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General => The Tailgate => Topic started by: FinsnFur on March 07, 2012, 05:45:42 PM

Title: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 07, 2012, 05:45:42 PM
The news channel is telling us there's a solar storm racing towards earth at 4 million miles an hour right now, which they expect to arrive around 5AM EST tomorrow morning and possibly wiping out GPS, communications and power.

Dont forget to leave the light on :corn:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Yote Buster on March 07, 2012, 06:16:33 PM
I am 55, and ever since I have remember, at least every other Yr. was going to be the End...... :shrug:.
Well, if it happens, Life was good, If not we just Drive on...  :innocentwhistle:  lol...
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: weedwalker on March 07, 2012, 06:26:00 PM
That's what time I gotta be at work. I work outside too. So how should I dress for a solar storm? :wo:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: weedwalker on March 07, 2012, 06:43:22 PM
Moving at 4 million MPH it'll only take about .003 seconds to pass Earth. So the storm won't last long anyway.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: securpro on March 07, 2012, 07:54:53 PM
Ed the only thing you need to wear is your sunglasses  :biggrin: I'm sure your co-workers wont mind.....
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 07, 2012, 07:57:04 PM
Be on teh look out for aurora for the next few days. I am sure Barry will get a heck  of a show, you may as well Jim. I hope they make it this far south and we have clear skys to see them.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 07, 2012, 09:16:19 PM
Yeah I think they said expect to see the Northern lights as far south as the Great Lakes
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 07, 2012, 09:18:37 PM
maybe even farther south. I hope so!
Last time one this big hit Earth you could see aurora all the way to Florida.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: HaMeR on March 08, 2012, 05:14:05 AM
Well at 4 million MPH I better saddle all my survival gear on the riding mower & get outta Dodge!!!!!!! I should be able to keep juuuuust ahead of it.  :eyebrow:  Heck i might just stand there & blast away with the 17HMR & save the World!!!!!!!!!!!   :yoyo: :yoyo:


Otherwise I'll just stick to what I been doing. Whatever that is.  :laf: :laf:


Ed-- You might want to wear your Assteroid Rain Gear. That ARG suit should keep you in good health!!!!!  :alscalls: :alscalls:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Hawks Feather on March 08, 2012, 09:19:16 AM
I still have my sunglasses on.  Is it safe to take them off?   

Jerry
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: weedwalker on March 08, 2012, 04:45:17 PM
DAMN!! I was outside at 5 minutes till 5 this morning looking towards the sky for the solar storm. I opted to wear my tinted saftey glasses provided to me by my employer. I didn't want to take any chances of a stray asteroid hitting me in the eyes. I stood there, kind of excited I might add, waiting. And then the worst thing ever happened. I BLINKED and missed it!!! :madd:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 08, 2012, 05:31:59 PM
On March 8th at about 1100 universal time the CME struck earths magnetosphere. the resulting solar storm was not nearly as strong as antacipated due to a weaker than expected CME and the interplanatery magnetic field was pointing strongly to the north. This had the effect of canceling out any geoeffective occurences. This could change as the storm could intensify in the hours ahead depending on electromagnetic conditions in the wake of the CME
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: coyotehunter_1 on March 08, 2012, 06:40:44 PM
OK... can one of you astro-nuts let me know when it's safe to take off my tin foil hat?  :shrug:   :confused:

Right now every time I blink the darn TV changes channels.   :huh: :wo: 
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 08, 2012, 06:43:47 PM
If you only blink with one eye at a time you should be able to get the High def channels.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: coyotehunter_1 on March 08, 2012, 06:59:07 PM
:wo: Yep, Slag.... that might work  :laf:



:eyebrownod:   
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 08, 2012, 07:04:27 PM
Quote from: slagmaker on March 08, 2012, 05:31:59 PM
On March 8th at about 1100 universal time the CME struck earths magnetosphere. the resulting solar storm was not nearly as strong as antacipated due to a weaker than expected CME and the interplanatery magnetic field was pointing strongly to the north. This had the effect of canceling out any geoeffective occurences. This could change as the storm could intensify in the hours ahead depending on electromagnetic conditions in the wake of the CME

Holy crap, I cant even decipher all that. :confused: :laf:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 08, 2012, 08:53:36 PM
not hard to decipher
1100 Universal time is 11 o clock Greenwich mean time
CME is a Coronal Mass Ejection these are actually bits of the surface of the sun
The magnetosphere is the surronding magnitism that the earth generates that helps protect the planet from the ravages of the solar wind
the interplanatery magnetic field is the magnetic field that exists between the sun and planets. This field is govenred by the sun and other planatary bodies in our solar system.
the polarity of the IMF is what decides on how much of the solar wind can get to the surface of the planet or at least to the upper atmosphere. south pointing "think compass" means bigger gaqps in the earths magnetosphere. Bigger gaps stronger magnetic storms.

