Storms don't only happen here on the earth. Jupiter's Great Red Spot, for example, is an anti-cyclonic storm (meaning it spins below the planet's equator in a counterclockwise direction) that has been raging, as far as astronomers can tell, since at least the time of Shakespeare's Tempest. It is large enough to engulf the earth three times over and yet, even with that, it is nothing compared to the storms that erupt on the sun.
Solar storms are among the most awesome events that are within the range of our concern. We see their effects mainly when their proton discharges interrupt out favorite radio programs but they are also responsible for the kalaidescopic Northern Lights. Solar storms or Coronal Mass Ejections as they are also known eject massive amounts of light matter into space and these displays have been recorded by instruments designed for this purpose:
But for all their beauty, they pose a real danger to astronauts. According to this article, if you encounter a solar flare while walking on the moon, the most vital body parts to protect are those that encase your bone marrow. And thus, if you get enough warning, in addition to your hips, you should shield (in no particular order) your "shoulders, spine, thighs, sternum and skull."
It seems weird to suggest that astronauts would be able to protect themselves and their body parts simply by crouching behind a moon unit or angling their bodies away from the radiant beams of the sun, but it makes sense in a way that this is how we would react, whether through instinct or according to NASA protocol. After all, that's what we do with earth-storms too, that is what we do. We duck, we shield ourselves with umbrellas or ponchos, we hide behind screens or doors, always crouching against the onslaught of matter that is hurling around the atmosphere, that is the atmosphere, that churns at great velocities, at killing vectors.
Daniel Paul Schreber once thought he detected in these killing, life-giving sun-beams something articulate speaking to the analogous rays that were bandying about the neural passageways of his brain exactly at the speed of thought, and he may have been right, if what he thought was being said was "shield yourself."
Here's a site for all of you earth bound readers who are interested in following these storms and who are fans of the Weather Channel:
Solar Storm Warning!
Solar storms are among the most awesome events that are within the range of our concern. We see their effects mainly when their proton discharges interrupt out favorite radio programs but they are also responsible for the kalaidescopic Northern Lights. Solar storms or Coronal Mass Ejections as they are also known eject massive amounts of light matter into space and these displays have been recorded by instruments designed for this purpose:
But for all their beauty, they pose a real danger to astronauts. According to this article, if you encounter a solar flare while walking on the moon, the most vital body parts to protect are those that encase your bone marrow. And thus, if you get enough warning, in addition to your hips, you should shield (in no particular order) your "shoulders, spine, thighs, sternum and skull."
It seems weird to suggest that astronauts would be able to protect themselves and their body parts simply by crouching behind a moon unit or angling their bodies away from the radiant beams of the sun, but it makes sense in a way that this is how we would react, whether through instinct or according to NASA protocol. After all, that's what we do with earth-storms too, that is what we do. We duck, we shield ourselves with umbrellas or ponchos, we hide behind screens or doors, always crouching against the onslaught of matter that is hurling around the atmosphere, that is the atmosphere, that churns at great velocities, at killing vectors.
Daniel Paul Schreber once thought he detected in these killing, life-giving sun-beams something articulate speaking to the analogous rays that were bandying about the neural passageways of his brain exactly at the speed of thought, and he may have been right, if what he thought was being said was "shield yourself."
Here's a site for all of you earth bound readers who are interested in following these storms and who are fans of the Weather Channel:
Solar Storm Warning!
No comments:
Post a Comment