Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century

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silylene old

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<p>Wow.&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe we need a little anthropomorphic global warming.&nbsp; The Maunder Minimum in sunspots corresponded to the initiation of the Little Ice Age.</p><p>http://www.dailytech.com/Sun+Makes+History+First+Spotless+Month+in+a+Century/article12823.htm</p><div id="ctl00_MainContent_ArticleImage" class="ArticleImage"><img id="ctl00_MainContent_NewsImage" style="border-width:0px" class="NewsStoryImage" src="http://images.dailytech.com/frontpage/fp__sun_thmb2.jpg" alt="" /> </div><div id="ctl00_MainContent_ArticleInfo" class="ArticleInfo"><font size="5"><span class="ArticleCategory">Science</span> </font><font size="5">Sun Makes History: First Spotless Month in a Century</font><br />Michael Asher (Blog) - <span class="DateStory">Sept 1 2008</span></div><div id="ctl00_MainContent_EmailArticle" style="display:none"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="3" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td class="TableRow" width="1%">&nbsp;
 
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3488

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<p><strong><font size="2">WOW indeed, thanks silylene.</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">We need something to explain the poor August we had&nbsp;here in Britain. </font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Find it more than just a coincidence!!!!!!</font></strong></p><p><strong><font size="2">Andrew Brown.</font></strong></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>
 
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weeman

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>WOW indeed, thanks silylene.We need something to explain the poor August we had&nbsp;here in Britain. Find it more than just a coincidence!!!!!!Andrew Brown. <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>It's the apocalypse! The Sun is preparing itself for 2012 <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" /> </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>
 
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CalliArcale

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>WOW indeed, thanks silylene.We need something to explain the poor August we had&nbsp;here in Britain. Find it more than just a coincidence!!!!!!Andrew Brown. <br /> Posted by 3488</DIV></p><p>It's been cool here in Minnesota too.&nbsp; We had just a handful of days with highs above 90F; for most of the summer it's been 70s and low 80s.&nbsp; Not that I'm complaining.&nbsp; ;-) </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Wow.&nbsp;&nbsp; Maybe we need a little anthropomorphic global warming. <br /> Posted by silylene</DIV></p><p>I often wonder that myself when I look back in history.&nbsp;&nbsp; It may be a good thing when we enter the next ice age. :)</p><p>The x-ray flux has been flatline for nearly the whole month, and the number of large active regions seen in 195A SOHO images is nearly zero at this point.&nbsp; The whole surface seems to look pretty dormant in the iron lines at the moment and I don't see any signs of it changing anytime soon.&nbsp; It could be another cold month or two.&nbsp; It's important to remember however that sun is quite cyclic and the next active phase could see new record temperatures. &nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Normally sunspots return very quickly, as a new cycle begins. But this year -- which corresponds to the start of Solar Cycle 24 -- has been extraordinarily long and quiet, with the first seven months averaging a sunspot number of only 3. August followed with none at all. The astonishing rapid drop of the past year has defied predictions, and caught nearly all astronomers by surprise.</DIV></p><p>So what's new? :)&nbsp;&nbsp; That's not quite the whole story by the way.&nbsp; The mainstream is in fact predicting a stronger than normal cycle, that starts about a year late.&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>http://www.ucar.edu/news/releases/2006/sunspot.shtml</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>BOULDER&mdash;The next sunspot cycle will be<strong> 30-50% stronger than the last one</strong> and begin <strong>as much as a year late</strong>, according to a breakthrough forecast using a computer model of solar dynamics developed by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). Predicting the Sun's cycles accurately, years in advance, will help societies plan for active bouts of solar storms, which can slow satellite orbits, disrupt communications, and bring down power systems. </DIV></p><p>I doubt the difference in sunspots will be anywhere near 30-50 percent different, but they're right about the late part at least.</p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>In 2005, a pair of astronomers from the National Solar Observatory (NSO) in Tucson attempted to publish a paper in the journal Science. The pair looked at minute spectroscopic and magnetic changes in the sun. By extrapolating forward, they reached the startling result that, within 10 years, sunspots would vanish entirely.</DIV></p><p>Forever?&nbsp; </p><p>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>At the time, the sun was very active. Most of their peers laughed at what they considered an unsubstantiated conclusion.The journal ultimately rejected the paper as being too controversial.The paper's lead author, William Livingston, tells DailyTech that, while the refusal may have been justified at the time, recent data fits his theory well. He says he will be "secretly pleased" if his predictions come to pass.But will the rest of us? </DIV></p><p>I don't even think he'd be "pleased" over the long term. :) </p><p>IMO it's a bit early to say much about the next cycle.&nbsp; There have been signs that the new cycle is starting based on magnetic field polairty measurements of the upper and lower polar regions, but the bulk of the energy that powers sunspots is not internally generated, but externally generated IMO, and the external currents just are not there yet.&nbsp; That will change over time of course, but I kinda doubt the next cycle will be that radically different from the last one.&nbsp; We might see record temps here on earth, but IMO that's more related to the C02 in the air rather than the sunspot cycles. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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weeman

