Massive sunspot has Earth in its sights

[Rick]

Get out those Coronados!

A sunspot five times the size of Earth could wreak havoc with satellites and radio communication systems, scientists warn, as it moves across the face of the sun and Earth moves directly into its firing line.

Seven huge X-class flares have already erupted from the spot, including one of magnitude X17 last Wednesday that made it into the record books as the fourth largest ever seen.

See http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/09/15/solar_flares_en_route/

[Whitters]

NASA Science News for September 15, 2005With a burst of activity on the sun this week, solar minimum is looking strangely like Solar Max.FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2005/15sep_solarminexplodes.htm?list193774