Solar Storm

The world exists in a permanent condition of being 8 minutes away from annihilation. That is how long it takes light and other electromagnetic energies to travel from our nearest star, the Sun, to travel to Earth. If the Sun were to explode then we would first know about it 8 minutes after it happened.

I don't want you to be alarmed! The sun is in a continuous state of explosion, as this enormous ball of super-hot and super-dense Hydrogen gas, is crushed together by it's own mass and the force of gravity. Tiny Hydrogen atoms fuse together into Helium atoms, which are four times the mass. Enormous quantities of energy are released in this process, and these keep the Sun hot, and our Earth warm.

The Solar reaction is gradually slowing down as the Hydrogen fuel is consumed and turned into Helium. But it won't run out any time soon. It will be millions of years before that happens.

The Sun's activity appears to be cyclical, on an eleven-year cycle, and some longer cycles too. In recent time the Sun has passed its eleven-year minimum, and activity levels are increasing. The number of sunspots is growing, and the solar flares are occurring more often.

Several flares, or Coronal Mass Ejections, to give them their scientific name, occurred earlier this week. Huge quantities of the Sun's outer atmosphere of superheated gases are ejected at high velocity away from the Sun. This week's flares have headed in our direction.

The Northern Lights are likely to be visible over the next few nights. You may even have seen them already if the sky has been clear. The energetic charged atoms are deflected by the Earth's magnetic field. They get sucked into the North or South polar skies and when they hit the Earth's atmosphere they create beautiful and mysterious patterns of light high in the night sky.

We humans like to think we have everything under control. Our sophisticated electronic technology allows to find out almost anything we want, from almost anywhere in the world. We can speak to our friends at a moment's notice even if they are on the other side of the planet.

But Solar Storms such as the one this week can seriously disrupt satellite communications, and other radio communications such as mobile and cordless phones. Even high voltage systems such as the National Grid can be degraded by Solar Storms.

Our human activities take place in a very fragile environment, where the temperature and climate, are within very narrow limits.

Jesus Christ came to bring the Good News that we can depend utterly upon the love and power of God. God cares about each human person. He cares enough about us to allow us to choose whether we even believe in Him. He invites us to talk with Him, and follow his leadings and guidings. His decisions can seem strange, mysterious, and even perverse, according to our understandings. But what we believe does not change who He is.

In the storms of life, as well in the sunny days, put your trust in Jesus Christ. He will never let you down.