Fantastic solar flare movie from today

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 01:05 PM

There's a new satellite up there getting incredible images of the Sun beyond what we've had before and today an M2 flare was caught in action: Wow!

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

Here it is in mpeg format, much better if you can view it in that media.

And a lot more on The Sun Today web page. Whoa, watch the videos in the bottom two images in different wavelengths. You can see the shock wave going across the Sun's surface and the effect of some of the material when it falls back on the Sun's surface. The top video has an audio commentary explaining what you are seeing in the different wavelengths.

ElMondoHummus · 7th June 2011, 01:09 PM

OMG! Somebody shot the sun!!

sinclairmcevoy · 7th June 2011, 01:24 PM

Holy crap! That was mind boggling! Thanks for sharing that.

One Skunk Todd · 7th June 2011, 02:03 PM

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out?

Beerina · 7th June 2011, 02:31 PM

As the sun is 800k miles in diameter, that would be faster than the speed of light

I do wonder how long it took, though. Days? A day? And I understand that though it looks like gravity pulled the burst back down in nice ballistic arcs, the distances are actually so vast the gases follow magnetic lines, like metal filings on paper over a magnet?

AdMan · 7th June 2011, 02:34 PM

Wow, that was incredible!

Phil Plait says it blasted a billion tons of material away from the sun (though most of it fell back into it) and reached a size over a million kilometers across. Yikes.

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by One Skunk Todd

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out?

That would be correct. The distances are so immense that took several hours despite the energy involved. Then it takes from 2-3 days for the CME particles to reach as far out as Earth.

Bram Kaandorp · 7th June 2011, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

That would be correct. The distances are so immense that took several hours despite the energy involved. Then it takes from 2-3 days for the CME particles to reach as far out as Earth.

With real-time, it's meant that it is not played at normal speed, but slowed down.

And I think that it must be.

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp

With real-time, it's meant that it is not played at normal speed, but slowed down.

And I think that it must be.

Slowed down? I think you have that backward. It's a time lapse. It is sped up.

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp

...
I'm not saying you are right or wrong, ...

Well I will. If sputnik was serious he's definitely wrong. It's not even clear if that CME will hit the Earth. Individual flares are not specifically related to global warming and it isn't even that unique of a flare. It's the imaging that is new, not the event, though it was a particularly large flare.

SDO's ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY (AIA)

Quote:

Overview

The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is designed to provide an unprecedented view of the solar corona, taking images that span at least 1.3 solar diameters in multiple wavelengths nearly simultaneously, at a resolution of about 1 arcsec and at a cadence of 10 seconds or better. The primary goal of the AIA Science Investigation is to use these data, together with data from other SDO instruments and from other observatories, to significantly improve our understanding of the physics behind the activity displayed by the Sun's atmosphere, which drives space weather in the heliosphere and in planetary environments. The AIA will produce data required for quantitative studies of the evolving coronal magnetic field, and the plasma that it holds, both in quiescent phases and during flares and eruptions. The AIA science investigation aims to utilize these data in a comprehensive research program to provide new understanding of the observed processes and, ultimately, to guide development of advanced forecasting tools needed by the user community of the Living With a Star (LWS) program.

The images that have been coming in from the AIA have been one fantastic image after another. There will be more to come.

Bram Kaandorp · 7th June 2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Slowed down? I think you have that backward. It's a time lapse. It is sped up.

Ah, my bad.

Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here.

AdMan · 7th June 2011, 05:57 PM

Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp

Ah, my bad.

Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here.

I think you misunderstood. What was correct was the statement that it was not real time.

Bram Kaandorp · 7th June 2011, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by AdMan

I think you misunderstood. What was correct was the statement that it was not real time.

Which is what I said.

"Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here."

Cheers

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 06:09 PM

...one of the most spectacular prominence eruptions ever observed, in fact, one could call it a "prominence explosion"

Spectacular because of the detail of the observation, and because it was so large physically, but it was only an M2 flare energy-wise. The scale based on X-rays that reach the orbiting Earth satellites at the speed of light so minutes after the eruption, goes from A, B, C, M and X, and each level has a scale like the mag scale of earthquakes. X flares occur from time to time, usually as the Sun gets closer to the solar maximum. We just left the solar minimum and I can't recall exactly but there have been less than 10 M flares so far this cycle, probably less than 5.

solar flare review

Quote:

SOLAR CYCLE
The approximately 11-year quasi-periodic variation in frequency or number of sunspots, coronal mass ejections, solar flares, and other solar activity.

solar flares' impact on Earth weather

AdMan · 7th June 2011, 06:14 PM

Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp

Which is what I said.

"Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here."

Cheers

Not to belabor the point, but I read your earlier post as saying that Skeptic Ginger was incorrect, while in fact she was saying the same thing as you then repeated.

Nevermind, no big deal and not worth discussing further.

steve s · 7th June 2011, 07:25 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

There's a new satellite up there getting incredible images of the Sun beyond what we've had before and today an M2 flare was caught in action: Wow!

That's too cool. The purple-ish video is the best one. The debris falling back down looks like black ink dripped into a container of water.

Steve S

AdMan · 7th June 2011, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by sputnik

Nope - the CME shown is not in the least extraordinary. It is a regular occurance as are the sunspots and 11 year cycles. The reason it's so cool is because we are looking at the latest technology capturing the events.

Jeez, OK, if you want to keep belaboring the point, that is exactly what I meant.

It's extraordinary because it's rare that we have been able to see it in this way.

It doesn't mean that this has never happened.

It's a relatively rare event, which we have been able to capture with relatively rare accuracy.

I think it's funny how weirdly defensive you appear to be about this.

The Man · 7th June 2011, 08:33 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

There's a new satellite up there getting incredible images of the Sun beyond what we've had before and today an M2 flare was caught in action: Wow!

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

Here it is in mpeg format, much better if you can view it in that media.

And a lot more on The Sun Today web page. Whoa, watch the videos in the bottom two images in different wavelengths. You can see the shock wave going across the Sun's surface and the effect of some of the material when it falls back on the Sun's surface. The top video has an audio commentary explaining what you are seeing in the different wavelengths.

Dang, I hope most of what didn't fall back ain't headed our way!!

ETA:

Looks like it ain't..

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/ba...uge-explosion/

Quote:

Again, the good news is that we’re not in any danger from this; it wasn’t aimed our way (most of these types of events miss us). But as I’ve said before, the solar cycle is heating up and we can expect to see more incredible events from our friendly neighborhood star in the coming years.

Thanks phil (and AdMan)

This time...

Skeptic Ginger · 7th June 2011, 09:42 PM

Originally Posted by The Man

Dang, I hope most of what didn't fall back ain't headed our way!!

......

Fudge! I hope it will at least strike a glancing blow. It needs to be a strong solar storm for the auroras to make it this far south. I love seeing the aurora here in WA.

The Man · 8th June 2011, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

Fudge! I hope it will at least strike a glancing blow. It needs to be a strong solar storm for the auroras to make it this far south. I love seeing the aurora here in WA.

Well, let's hope just a glance.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1...magnetic_storm

Cuddles · 8th June 2011, 02:06 AM

Several posts removed to AAH. Stay on topic. If you want to talk about global warming, there is a thread for that here.

Posted By:Cuddles

jadey · 8th June 2011, 03:48 AM

Originally Posted by One Skunk Todd

I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out?

The narrator of the video on the Sun Today site (linked in the OP) states that the event occured over about 3 hours.

Skeptic Ginger · 8th June 2011, 09:49 AM

Originally Posted by jadey

The narrator of the video on the Sun Today site (linked in the OP) states that the event occured over about 3 hours.

So I estimated correctly. I'm getting better at this.

Michael Mozina · 9th June 2011, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger

There's a new satellite up there getting incredible images of the Sun beyond what we've had before and today an M2 flare was caught in action: Wow!

YouTube Video This video is not hosted by the JREF. The JREF can not be held responsible for the suitability or legality of this material. By clicking the link below you agree to view content from an external website.

I AGREE

Here it is in mpeg format, much better if you can view it in that media.

Thanks for that link. FYI, that was a 'dark filament' eruption flare. I won't hijack your thread, but you can see the dark thread erupt remarkably well. SDO is going to revolutionize solar physics as we know it.

