How does Space Weather affect us on Earth?
We can observe these phenomena better than before, thanks to new space observatories and spacecraft such as SOHO, ACE, and TRACE. Magnetic storms, such as the coronal mass ejection interact with the Earth’s magnetic field which in turn can interfere with radio, television, and telephone signals, upset the navigation systems of ships and airplanes, and cause blackouts. Sun-induced storms can damage satellites and spacecraft or force them to re-enter the atmosphere. In some instances, it can be dangerous to astronauts out in space and especially on space walks. However, on a more positive note, solar wind also causes the Aurora Borealis also known as the northern lights. Because we have more satellites, larger power grids, smaller cell phones, greater reliance upon GPS and such, we are much more susceptible to the effect of Space Weather. Check out these web sites for more on Space Weather: http://www.sec.noaa.gov/today.html (NOAA Space Weather Forecast) http://windows.engin.umich.edu/sp
