Sun releases an M9.4 class flare

Image Caption: NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory or SDO, captured this image on the sun of an M9.4-class solare flare, which peaked at 8:30 pm EDT on Oct. 23, 2013.  The image displays light in the wavelenght of 131 Angstroms, which is good for viewing the intense heat of a solar flare and typically colored teal.  Credit: NASA/SDO

Yesterday evening the sun released a mid-level solar flare.  The flare emitted was a M 9.4 class flare, which falls in the higher range of M class flares.  These M class flares can cause brief blackouts at the polar regions.  It is important to note that although the sun has remained relatively quiet during its solar maximum that it is still active.  

Three Years of Sun Video in Three Minutes

Sun Unleashes Flare that Disrupts Communications on Earth

A mid-level solar flare was released today by the Sun.  This flare disrupted communications briefly on Earth.  To date, this is the largest solar flare that has been released by the Sun in 2013.  The solar maximum is expected to occur late 2013.  

This full-disk view of the sun was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on April 11, 2013, during the strongest solar flare yet seen in 2013. Space.com 

Literary Yoga?

Literary Yoga?

One of the most difficult things for me is to decide how to find balance.  Do I work on writing my next novel?  Do I spend time with my family?  Do I work on social media?  Or videos, covers, agents, even strange new tan lines?  Since I still love my day job, I’ve got to find ways to successfully divide my time between the things I have to do and the things I’d like to do. 

In my humblish opinion, being successful in today’s publishing world is much different and more complex than any other time in history.  It isn’t necessarily more difficult, as there are so many more venues to showcase authors, but the sheer numbers of authors, publishers, and sites sometimes make it more difficult to be noticed or ‘found’.  While I’ve had decent success as an Indie writer, my goal has always been to become a well-recognized author around the world.  As the party planners for the ‘Historically Famous Author’ parties don’t necessarily care whether my wife and grandmother really love my work, it is important to have a successful platform to build upon. 

So, is it more important to work on my writing, my platform, my family, or my mastery of the Fallen Dog yoga positions?  I wish I could say that I use every moment in pursuit of either happiness or success, but the truth is that I probably waste just as much as I spend fruitfully. Since I have a dream, but live within the real world where I’m only given 24 hours a day and hopefully another 40 years of life, my belief is that I have to find a balance (and not the Sleeping Dog kind) that will help me find both happiness and success.

I try to give the taxpayers (who happen to still be willing to pay my monthly bills) an honest day’s work everyday.  I try to spend quality time with my wife and three daughters.  I try to get the proper amount of sleep, relaxation, and exercise (though I seem to fail on all three more than any other area in my life).  I try to keep up with platform building and social media.  AND, I try to make every minute of my writing time count. 

For those of you who want to succeed in today’s publishing world, my suggestion is to find a way to practice some form of Literary Yoga.  Spend time with your job, your family, your platform building, and your writing.  Don’t let any of them overwhelm the other, but never neglect any of them either.

Dystopian Trailer

Sharing a video to the trailer of Pyrolysis.  Enjoy!

Solar Flares Make Music

Science never ceases to amaze me.  Scientists are able to take the sounds from the sun and form a compilation that resembles the sound of music - not the Julie Andrews type though.  It's fascinating that they are able to take these sounds and understand the sun's own language.  

Super Solar Storm Impact

A solar super storm usually occurs every 100 to 200 years.  The largest super storm on record was in 1859 and is referred to as the Carrington Event.  During this time, the technological reliance was nothing like we have today.  In 1859, Europe and North America experienced telegraph communication outages and some reports even consist of fires starting from the heat that flowed through the lines. 

 

A massive solar storm today would have an impact on electricity grids, satellites, aircraft, GPS, and mobile devices. The increased electric currents caused by the geomagnetic storms can cause instability in the power grid systems causing them to crash.  Satellites are at the front line of solar storms; some of our older satellites may take the brunt of such a flare and could have residual effects long after the event.  Many of the satellites have been designed to withstand a large majority of the solar extremes.  That being said, it is difficult to effectively predict what will happen if a major storm like the 1859 event. occurred today.  Additionally, the GPS systems, navigation systems, and aircraft could be impacted with the secondary particles and wreak havoc on the delicate systems. 

DA14 Asteroid Set to Pass Remarkably Close to Earth on Friday

I have posted a link about the asteroid DA14 that will pass remarkably close to earth on Friday, February 15th.  Bring out the binoculars or your telescopes to witness the event!

Geomagnetic storm expected in 1-3 days





NASA released a statement that the sun released a solar flare today.  This solar flare is expected to cause a geomagnetic storm on earth in the next 1-3 days due to its speed of 600 kilometers per hour. 



January 27 Coronal Mass Ejection

Sun Fact of the Day

The sun contains 99.85% of the mass in the solar system.

 

 

Light Show?

There is a 55% chance that we can expect a magnetic storm sometime tomorrow on January 20.  A CME (coronal mass ejection) left the sun on January 16.  Expect a magnificent aurora light show!