[SFDXA] Tamitha Skov - Solarstorm Mania...

[Bill]

 From another list:


This in from Tamitha Skov on early Thursday in a message titled
"Solarstorm Mania all over the news":

"How ironic is it that only one week after I talk about significant
advances towards making Space Weather a household name, we get
smacked in the face with a bogus story about a massive solar storm
threatening to swallow the Earth? From what I've heard, this story
began innocently enough-- someone misread an info-graphic on a
Russian space weather website. But then the mistake went viral.
Over the past few days, reports spread around the globe, sending
people into a panic. I've watched major news agencies publish the
story, only to print embarrassing retractions a day later. All of
this simply because they ran with a story they did not have the
expertise to fact check. I hate to admit it, but just as I thought
we were doing so well, I am reminded of how far we have yet to go.

"This week our Sun is indeed sending us a solar storm, but it's not
all fire and brimstone. It's the weak, wispy kind we continue to
expect as we approach solar minimum. The fact that the storm is
weak actually brings us some good news. For amateur radio operators
and emergency communicators already wrestling with poor radio
propagation conditions on Earth's day side, communications might
improve on Earth's night side, especially with auroral propagation.
GPS users should also enjoy the quiet conditions, but be aware for
glitches, especially after sunset and at higher latitudes where
aurora is active. As for aurora sightings during this weak storm,
reports are coming in from Norway, Sweden, and Finland as well as
from Ontario, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan Canada. In the U.S.A.
aurora has been sighted as far south as Michigan and Minnesota.

"While all of these solar storm effects are surely noteworthy, they
are hardly catastrophic or even massive. So as far as all the hype?
I think we can safely put that story to bed."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-DK43Rx0Xo