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Telegraph

. AP / NASA

In this X-ray photo provided by NASA, the sun is shown early in the morning of Sunday, August 1, 2010. The dark arc near the top right edge of the image is a filament of plasma blasting off the surface - part of the coronal mass ejection. The bright region is an unassociated solar flare. When particles from the eruption reach Earth on the evening of August 3-4, they may trigger a brilliant auroral display known as the Northern Lights

N.Y.Post

Solar tsunami to strike Earth
FOXNews.com, August 3, 2010




- The sun's surface erupted early Sunday, blasting tons of plasma into space -- and right at the Earth. Astonishing new pictures from NASA show the giant flares and clouds of ionized gas erupting from the star. Photos: The Sun as You've Never Seen It Before


Earth is bracing for a cosmic tsunami Tuesday night as tons of plasma from a massive solar flare head directly toward the planet. The Sun's surface erupted early Sunday morning, shooting a wall of ionized atoms directly at Earth, scientists say. It is expected to create a geomagnetic storm and a spectacular light show -- and it could pose a threat to satellites in orbit, as well.

"This eruption is directed right at us and is expected to get here early in the day on Aug. 4," said Leon Golub of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. "It's the first major Earth-directed eruption in quite some time."

The solar eruption, called a coronal mass ejection, was spotted by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which captures high-definition views of the sun at a variety of wavelengths. SDO was launched in February and peers deep into the layers of the sun, investigating the mysteries of its inner workings. "We got a beautiful view of this eruption," Golub said. "And there might be more beautiful views to come if it triggers aurorae."

The solar eruption, called a coronal mass ejection, was spotted by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, which captures high-definition views of the sun at a variety of wavelengths. SDO was launched in February and peers deep into the layers of the sun, investigating the mysteries of its inner workings. "We got a beautiful view of this eruption," Golub said. "And there might be more beautiful views to come if it triggers aurorae." Read more at: Foxnews.com

Spiegel Online

Sky observation: Mysterious Northern Lights


.More photos >

Aurora in the state of Michigan (US, on August 04, 2010): plasma particles captured by Earth's magnetic field cause the oxygen and nitrogen molecules in the air to glow.

BBC News

Why have the Northern Lights moved south?
By Victoria Gill, 5 August 2010

The Northern ligts, it seems, have moved further south and have been visible from countries including
Germany and Denmark. So what exactly is causing this natural spectacle? And how long will it last?




A recent increase in solar activity is having an effect on Earth's magnetic field (blue) and the Northern Lights





1.The Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis are caused by charged particles around the Earth being excited by the interaction
between the Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind, a stream of particles and magnetic field from the Sun.

3. These lines "snap back" into a continous loop around the Earth, producing an electric current that excites gas particles
in our atmosphere, making them glow. When more of Earth's magnetic field lines are broken, this reconnection - and the
glow it causes - occurs further from the poles.

3. These lines "snap back" into a continous loop around the Earth, producing an electric current that excites gas particles
in our atmosphere, making them glow. When more of Earth's magnetic field lines are broken, this reconnection - and the
glow it causes - occurs further from the poles.


The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, are caused by charged gas particles - that flow away from the Sun as a "solar wind" - interacting with the Earth's magnetic field. This solar wind has its own magnetic field, which can "drag away" the Earth's magnetic field lines, disconnecting them from our planet. Eventually though, the field lines "snap back" into the continuous loop that exits one of the Earth's magnetic poles and re-enters at the other.


.The spectacular Aurora Borealis are usually only visible in the far north


This snapping back or "reconnection" means that particles that were in the solar wind are pushed into the Earth's atmosphere. The charged particles "excite" gases in our atmosphere and make make them glow - just like gas in a fluorescent tube. The colours depend on the type of gas - a red or green glow is oxygen and the blue and purple colours are produced by nitrogen. Read more...

BBC News

Moon 'too dry to have life', say scientists
By Katia Moskvitch, 5 August 2010




Scientists say that at first, there was a "magma ocean" on the Moon


Contrary to recent reports about water content in lunar rocks, the Moon may be quite dry, say scientists. A study by US researchers, published in Science, analysed chlorine isotopes of the much-studied samples, brought to Earth by the Apollo space missions. They added that there was no or very little hydrogen in the magma ocean during the Moon's formation. And that would mean the Earth's natural satellite may have always been too dry to host life. Zachary Sharp from the University of New Mexico led the study. more...

