*promote

This is most likely the most AMAZING filament eruption to be caught on video. It is caused by a little process called magnetic reconnection. It's a little process that gives us our solar flares, these filaments, CMEs (Coronal Mass Ejections), auroras, and the possible potential for very dangerous radiation storms every few millennium--give or take a few. Basically, plasma flows along these field lines of magnetism. When things get out of hand, then those field lines distort and change and all of a sudden things get very dangerous (AND sometimes beautiful). The faster the magnetic field changes the faster the particles will travel making them more and more dangerous as the events unfold fast enough giving them more energy (kinetic & heat), which in turn if directed at us means it penetrates much further into our protective field and anything outside of the field, crispy--in the shredded DNA, cells, you name it sense.

Occasionally, Earth's magnetic field breaks down a bit (if I remember why correctly it was a certain "sequence" within our magnetic shield and it reacts badly with the Sun's--don't quote me though, I really need to look it back up again it was a very long time ago I remember this from), if a large solar flare directed towards Earth ever happened before Earth had enough time to fully build back it's strength we would be FAR more in trouble than usual, but this would be a rare event. Usually what happens is that the charged particles follow Earth's magnetic lines and go to the poles, which is the one place on Earth where you do suffer the most radiation from the Sun (basically wherever the poles are as the plasma follows the polarity or "field lines" of Earth's magnetic field). It's also why the closer you are to the poles the better your view is of the aurora as the particles streaming in, if there is a sufficient quantity moving very fast (the more energy, especially kinetic--speed, the farther the penetration into the atmosphere and the lower the aurora becomes visible), will enter the atmosphere and begin to be absorbed by various elements that our atmosphere is compromised of like Nitrogen.

Here's a quick explanation. Basically, the particles collide with atoms of molecules/elements or anything in the higher atmosphere, exciting their electrons into higher energy levels, which is known fundamentally in science as quantum leap/atomic transition/electron transition it's one of the atom's most fundamental abilities dealing with "extra energy" being pushed into a system that wants balance (this is a very common process that happens ALL DAY long, EVERYWHERE around you; it transfers photons essentially--pure energy--BUT, what is the energy in the form of as it's energy level makes it do very many different things; you could see things, what you consider the normal range of light--it's EXACTLY how light goes THROUGH a window--it doesn't go through the window it is transferred via the atoms from one side to the next, this is ALSO why people are trying to get invisibility to work as it just might; HEAT is another one that is transferred all the time--it literally radiates outwards from our bodies and then we are surrounded by excited electrons and the infrared range of light we are putting out, the heat of a human body...or any animal; this goes on and on, it happens everywhere and as I said ALL-THE-TIME, it's perhaps one of the most critical processes and abilities of the atom and how photons also transfer their energy between areas in a direction; a little off-topic information for those that don't realize how much is going on, everywhere, all the time, at any given second...it's a complicated, but beautiful world)), and making them give off light that we see when the charge they've taken on finally returns the molecule/element's electrons to their normal orbits in the electron shell; the color depends on what molecule/element was being bombarded and how much energy was involved from the particle that hit it). This of course transfers all the energy that those particles had and we get a nice light show.

/I thought I'd fill my promote with something useful; ...on why these happen...
//edit-For a little more clarity, grammar and a bit more information that I hope some will appreciate if it helps anyone learn something or atleast go look up some of this and learn some on their own; taking an interest in science, it's one of the most important things in the world that we have.
///Spreading science is just as important; it's the one literal thing we do/use that has ever allowed us to deal with the worst problems we have: fear, pain, death, disease, sorrow, despair, ignorance, etc... Science IS the light in the dark. It is our best hope for mankind's continued existence and a good life. It is the single most important activity we now do as a group; it's our savior from us and what's out there...

Fuck, that mentality scares me.