7th June 2011, 01:09 PM	#2
ElMondoHummus 0.25 short of being half-witted Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Somewhere north of the South Pole Posts: 11,943	OMG! Somebody shot the sun!!
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7th June 2011, 01:24 PM	#3
sinclairmcevoy Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 8,027	Holy crap! That was mind boggling! Thanks for sharing that.
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7th June 2011, 02:31 PM	#5
Beerina Sarcastic Conqueror of Notions Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: A floating island above the clouds Posts: 23,835	As the sun is 800k miles in diameter, that would be faster than the speed of light I do wonder how long it took, though. Days? A day? And I understand that though it looks like gravity pulled the burst back down in nice ballistic arcs, the distances are actually so vast the gases follow magnetic lines, like metal filings on paper over a magnet?
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7th June 2011, 02:34 PM	#6
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	Wow, that was incredible! Phil Plait says it blasted a billion tons of material away from the sun (though most of it fell back into it) and reached a size over a million kilometers across. Yikes.
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	__________________ It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan

7th June 2011, 04:07 PM	#7
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	Originally Posted by One Skunk Todd I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out? That would be correct. The distances are so immense that took several hours despite the energy involved. Then it takes from 2-3 days for the CME particles to reach as far out as Earth.
	__________________ (Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.) Last edited by Skeptic Ginger; 7th June 2011 at 04:10 PM.*

7th June 2011, 02:03 PM	#4
One Skunk Todd Critical Thinker Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 300	I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out?

7th June 2011, 04:16 PM	#8
Bram Kaandorp Master Poster Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,240	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger That would be correct. The distances are so immense that took several hours despite the energy involved. Then it takes from 2-3 days for the CME particles to reach as far out as Earth. With real-time, it's meant that it is not played at normal speed, but slowed down. And I think that it must be.
	__________________ If autism is a "living death", does that make me a zombie? If so, that'd be great. Just don't get your brain in my general vicinity.

7th June 2011, 05:48 PM	#9
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp With real-time, it's meant that it is not played at normal speed, but slowed down. And I think that it must be. Slowed down? I think you have that backward. It's a time lapse. It is sped up.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

7th June 2011, 05:51 PM	#10
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp ... I'm not saying you are right or wrong, ... Well I will. If sputnik was serious he's definitely wrong. It's not even clear if that CME will hit the Earth. Individual flares are not specifically related to global warming and it isn't even that unique of a flare. It's the imaging that is new, not the event, though it was a particularly large flare. SDO's ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY (AIA) Quote: Overview The Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) for the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) is designed to provide an unprecedented view of the solar corona, taking images that span at least 1.3 solar diameters in multiple wavelengths nearly simultaneously, at a resolution of about 1 arcsec and at a cadence of 10 seconds or better. The primary goal of the AIA Science Investigation is to use these data, together with data from other SDO instruments and from other observatories, to significantly improve our understanding of the physics behind the activity displayed by the Sun's atmosphere, which drives space weather in the heliosphere and in planetary environments. The AIA will produce data required for quantitative studies of the evolving coronal magnetic field, and the plasma that it holds, both in quiescent phases and during flares and eruptions. The AIA science investigation aims to utilize these data in a comprehensive research program to provide new understanding of the observed processes and, ultimately, to guide development of advanced forecasting tools needed by the user community of the Living With a Star (LWS) program. The images that have been coming in from the AIA have been one fantastic image after another. There will be more to come.
	__________________ (Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.) Last edited by Skeptic Ginger; 7th June 2011 at 06:12 PM.*

7th June 2011, 05:52 PM	#11
Bram Kaandorp Master Poster Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,240	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger Slowed down? I think you have that backward. It's a time lapse. It is sped up. Ah, my bad. Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here.
	__________________ If autism is a "living death", does that make me a zombie? If so, that'd be great. Just don't get your brain in my general vicinity.

7th June 2011, 05:57 PM	#12
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp Ah, my bad. Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here. I think you misunderstood. What was correct was the statement that it was not real time.
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	__________________ It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan

7th June 2011, 06:04 PM	#13
Bram Kaandorp Master Poster Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Netherlands Posts: 2,240	Originally Posted by AdMan I think you misunderstood. What was correct was the statement that it was not real time. Which is what I said. "Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here." Cheers
	__________________ If autism is a "living death", does that make me a zombie? If so, that'd be great. Just don't get your brain in my general vicinity.