BBC

Meteor spectacle 'set to dazzle'
By BBC News, 12 August 2010




- The annual display is caused by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle


Sky-watchers could be in for "fantastic views" over the next two days as the Perseid meteor shower reaches its peak. According to Nasa, the shower could produce a display of up to 80 meteors per hour. "A waxing crescent moon will set before the shower becomes active, setting a perfect stage for meteor watching," said the US space agency on its website.

Experts are urging people to head away from city lights for the best views. John Mason from the British Astronomical Association (BAA) told BBC News: "Weather-permitting, we should be in for a very good show across the UK. "The shower has been ongoing for a week now and we have already seen some very bright meteors whizzing overhead."

The Perseid meteor shower is caused by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Every 133 years, the huge comet swings through the inner part of our Solar System and leaves behind a trail of dust and gravel. When Earth passes through the debris, specks hit our atmosphere at 140,000mph and disintegrate in flashes of light.

The peak of the meteor shower occurs just two days after a new Moon, meaning that Earth's natural satellite will not provide any extra light pollution to spoil the view. The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) said the relatively warm summer nights would make this meteor shower one of the more comfortable to watch.


.More...

Telegraph

Solar tsunami causes spectacular Northern Lights
By Telegraph staff, 12 Aug 2010


.Photos

The 'solar tsunami' which sent waves of extra radiation into the earth's atmosphere has amplified the effect of the Northern Lights.


The light show was captured above Michigan's Lake Superior by photographer Shawn Malone, 46. Ms Malone observed the phenomenon for two days last week (August 3-4), using 20 minutes exposures to capture the full array of colours.

"We do photograph the Northern Lights here in Michigan and this is one of the best places below the 48th Parallel to do so," she said. "I have lived here for ten years and the lights are always wonderful and this was nice when it was here and it was pretty. "It would come and go in waves around midnight and that was when I photographed the supercharged lights. "But, I have to say that the spectacular event that we were led to believe by the media unfortunately didn't materialise for me at least."

Scientists last week noticed two minor solar storms which shots superheated plasma in the direction of The Earth. The plasma, which is ionised atoms, can cause electrical systems and damage orbiting satellites. Scientists are braced for increased solar activity over the coming five years as The Sun 'wakes up' from a period of relative calm.

Telegraph Images

Solar tsunami: aurora borealis or northern lights caused by solar flares


.> Watch latest solar flare

More spectacular images of last week's 'solar tsunami' have appeared. The images of the northern lights were captured by photographer Shawn Malone, 46, just before midnight, at Lake Superior. Picture: Shawn Malone




The Northern Lights caused by the solar tsunami over Lake Superior on August 4

A 17-minute long exposure, with a passing freighter on Lake Superior

The Northern Lights reflected in Lake Superior before moonrise

A view of the Northern Lights, taken from the shores of Deer Lake in Alger County, Michigan

The sun erupts in a tumult of activity on August 1, 2010. This image from the Solar Dynamics Observatory of the solar event on August 1 shows the C3-class solar flare (white area on upper left), a solar tsunami (wave-like structure, upper right), multiple filaments of magnetism lifting off the stellar surface, large-scale shaking of the solar corona, radio bursts, a coronal mass ejection and more. This multi-wavelength extreme ultraviolet snapshot from the Solar Dynamics Observatory shows the sun's northern hemisphere in mid-eruption. Different colours in the image represent different gas temperatures. The solar flare impact on August 3 sparked aurorae as far south as Wisconsin and Iowa in the United States. Picture: AFP / NASA

The aurora borealis in the sky over Denmark, 4 August 2010, as captured by Jesper Grønne. Picture: Jesper Grønne

The solar storm as seen from Central Scotland at midnight on 6 August. Picture: Tommy Cochrane / Universal News

The Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights, are seen over the West Arm of Grand Traverse Bay in Old Mission, Michigan, USA on 4 August 2010. Picture: EPA