Sun will 'flip upside down' within weeks, says Nasa
The sun’s magnetic field will reverse polarity at some point in the coming weeks, sending ripples to the edge of interstellar space
The Sun is set to “flip upside down” within weeks as its magnetic field reverses polarity in an event that will send ripple effects throughout the solar system.
Although it may sound like a catastrophic occurrence, there’s no need to run for cover. The sun switches its polarity, flipping its magnetic north and south, once every eleven years through an internal mechanism about which little is understood.
The swap could however cause intergalactic weather fronts such as geomagnetic storms, which can interfere with satellites and cause radio blackouts.
Nasa said in August that the change would happen in three to four months time, but it is impossible to give a more specific date. Scientist won’t know for around another three weeks whether the flip is complete.
The impact of the transfer will be widespread as the sun’s magnetic field exerts influence well beyond Pluto, past Nasa's Voyager probes positioned near the edge of interstellar space.
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Thanks Keith, I will listen to McCanney.
The only abnormal thing from the NASA report was the "same" polarity thing - everything else appeared to be what we would expect to be normal - which as you said doesn't seem possible - so I guess you are right - something doesn't add up!
Keith, I'm not quite sure how you determine NASA is spreading fear porn in this instance.
My understanding is that NASA are saying there is nothing to worry about - this is a common occurrence.
My only question about the event is in regard to what was quoted in the NASA video that the northern pole on the Sun has already switched polarity and is waiting for the southern pole to catch up to complete the reversal. Is this normal or usual? How could both poles be the same polarity? What effect does this have?
Maybe nothing, I don't know.
ScienceCasts: The Sun's Magnetic Field is About to Flip
ScienceAtNASA·
Published on Aug 5, 2013
Visit http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/... for more!
Something big is happening on the sun. The sun's global magnetic field is about to flip, a sign that Solar Max has arrived.
Smithsonian Mag.com
September 4, 2013
The Sun’s Magnetic Field Is About to Reverse
......Because the region that the solar magnetic field influences includes the entire solar system, the effects of the reversal will be felt widely. “The magnetic field flows out into interplanetary space, and it forms a bubble that encloses the solar system as it travels through the galaxy,” Muñoz-Jaramillo says.
One aspect of this bubble—formally known as the heliosphere—is an invisible electrically-charged surface called the current sheet pervades the solar system and resembles a twisted ballerina’s skirt, because the rotation of the Sun twists its far-flung magnetic field into a spiral. The reversal of the field will cause the sheet to become more rippled, which in turn will lead the Earth to pass through the sheet more frequently as it orbits the Sun.
The Sun’s magnetic field creates a rippled, electrically charged surface known as the current sheet to extend throughout the entire solar system. Image via NASA
Passing through more often could cause more turbulent space weather, potentially leading to disruptions in satellite transmissions and telecommunications equipment. On the other hand, the current sheet also blocks high-energy cosmic rays that arrive from other areas of the galaxy, so a more wavy sheet could provide satellites and astronauts in space more robust protection from harmful radiation.
Additionally, the magnetic field reversal coincides with the maximum of other solar activity, which means a greater number of sunspots, more powerful solar flares, brighter aurorae and more frequent coronal mass ejections. Most of these events have little or no effect on Earth, but an especially powerful flare or plasma ejection aimed in the right direction could knock out Earth-based telecommunications systems. At the same time, this solar cycle has been especially weak—NASA solar physicist David Hathaway called it “wimpy” in an interview with Scientific American—so there’s not a ton to worry about with this particular reversal.
Read more: http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2013/09/the-suns-magnetic-f...
Did we have some footage of a sun reversal in the past? I cannot remember when exactly, but some one posted a video showing a sun reversal. Any one remember this?
Has this phenomena affected anything on earth in the past? Any how, I am curious if this will have an effect on Ison...
with ison getting so close, it could possibly effect it's trajectory...
or simply provide something to blame for a planned false-flag/blackout...or...
I used to be a cable tech and dealt with sun outages routinely during these times. I can tell you that there will at the very least be some (communications) satellite related issues...
maybe interrupt Thanksgiving football game coverage...
yep
And ISON will be closest to the sun in a couple weeks (Thanksgiving Day).
It does make you wonder, though, why NASA is making such a big deal out of an ordinary occurrence.
I think I read somewhere that the Sun's magnetic pole flip had partially occurred with both poles amazingly currently showing the same polarity - and we are waiting for the process to complete.
I'm not sure if this is a normal occurrence or something very unusual.