Its all very scientific Jim. If you would like I can turn yo on to some very cool sites that will explain how it all works
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 08, 2012, 09:33:17 PM
Actually I'm going to have to take a pass on that :wink:
It sounds interesting, but :whew:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 08, 2012, 10:09:02 PM
space weather is a hobbie of mine.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: KySongDog on March 08, 2012, 10:23:09 PM
I was not worried.  It's not December 21st yet.   :readthis:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 09, 2012, 09:30:12 AM
It rocked the Northern Lights up her for sure. They looked awesome.  :biggrin:

Jim, if you want to get the effect in a non lab setting, just poor a gallon of gas in your burning barrel and drop in a match.  :alscalls: (Kids do not try this at home)  :nofgr:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Hawks Feather on March 09, 2012, 09:49:50 AM
Hey Todd, didn't you get a new camera a short time back?  If so, where are the pictures?

Jerry
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 09, 2012, 10:27:47 AM
I did Jerry, but didn't have it with me and if I understand it correctly? I have to have it on a tripod with a slow shutter spead to get good pics of the lights?
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Hawks Feather on March 09, 2012, 11:29:14 AM
Yep, the tripod would sure help.  I have seen several images and most were around a second or slightly more.

Jerry
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 09, 2012, 11:33:59 AM
I'll try that next time then, thanks.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 09, 2012, 04:19:21 PM
Next time?

           NEXT TIME!

:doh2: next time we might all be dead. :laf: :laf:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: slagmaker on March 09, 2012, 04:48:38 PM
I have seen pics that used up to a thrity second shutter speed to get the real faint lights. Best to experment and see what ya get. You also sometimes need to play with the ISO. If you want I think I still have a site that has a tutorial for taking aurora pics.
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 09, 2012, 04:55:22 PM
Jerry I get the lights more often then not up here in the winter time and the local news tells me if they are expected to be good that night, so I stand a good chance of being alive and even taking pictures.  :biggrin:

Sure Slag!!
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Todd Rahm on March 09, 2012, 05:04:05 PM
On a side note my 13 year hasn't really had a chance to see them yet (Always in bed late at night when they show up. Darn school anyway!)

Well last night we got out of Judo late (Around 9:30PM) and it was chilly and clear, and Wyatt says " Hey Dad, are those the northern lights?"

Sure enough they were so I drove out of town to a darker location (No town lights). He got to watch them for about 20 minutes. Mostly green, but with the occasional fast moving color spurt across the one side of them.

So all in all it was a fun expereince with him. Wait until I take him out in the fall during hunting season.  :biggrin:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: FinsnFur on March 09, 2012, 08:21:33 PM
 :yoyo: Just one of those things that many of us will never have at out finger tips. I'm glad Wyatt got a taste of them. :wink:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: Hawks Feather on March 09, 2012, 10:24:00 PM
Todd,

Glad to hear that you and Wyatt got a chance to spend some time together and see the Northern Lights "up close and personal" rather than the way most of us get to see them.   

Jerry

P.S.  For those that know.  I am taking the high road.   :iroll:


Wassa matta wit seein em on Ice Road Truckers Jerry????   :shrug:

:eyebrow: :eyebrow:
Title: Re: Is this it? The end of the world?
Post by: HaMeR on March 10, 2012, 07:13:59 AM
Quote from: Hawks Feather on March 09, 2012, 10:24:00 PM
Todd,

Glad to hear that you and Wyatt got a chance to spend some time together and see the Northern Lights "up close and personal" rather than the way most of us get to see them.   

Jerry

P.S.  For those that know.  I am taking the high road.   :iroll:


Wassa matta wit seein em on Ice Road Truckers Jerry????   :shrug:

:eyebrow: :eyebrow:


Sorry Jerry!!  :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin: