Comments on: The Edge of the Solar System Is a Weird and Erratic Place

By: Brian Too

Brian Too — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 23:39:29 +0000

I’m starting to wonder about this whole “shield” notion. The whole concept is a little off, because it depends upon solar radiation to protect against interstellar radiation. Isn’t this merely trading one for the other? Don’t we also have significant concerns about flares, CME’s, and just ordinary UV and other high energy radiation from Sol?

You could say that cosmic rays are higher energy than the solar stuff. However wouldn’t the heliosphere have to have roughly equivalent energy to the interstellar radiation, in order to have any effectiveness as a “shield”?

I realize that the heliosphere consists of matter and cosmic rays are energy. Nevertheless, isn’t there some hazard equivalency at work there? And how effective is this “shield” when we can detect cosmic rays here on Earth all the time?

By: Zachary

Zachary — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 01:24:38 +0000

We have a mountain of evidence for just how intricately our entire solar system is tied into solar activity, yet we still listen to the ridiculous AGW hype. Thanks for taking the focus off the ways we actually are ruining our environment, and in the process destroying the credibility of the entire environmental movement. Great intentions, terrible science.

By: Chicken Little

Chicken Little — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 03:40:29 +0000

O.K., so I was actually being optimistic with the whole sky is falling thing? Whodathunkit…

By: Andrew Moseman

Andrew Moseman — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 20:51:42 +0000

@Rhaco I was going to say “I always hoped for something better than this,” but upon reflection, I think Armageddon via the heliosphere breaking down would be pretty cool.

As long as the end of the world is something geeky, I won’t complain.

By: Rhacodactylus

Rhacodactylus — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 19:52:04 +0000

I knew it, 2012 people 2012 =P ~Rhaco