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It's been cool here in Minnesota too.&nbsp; We had just a handful of days with highs above 90F; for most of the summer it's been 70s and low 80s.&nbsp; Not that I'm complaining.&nbsp; ;-) <br />Posted by CalliArcale</DIV><br /><br />It was fairly warm in Colorado, typical summer though. Plenty of days over 90, and we had a short heat spike in late July with a few days around 102! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000">Techies: We do it in the dark. </font></strong></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>"Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity.</strong><strong>" -Albert Einstein </strong></font></p> </div>
 
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dragon04

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>It was fairly warm in Colorado, typical summer though. Plenty of days over 90, and we had a short heat spike in late July with a few days around 102! <br /> Posted by weeman</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Interesting... It's been very much cooler than normal here in Northern West Virginia this summer. Typically, we see mid to upper 80's and into the 90's in July and August. This year, we've been in the upper 70's and low 80's.</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <em>"2012.. Year of the Dragon!! Get on the Dragon Wagon!".</em> </div>
 
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docm

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<p>Michigan has had a cool summer, and a rather dry one - odd since we often have 100F temps and humid summers. Today was the first 90 degree days since last May, and much of that time has been spent below 75 degrees - highly unusual.</p><p>A new "Maunder Minimum"? If so what would that mean for the much touted "climate models"? No, don't tell me - the suns reduced output will be because of man-made changes <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-tongue-out.gif" border="0" alt="Tongue out" title="Tongue out" /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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earth_bound_misfit

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Sydney (Australia) had their coolest month since records begun. Average was 1c down. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>
 
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JonClarke

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Sydney (Australia) had their coolest month since records begun. Average was 1c down. <br />Posted by earth_bound_misfit</DIV></p><p>You have got to admit it has been a fairly mild winter here in Canberra though.&nbsp; Only a few decent frosts, and only a little snow.</p><p>Jon<br /></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><em>Whether we become a multi-planet species with unlimited horizons, or are forever confined to Earth will be decided in the twenty-first century amid the vast plains, rugged canyons and lofty mountains of Mars</em>  Arthur Clarke</p> </div>
 
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earth_bound_misfit

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>You have got to admit it has been a fairly mild winter here in Canberra though.&nbsp; Only a few decent frosts, and only a little snow.Jon <br /> Posted by jonclarke</DIV></p><p>True that. Though I miss most of the frosts (the good thing about being a late raiser :) ) </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p> </p><p>----------------------------------------------------------------- </p><p>Wanna see this site looking like the old SDC uplink?</p><p>Go here to see how: <strong>SDC Eye saver </strong>  </p> </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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MeteorWayne

