3 Birds, 1 Stone

[/ dave /]

Thanks for all the offlist movie recommendations - a large contingent of
enthusiastic high schoolers will be the better for them. In return, a
suggestion for the next family vacation:

http://www.menwithhill.co.uk/


...and something to aid everyone in making plans for the weekend:


Sun's Gas Cloud Heads For Earth
>From the Press Association

Friday February 18, 2000 5:42 pm

A massive cloud of hot electrically charged gas spewed out by the Sun
appears to be hurtling towards the Earth, threatening communication
satellites and power grid systems.

The solar eruption, or Coronal Mass Ejection, has been spotted by the
Sun observation spacecraft Soho. It is billowing away from the Sun at up
to 2,000 kilometres per second, and is expected to reach the Earth some
time in the next two days.

When it arrives it could result in communication satellites being
knocked out of action, power grids on Earth being overloaded and
dazzling aurora displays appearing in the sky across the whole of Britain.

Ahead of the CME will be a bow-wave of fast-moving charged atomic
particles, mainly electrons and protons, that can damage sensitive
equipment and pose a hazard for space-walking astronauts.

As the cloud envelopes the Earth it is likely to kick up a geomagnetic
storm - a major disturbance of the Earth's magnetic field.

Large geomagnetic storms have in the past knocked out communication
satellites and caused power surges which threaten electricity supplies
on Earth.

In March 1989 the whole of Quebec's hydro-electric system collapsed,
cutting off six million people, because of a power surge overload caused
by a geomagnetic storm triggered by a solar eruption.

Three years ago a Coronal Mass Ejection was blamed for the loss of
Telstar 401, a TV communication satellite.

--

/  dave  /

PS - I agree with ken, but might be willing to consider a change in
terminology to appease Carrol. Nothing immediately springs to mind, however.