Blog

Intro

What's New?

Bad Astronomy
TV

BA Blog
Q & BA
Bulletin Board
Media

Bitesize Astronomy
Bad Astro Store
Mad Science
Fun Stuff
Site Info

Links
Search the site
Powered by Google


RELATED SITES
- Universe Today
- APOD
- The Nine Planets
- Mystery Investigators
- Slacker Astronomy
- Skepticality


Buy My Stuff
Bad Astronomy at CafePress.com
Keep Bad Astronomy close to your heart, and help make me filthy rich. Hey, it's either this or one of those really irritating PayPal donation buttons here.



How do sun spots cause power outages?

Posted by Bill Cory
Grade level: undergrad
School: No school given.
City: Kent State/Province: WA
Country: No country given.
Area of science: Astronomy

Message:

I read an article stating sun activity will be strong in the year 2000, and that we can expect major power outages. What actually turns the power off? Does the magnetic energy from the sun's activity couple onto the earth's power lines causing increased current flow, causing circuit breakers to trip?


I answered a question very similar to this before. That answer is archived here at the Mad Scientists' page, or you can find it at my personal archive of answers I have posted.



©2008 Phil Plait. All Rights Reserved.

This page last modified

MADSCI Q&A


Q&A 1996

Q&A 1997

Q&A 1998

Q&A 1999

Q&A 2000

Subscribe to the Bad Astronomy Newsletter!


Talk about Bad Astronomy on the BA Bulletin Board!