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Today's SOHO and STEREO images show the first signs of sunspot activity in a long time.&nbsp; A fairly intense high energy area emerged on the surface today and it looks to have created the first real sunspot I've seen in some time. <br />Posted by michaelmozina</DIV><br /><br />I still don't see it on the visible (MDI Continuum) image, but it clearly shows on the magnetogram.</p><p>Thanx. </p><p>We didn't even get out the telescope with the solar filter out at the NJAA this weekend. Looks like a cue ball.</p><p>BTW, also based on the LASCO images, it appears that an active area is about to come around the horizon on the left in the southern hemisphere. </p><p>It appears ol' Sol is finally awakening.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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Par72

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<p>Here in central Washington, we had one of the coldest, and most windy years since my arrival here twenty years ago. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This will certainly stop all the global warming chicken littles dead in their tracks!!</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Imagine if the media picked up this bit of info and started a "global ice age" campaign with the same fervor they give to ALgor and his global warming friends. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Serioulsy though, the sheeple would panic in the streets if the news perveyors started and "ice age" message</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I'm going to start a thread in Open Forum to see what folks think the result would be...c'mon over and put your .02$ in !</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="2" color="#3366ff">I am par72 since '03 and <font size="3" color="#0000ff">I'm a cluster finally</font>!!! <font size="1" color="#000000">pay no attention to that stuff on the left!!!</font></font></p><p> </p> </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I still don't see it on the visible (MDI Continuum) image, but it clearly shows on the magnetogram.Thanx. We didn't even get out the telescope with the solar filter out at the NJAA this weekend. Looks like a cue ball.BTW, also based on the LASCO images, it appears that an active area is about to come around the horizon on the left in the southern hemisphere. It appears ol' Sol is finally awakening. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>The 195A images on SOHO and STEREO show only one really "active" area on the surface.&nbsp; Those active area can show up as sunspots if they are active enough and persistent enough.&nbsp; Most of the active areas I've seen over the past couple of months have been highly localized, and short lived.&nbsp; That one active area however seemed to show up yesterday with a vengence and it might stick around long enough to create sunspots in the photosphere.&nbsp; I don't see anything even remotely like the "good ol' days" when the active areas spanned accross the equator and persisted for months on end.&nbsp; That little "dink" of a active area is a best hope of observing any sunspot activity this month. :) </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Here in central Washington, we had one of the coldest, and most windy years since my arrival here twenty years ago. &nbsp;This will certainly stop all the global warming chicken littles dead in their tracks!!</DIV></p><p>Unfortunately I think that the global warming issue is being oversimplified from all sides.&nbsp; I'm sure the sun's activity plays a much larger role in the process than human activity, but there are real dangers associated with releasing that much C02 into the atmosphere.&nbsp; We're already at unprecidently levels and climbing. &nbsp; I still think it's a bad idea to tinker with our collective atmosphere in ways that are unprecidented over the past 80 thousand plus years of atmospheric records as recorded by ice core samples.&nbsp; Never before has our atmosphere contained this much C02 and nobody really knows what the long term consequences might be for various life form on earth, including human beings. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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centsworth_II

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<p>This NASA audio conference may be of interest to you all.&nbsp; Just an hour from now.</p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>12:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 23<br /> Ulysses Update: Conditions On and Surrounding the Sun</strong><br /><br /> NASA will hold a media teleconference Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 12:30 p.m. EDT, to discuss data from the joint NASA and European Space Agency Ulysses mission revealing that the sun&rsquo;s solar wind is at a 50-year low. </font></p><p><font color="#333399"><u>http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html</u></font></p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This NASA audio conference may be of interest to you all.&nbsp; Just an hour from now.12:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 23 Ulysses Update: Conditions On and Surrounding the Sun NASA will hold a media teleconference Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 12:30 p.m. EDT, to discuss data from the joint NASA and European Space Agency Ulysses mission revealing that the sun&rsquo;s solar wind is at a 50-year low. http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html <br />Posted by centsworth_II</DIV><br /><br />THANX!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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michaelmozina

