast its glow on the freshly fallen snow while the lights danced overhead." He recorded the scene using his Nikon D700: "The celestial show lasted over an hour," he says. "I'm looking forward to more." More could be in the offing. A solar wind stream is heading toward Earth and it could spark geomagnetic storms around the Arctic Circle when it arrives on Jan. 8th or 9th. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras. UPDATED: Jan. 2009 Aurora Gallery [Previous Januaries: 2008, 2007, 2005, 2004, 2001] Quadrantid Meteor Gallery [Listen to the meteor radar] |