A strong geomagnetic storm (Kp=7) is in progress...

[Conrad]

http://spaceweather.com/

A strong geomagnetic storm (Kp=7) is in progress following the impact of a CME (coronal mass ejection) around 1130 UT on Sept. 9th. This could be the first of several hits from a series of CMEs expected to reach Earth during the weekend. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras after nightfall.

Update: Electrical ground currents caused by the storm have been detected in Norway.

http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=Rob-Stammes-Shockwave-sept.09-2011_1315582815.jpg

MERCURY-DIRECTED CME: On Sept 8th around 2300 UT, the SOHO and STEREO spacecraft detected a significant CME emerging from the farside of the sun. Earth is not in the line of fire, but the planet Mercury is. Analysts at the Goddard Space Weather Lab estimate that the cloud will reach the innermost planet on Sept. 9th at 12:00 UT (plus minus 7 hours). Click to view a movie of their CME model:

http://spaceweather.com/images2011/09sep11/mercurydirected.gif?PHPSESSID=e9rhk1taj0kq4jq0oivbr89ld5

NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft is in orbit around Mercury, so it will have a front row seat for the impact. Researchers are keen to learn how Mercury's magnetosphere responds to CMEs. In particular, they wonder if CMEs can overpower Mercury's magnetic field and sputter atoms right off the planet's surface. Thanks to the Goddard forecast, MESSENGER's controllers know the CME is coming, and they can prepare to observe the impact.

Interplanetary space weather forecasting is a new thing. It became possible in 2010-2011 when NASA and ESA spacecraft surrounded the sun. Working together, SOHO, the Solar Dynamics Observatory, STEREO-A and STEREO-B now have the entire star under surveillance. CMEs can be tracked no matter where they go, which means space weather isn't just for Earth anymore.

[VirginiaJim]

Where's Chicken Little when you need him....?

[Nosmo]

Conrad, where do you find all this cool info on the web?  I search for hours and all I seem to find is porn.....?

[Pfloydgad]

Conrad,
I think I know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyway.
Do you stay up way to late with your telescope like I do?
And if it is cloudy, do you stay up way to late with your computer looking at Hubble pictures of the cosmos?
I love this stuff, and the best part, is we get to do it all over again.   
Ride safe all.
Greg

[Conrad]

Where's Chicken Little when you need him....?

He's inside the woodstove trying to figure out that cold fusion containment problem.

[Conrad]

Conrad, where do you find all this cool info on the web?  I search for hours and all I seem to find is porn.....?

 

[Conrad]

Conrad,
I think I know the answer to this question, but I'll ask anyway.
Do you stay up way to late with your telescope like I do?
And if it is cloudy, do you stay up way to late with your computer looking at Hubble pictures of the cosmos?
I love this stuff, and the best part, is we get to do it all over again.   
Ride safe all.
Greg

I've been known to Greg. I wonder how many times we've done it already?   

[CigarSki®]

So, what your trying to say, is...that the skip will really be rolling soon.
Cobra 29 LX, Predator 10K Antenna and a Fatboy Amp. 

[Conrad]

So, what your trying to say, is...that the skip will really be rolling soon.
Cobra 29 LX, Predator 10K Antenna and a Fatboy Amp. 

I would think so, was it?

[Outback_Jon]

So, what your trying to say, is...that the skip will really be rolling soon.
Cobra 29 LX, Predator 10K Antenna and a Fatboy Amp. 

Going to have to get my legal power 10M radio back from my dad...


If Children's Band radio is skipping, 10M should be too...