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This NASA audio conference may be of interest to you all.&nbsp; Just an hour from now.12:30 p.m. EDT, Tuesday, Sept. 23 Ulysses Update: Conditions On and Surrounding the Sun NASA will hold a media teleconference Tuesday, Sept. 23, at 12:30 p.m. EDT, to discuss data from the joint NASA and European Space Agency Ulysses mission revealing that the sun&rsquo;s solar wind is at a 50-year low. http://www.nasa.gov/news/media/newsaudio/index.html <br /> Posted by centsworth_II</DIV></p><p>Interesting stuff.&nbsp; I was only able to catch about 20 minutes of the program live, but I appreciated the link as well and the part that I caught was very interesting.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>
 
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franontanaya

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<p>I listened to it too. They said the solar wind and the solar magnetosphere are at a minimum since the start of the space age.</p><p>There was some interesting talk about how the solar minimum is a risk for any astronauts going beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. As the heliosphere shrinks and weakens, we get more cosmic rays, which are harder to shield against than solar radiation. Also, I don't know if I heard it right, but I think they said that on solar minimum, flares, though scarcer, can be more powerful (because the solar magnetic field is weaker, I guess). </p><p>They said some studies point that solar maximum would be the best moment to send people to the Moon/Mars, considering the exposure to radiation.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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UFmbutler

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I listened to it too. They said the solar wind and the solar magnetosphere are at a minimum since the start of the space age.There was some interesting talk about how the solar minimum is a risk for any astronauts going beyond the Earth's magnetosphere. As the heliosphere shrinks and weakens, we get more cosmic rays, which are harder to shield against than solar radiation. Also, I don't know if I heard it right, but I think they said that on solar minimum, flares, though scarcer, can be more powerful (because the solar magnetic field is weaker, I guess). They said some studies point that solar maximum would be the best moment to send people to the Moon/Mars, considering the exposure to radiation. <br /> Posted by franontanaya</DIV></p><p>Yes, the solar phases are a little counter-intuitive when it comes to storms in or near geosynchronous orbit.&nbsp; It is correct that at solar maximum, there will be a large number of solar flares, but if you look at the storms at geo, relativistic electron injections are much more frequent during the times without a large amount of solar flares.&nbsp; I believe based on a statistical study I did out at Los Alamos, the number of storms goes, in decreasing order, descending phase->solar minimum->ascending phase->solar maximum for the last solar cycle(~1994-2006).&nbsp; In general, storms/flares are more of a concern for satellites and other such equipment than for astronauts, but it's better to be safe...so yeah it'd make sense to send any long-term space mission during solar maximum.&nbsp; However, unless they plan on staying on Mars for a complete solar cycle, either way they are going to have to return to Earth during a more "dangerous" cycle.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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Aaupaaq

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I think the sun spots are like holes, which are kind of like a hole on the wall during winter.&nbsp; But the holes are like blowing really hot temperatures and aurora borealis.&nbsp; I kind of had a weird feeling that up here, it did not fog a lot during spring and fall time, but we had a lot of fog, I wonder if the wierd weather is linked to this sunspotlessness? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> We always walked on water, like skating! </div>
 
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MeteorWayne

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Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>I think the sun spots are like holes, which are kind of like a hole on the wall during winter.&nbsp; But the holes are like blowing really hot temperatures and aurora borealis.&nbsp; I kind of had a weird feeling that up here, it did not fog a lot during spring and fall time, but we had a lot of fog, I wonder if the wierd weather is linked to this sunspotlessness? <br />Posted by Aaupaaq</DIV><br /><br />This spew linking fog on earth to sunspots does not belong in a science forum. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>
 
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UFmbutler

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<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>This spew linking fog on earth to sunspots does not belong in a scinece forum. <br /> Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV></p><p>Seriously.&nbsp; If you are going to form nonsense theories, at least do it coherently like most other people.&nbsp; I have not seen a single post you've made that has made even just a little bit of sense.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>
 
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