We too often think of the Earth as an island. It is but not in the way we think it is. Imagine we are an island in the Carribean well before Columbus' journey to the New World and that the Sun is Africa. Africa is so far away that it does not effect us in any way we think of. However, one hot wind coming off the African sands can make a hurricane which could bombard our island. The June 7 solar flare is just such a wind off the African coast. While the effects for the next two days will be minor (Weak power grid fluctuations that you probably won't notice, minor impaces on satellite operations, radio transmissions over the poles may be lost, auroras noticable further away from the poles) a stronger flare could have greater impact.
Watch this amazing video of the June 7 solar flare. Remember that the Sun's diameter is 109 times bigger than Earth and 1,300,000 Earth's can fit inside the Sun as you watch this video.
Watch this amazing video of the June 7 solar flare. Remember that the Sun's diameter is 109 times bigger than Earth and 1,300,000 Earth's can fit inside the Sun as you watch this video.
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