3 X-Class flares in 20 minutes, more to come

[bananas]

http://sec.noaa.gov/rt_plots/xray_5m.html

[kevin881]

1. whats it mean?

[BlueJazz]

4. Run for your Lives...You Fools!....We're all gonna die...

...someday :)

[Verve]

2. For those of us clueless about flares, please elaborate.

What does this mean?

[meisje]

5. can trigger planet-wide radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms

http://www.spaceweather.com/glossary/flareclasses.html

[bananas]

10. and spectacular auroras in a day or two

Photos from auroras as far south as Arizona two days ago at http://spaceweather.com and http://spacew.com

Arizona: first set of photos on this page:
http://spaceweather.com/aurora/gallery_01sep05_page5.htm

[meisje]

3. She's gonna blow!!

[Spinzonner]

6. Is the sun mooning us ?

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. Clarification is nice.

I thought you were talking about signal flares, not solar flares.

Wondering, WTF?

[bananas]

11. sorry about that

is there such a thing as an x-class signal flare?

[RaleighNCDUer]

12. No idea.

Don't know anything about signal flares, either.

[whistle]

8. Communications disruptions on earth, but dangerous radiation

...is absorbed or deflected by earth's outer atmosphere. As for the astronauts on the space station, it could be a different matter. They are quite possibly in danger if not properly protected.

Isn't it true that we know nothing about a coming solar flare/eruption until the actual light/radiation (which takes about 8 minutes to reach earth)hits earth. At that point there is little that can be done to protect us.

[RaleighNCDUer]

14. "They are quite possibly in danger if not properly protected."

You're right. I saw 'Fantastic Four' too.

[whistle]

18. 'Fantastic Four' ? I 'm not sure what that is..a film, TV show....I heard

...some talk show guest on radio earlier today that was explaining what the solar flares/eruptions were and the danger they posed vs how well we are protected. I'm not sure I believe all of it, but essentially that was his claim....if we're out in space beyond the the ionosphere of earth, probably way out there 25,000 miles or so you're at risk, but on the earth not outside, little possibility of sun's radiation affecting us directly. Solar particles were mentioned but I didn't get the full explanation of that.

[Massacure]

15. The space station's service module is shielded against radiation.

They will hunker down in there and wait it out.

[applegrove]

9. Perhaps a solar flare explains why all INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE

WAS ERASED FROM ALL OF WASHINGTON DC in the days after the flood. I though it was an A-rab running through all 36 miles of the Pentagon with a giant magnet. I'm sorry.

[Digit]

13. Having been in the Pentagon as a child ( my dad worked there...)

The visual of an "A-rab" running through that maze makes me...
:rofl:

[applegrove]

17. I could think of no other logical & human explanation on Wednesday

- day three of the aftermath - why the Feds had done nothing & the Pentagon was making a pity play for its own trials and complaining Katrina victims were getting all the attention & compassion.

[5X]

16. that wasn't 20 minutes, more like two hours, but

still has significance.

[Orsino]

19. Whew! That wasn't so bad.

Three big flares, but no affect on our commun958345938523405872605823U6305730589340689243T09UGPOIDJBVPQ3TU0329TU..............0948572309582052........<BREAK>