Solar activity intensifies – Sunspot AR11476 unleashed a M5.7 Solar Flare – May 10, 2012

Here we go..  The Truth Behind The Scenes.  Excerpts:


Huge sunspot AR1476 is crackling with M-class solar flares and appears to be on the verge of producing something even stronger. The sunspot’s ‘beta-gamma-delta’ magnetic field harbors energy for X-class flares, the most powerful kind. Earth is entering the line of fire as the sunspot rotates across the face of the sun.



This morning, May 10th around 0418 UT, sunspot 1476 unleashed an impulsive M5.7-class solar flare. This is the 4th M-Class flare in 24 hours from this growing region.


Apparently, the almost-X class explosion did not hurl a significant CME toward Earth. NOAA forecasters estimate a 65% chance of more M-class flares and a 10% chance of X-flares during the next 24 hours.

Discovery Astronauts Inspect Shuttle For Damage

From The Two-Way

A large piece of foam had fallen away from an external fuel tank after Thursday's launch, which appeared to then hit the shuttle's thermal tiles.


But the incident occurred four minutes into the flight — a time, NASA analysts say, that presents far less danger than in the first moments after launch. The foam reportedly did no damage to the tiles.

Good luck, Astronauts.  Come home safely.

Meanwhile:  Short term conspiracy effect:  Ed Dames' credibility got a big shot in the arm /or amazingly lucky break, didn't it?