(from the CoCoRaHS interesting factoid of the day 5/18/13)

Although outer space has none of the ingredients we usually think of for weather (moisture and temperatures to sustain life), it can still be a stormy place. The source of the storminess is our sun. The sun, like all active stars, is constantly in motion and often produces eruptions of gas and high energy particles into space (sort of like solar burps).

Although solar particles continuously bombard the earth, during a solar eruption the“storm”of particles can be particularly intense. These storms can disrupt communication satellites and power grids on the ground. NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center monitors and forecasts solar activity so that the effects of solar storms can be mitigated.

To learn more about space weather, check out the NOAA website at http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/