McIntosh

• Reliable like a clock, its apparent passage across the sky allows us to measure time.
• The Sun and its path is also the source of Earth’s seasons.
• But in many respects, our Sun is far from calm and unchanging.
• Activity from the Sun that affects our planet is often referred to as “space weather”.

Timing matters

• Nasa and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have been creating these for many years.
• This approach has yielded a date for the next solar maximum (the peak) of around July 2025.
• This peak was also forecast to be relatively weak, like the maximum during the previous solar cycle.
• What’s interesting is that many prediction methods rely on timing the length of a cycle measured by the minimum (lowest point) of solar activity.

In the line of fire

• As the Sun releases vast amounts of energy as flares and other events that eject material into space, there is a chance that some will hit Earth if we are in the line of fire.
• It also forces solar particles to move in a way dictated by Earth’s magnetic fields.

• These occur when solar particles reach the high atmosphere and “excite” atoms there, causing them to move to a high energy state.
• As the atoms relax, they emit light in different colours – for example as reds, greens and blues.
• Solar activity can cause power surges in the long transmission lines used in electrical grids.
• When solar activity grows stronger, it’s more likely that a solar storm could strike us, causing electrical problems on satellites.

• We are also expanding our technology into space – technology which is vulnerable if we don’t monitor space weather and its source, the Sun.
• Electrical grids are being designed to be less prone to power surges and satellites are being designed to better ride out space weather.
• Experts already keep a detailed log of past observations and are constantly extending their ways of observing the Sun and space weather using satellites.

Daniel Brown does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

• PowerSouth Energy Cooperative and Mitsubishi Power are celebrating the start of operations at the new 693-megawatt (MW) Lowman Energy Center (LEC), located in Leroy, Alabama.
• View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231023562707/en/
  Aerial view of the Lowman Energy Center (LEC), located in Leroy, Alabama.
• (Photo credit: PowerSouth Energy Cooperative)
  The LEC, which began construction in 2020, is replacing the now-retired 556 MW Charles R. Lowman coal-fired power plant.
• The LEC is a state-of-the-art combined-cycle power plant producing enough energy to supply 300,000 homes annually.

• YAKIMA, Wash., Sept. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Cosmic Crisp® apples continue to set sales records, driving strong overall growth for the apple category.
• For the period, Cosmic Crisp® was one of only two apple varieties in the top 10 generating volume growth.
• According to Kathryn Grandy, Chief Marketing Officer for PVM who leads consumer brand marketing of the apple, the sales data reflects strong repeat purchases of Cosmic Crisp®.
• "Cosmic Crisp® is now the #7 best-selling apple in the West, Midwest and South, but only #11 in the Northeast.

• AAA Test Lab Inc. began operations in 2009 providing electronic component testing services primarily to the medical and defense industries.
• The additional space announced today will be used to expand testing stations and technology including environmental chambers, automated discrete test systems, and multiple NI lab benches.
• Matt Mcintosh, AAA Test Lab's Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are very excited to broaden AAA's testing capabilities at our Palm Bay headquarters.
• We believe that AAA is well-positioned to play a key role in the industry's expansion.