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Sun Spot with sound system

6 May 2019
Astronomy

At http://spaceweather.com (May 7th 2019) we learn about a potential earth directed CME emanating from the sun spot that has turned around to face the Earth over the last day or two. The sun spot has already puffed out some minor CMEs (into space rather than towards the Earth) but now we have the possibility of a plasma cloud approaching our atmosphere in the next couple of days. Last month another sun spot strafed the Earth with not just the solar wind but a loud shortwave radio burst (s). Yesterday, May 6th, was an incredible day of strong solar radio bursts including one of the strongest of the current solar cycle (there is a video link so you can actually hear it for yourself).

How does a sun spot make radio waves? It starts with a solar flare. Beams of electrons accelerated by flares slice through the Sun's atmosphere and create a ripple of plasma waves and radio static detectable on Earth 93 million miles away. Astronomers classify solar radio bursts into five categories.

 

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