Last December, a colossal wave swept across the entire solar surface within minutes, bulldozing everything in its path. The rare tsunami-like shockwave formed on the heels of a major flare that erupted from an Earth-size sunspot 15 minutes earlier.
Space weather forecasters revised their predictions for storminess after a major flare erupted on the sun overnight threatening damage to communication systems and power grids while offering up the wonder of Northern Lights.
When green streaks light up the night sky, the effect is otherworldly -- like some toxic spill from the International Space Station.
What is on your 2006 wish list when it comes to business travel?
If a magnetar flew past Earth within 100,000 miles, the intense magnetic field of the exotic object would destroy the data on every credit card on the planet.
A large sunspot has been the site of several major eruptions in recent days, including one Thursday that was the largest of the series.
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