7th June 2011, 06:09 PM	#14
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	...one of the most spectacular prominence eruptions ever observed, in fact, one could call it a "prominence explosion" Spectacular because of the detail of the observation, and because it was so large physically, but it was only an M2 flare energy-wise. The scale based on X-rays that reach the orbiting Earth satellites at the speed of light so minutes after the eruption, goes from A, B, C, M and X, and each level has a scale like the mag scale of earthquakes. X flares occur from time to time, usually as the Sun gets closer to the solar maximum. We just left the solar minimum and I can't recall exactly but there have been less than 10 M flares so far this cycle, probably less than 5. solar flare review Quote: SOLAR CYCLE The approximately 11-year quasi-periodic variation in frequency or number of sunspots, coronal mass ejections, solar flares, and other solar activity. solar flares' impact on Earth weather
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

7th June 2011, 06:14 PM	#15
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	Originally Posted by Bram Kaandorp Which is what I said. "Still, point is that real-time means that the footage is shown at normal speed, which is not the case here." Cheers Not to belabor the point, but I read your earlier post as saying that Skeptic Ginger was incorrect, while in fact she was saying the same thing as you then repeated. Nevermind, no big deal and not worth discussing further.
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	__________________ It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan

7th June 2011, 07:25 PM	#16
steve s Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,672	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger There's a new satellite up there getting incredible images of the Sun beyond what we've had before and today an M2 flare was caught in action: Wow! That's too cool. The purple-ish video is the best one. The debris falling back down looks like black ink dripped into a container of water. Steve S
steve s Illuminator Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,672	__________________ "Nature abhors a moron." -- H. L. Mencken

7th June 2011, 08:17 PM	#17
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	Originally Posted by sputnik Nope - the CME shown is not in the least extraordinary. It is a regular occurance as are the sunspots and 11 year cycles. The reason it's so cool is because we are looking at the latest technology capturing the events. Jeez, OK, if you want to keep belaboring the point, that is exactly what I meant. It's extraordinary because it's rare that we have been able to see it in this way. It doesn't mean that this has never happened. It's a relatively rare event, which we have been able to capture with relatively rare accuracy. I think it's funny how weirdly defensive you appear to be about this.
AdMan Philosopher Join Date: Feb 2010 Posts: 7,197	__________________ It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring. - Carl Sagan Last edited by AdMan; 7th June 2011 at 08:24 PM.

7th June 2011, 09:42 PM	#19
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	Originally Posted by The Man Dang, I hope most of what didn't fall back ain't headed our way!! ...... Fudge! I hope it will at least strike a glancing blow. It needs to be a strong solar storm for the auroras to make it this far south. I love seeing the aurora here in WA.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)

8th June 2011, 12:46 AM	#20
The Man Scourge, of the supernatural Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Poughkeepsie, NY Posts: 7,525	Originally Posted by Skeptic Ginger Fudge! I hope it will at least strike a glancing blow. It needs to be a strong solar storm for the auroras to make it this far south. I love seeing the aurora here in WA. Well, let's hope just a glance. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/March_1...magnetic_storm
	__________________ "Not a seat but a springboard” (1942 Winston Churchill) "As he who, seeking asses, found a kingdom" (1671 Milton "Paradise Regained") "for it seem'd A void was made in nature, all her bonds Crack'd; and I saw the flaring atom-streams And torrents of her myriad universe, Ruining along the illimitable inane, Fly on to clash together again, and make Another and another frame of things For ever." (1868 Tennyson "Lucretius")

8th June 2011, 03:48 AM	#22
jadey Master Poster Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Merry Land Posts: 2,378	Originally Posted by One Skunk Todd I'm going to go out on a limb and assume that was not real time. Also, was that multiple earth masses being spewed out? The narrator of the video on the Sun Today site (linked in the OP) states that the event occured over about 3 hours.

8th June 2011, 09:49 AM	#23
Skeptic Ginger formerly skeptigirl Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Shifting through paradigms Posts: 40,646	Originally Posted by jadey The narrator of the video on the Sun Today site (linked in the OP) states that the event occured over about 3 hours. So I estimated correctly. I'm getting better at this.
	__________________ (*Tired of continuing to hear the "Democrat Party" repeatedly I've decided to adopt the name, ~~Pubbie Party, Repubs~~ "Republics" and Republic Party in response.)