Thu 5 Aug 2010
Here Comes the Sun
Posted by anaglyph under In The News, Science, Space
[15] Comments
This just in from NASA:
On August 1st, almost the entire Earth-facing side of the sun erupted in a tumult of activity. There was a C3-class solar flare, a solar tsunami, multiple filaments of magnetism lifting off the stellar surface, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, a coronal mass ejection and more.
The solar flare has spawned a coronal mass ejection heading in Earth’s direction due to hit about the time you read this. Everybody duck.
ka-BLOOIE
Indeed. Or not so much, apparently.
Is that what turns all these people into a Zombie Apocalypse? I am ready!
Ready? When it comes to zombies you have a head start!
I am still not sure (seriously!) If a supernova occurs, will people on the sun-facing rotation die earlier than those on the other side????? (sorry Rev – you may sigh and shake your head in despair now.)
No – it’s an intriguing question. But probably not as simple as you think. When a star goes supernova it just doesn’t do it in one day. The most likely scenario is that there would be turbulent activity of all kinds well before the event. If any of these activities involved gamma radiation, then everybody (of organic substance) on a nearby planet would die more or less simultaneously (as a planet won’t give you much shielding from gamma rays). There is probably also all kinds of other particle radiation that would not be particularly healthy.
As I understand it though, our sun is not likely to go supernova – it has less than the Chandrasekhar mass which is the minimal mass required to accumulate the density required for a supernova.
Our sun is destined to become a red giant, and then perhaps shrink down to a very hot white dwarf which will eventually burn itself away.
So, for the moment, kick back with that G&T and take in the rays.
don’t forget to tsk tsk too Rev ;-)
No need for tsking when someone asks a good question!
Well thank Xenu, it’s been bloody freezing, I could do with some radiation!
The King
I hope the clouds parted for you. Over here, there was no noticeable effect. Even my GPS behaved. Well, as much as it usually does…
Would a good thick layer of Shoo-tags inside my tinfoil hat help at all?
Undoubtedly. And get rid of your fleas to boot! You can’t lose!
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