As a former combat arms Marine, I've had countless hours behind the butt of an assault rifle and I still don't think I could have really done shit in a situation like Aurora. If I had a clear shot, sure, that's easy enough as long as I'm not shot first. But when you have people running around and screaming (not to mention the fucking smoke screen) I'd be very hesitant about returning fire.

Compare that to some 22 year old thinking he's Billy Badass who took a 4-hour concealed carry permit class. Suddenly he's fucking Rambo and thinks he can save the world. Never once do these idiots think about ANY of the details.



>> ^dag:

Couple of Ayn Rand loving freedom fighters. If we only these guys were at that Batman screening I'm sure they would have handled the situation well.

How would ANY of the mentioned "NRA-approved" gun controls prevented Aurora?

The world is a lot less confusing when you just substitute "Dane Cook" with "Douchebag"

Watch I'll show you

"Douchebag Jokes About The Aurora Shootings (audio only)"

See? It's practically not even news now. Because you're just like, oh a douchebag probably would do that!

>> ^PlayhousePals:

>> ^Yogi:
Just moved to Seattle, I feel like I missed out on something.

He really was a huge Seattle icon since the 1950's. You should go and check out his statue located in Fremont [and don't forget the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge if you do].
Each channel had their own kid's show. KOMO had Captain Puget [he was a bit dry for my taste]. KING had Stan Boreson who played the accordion and had pets [basset hounds Slo-Mo and No-Mo]. KSTW had Brakeman Bill who had sidekick named Crazy Donkey. It was fun growing up here. =o)


I live in the U District so I'll have to bike on over...too bad I missed the Solstice Nude thingie.

>> ^Yogi:

Just moved to Seattle, I feel like I missed out on something.


He really was a huge Seattle icon since the 1950's. You should go and check out his statue located in Fremont [and don't forget the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge if you do].

Each channel had their own kid's show. KOMO had Captain Puget [he was a bit dry for my taste]. KING had Stan Boreson who played the accordion and had pets [basset hounds Slo-Mo and No-Mo]. KSTW had Brakeman Bill who had sidekick named Crazy Donkey. It was fun growing up here. =o)

Try it now. I replaced my embed with yours.

I also removed the blocked tag -- add it back if still blocked?

And thanks.

>> ^Hybrid:

Better quality and not blocked (for me at least) version: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIVLi9oIC3k

Thank you.

In reply to this comment by lurgee:
*promote

>> ^bareboards2:

Actually, there was plenty of silliness, as it was recorded the night before.
He starts with audience interaction and a monologue. Both those were cut, especially since the monologue was about Batman.
There were plenty of jokes and pre-tragedy innocent fun.

>> ^ant:
What was the whole episode like? I assume no jokes and stuff. I remember 9/11 was like that. I think some hosts were crying too.



Ah, interesting and thanks.

Thanks sweetie.

It wasn't a great day for America, was it?

In reply to this comment by Boise_Lib:
*quality show
*1sttube

Actually, there was plenty of silliness, as it was recorded the night before.

He traditionally starts with audience interaction and a monologue. Both those were cut, especially since the monologue was about Batman.

There were plenty of jokes and pre-tragedy innocent fun.


>> ^ant:

What was the whole episode like? I assume no jokes and stuff. I remember 9/11 was like that. I think some hosts were crying too.

In reply to this comment by Issykitty:
Oh, so I can't dead my own vids????? ok.

i killed it for ya queenie

>> ^siftbot:

This video has been declared non-functional; embed code must be fixed within 2 days or it will be sent to the dead pool - declared dead by lurgee.

*KICK
stupid toastermaitc. the queen said it was replaced.
>> ^Issykitty:

http://videosift.com/video/Aurora-Borealis-Timelapse-January-2012 I submitted this different recent timelapse to "replace" this useless dead vid.

You are welcome . I love the Aurora Borealis! So beautiful and cosmic and stuffs.
In reply to this comment by Issykitty:
Thanks bud!

In reply to this comment by lurgee:
*quality

Thanks bud!

In reply to this comment by lurgee:
*quality