Glory in the Sky: New Satellite Set to Monitor the Sun and Reflected Heat to Determine Climate Effects

The solar forecast calls for sluggish times ahead, according to scientists in Boulder, Colo.—which could have a cooling effect on Earth. A better understanding of solar processes and their climatic impacts will be key to understanding how far such quiescence could go to counteract global warming caused by pollution from fossil fuels.

There's little doubt the sun's been in a funkever since solar cycle 23 wound down in 2007. (Astronomers began to number the solar activity cycles in 1755.) The ramp-up to the peak of the next cycle is taking longer than expected and has been feeble, with precious few sunspots.

Normally, at the apex of each 11-year solar cycle—for cycle 24 it should occur around 2013—the sun's surface becomes especially frenetic, erupting into a climax of sunspots and flares. The outbursts can bombard the planets with gusts of highly charged solar wind, which triggers effects on Earth ranging from spectacular aurorae to interference with communications networks and even—in the worst cases—disruptive surges in power grids.

As the sun pushes toward the height of cycle 24, we'll still see a rise in solar activity, predicts Tom Woods, a solar physicist at the University of Colorado at Boulder'sLaboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP), but "I think you can say with pretty fair confidence we're going to have a low maximum."

Predictions of global cooling became popular among climate change contrarians during the unexpected pause between solar cycles 23 and 24 and haven't completely subsided. But the degree to which a quiet sun could chill Earth, especially in the face of pollution that's warming the planet, is uncertain. Solar researchers are increasingly eager to quantify the sun's role, given the global importance of the question.

E=mc²: Einstein explains his famous formula

Controversy Over "Possible" Asteroid Collision

This week's ridiculousness began when a group of Russian scientists released a study in which they determined that the asteroid Apophis (which, by the way is pronounced like you are saying "a blow fish" but with a mouth full of marshmallows) had a significant chance of impacting the Earth in the year 2036.

Never mind the fact that NASA determined long ago that there was merely a 1 in 250,000 chance of such an impact. To put this into perspective, I am about as likely to attend a major league baseball game and catch a ball from the stands. Twice.

So why all the fuss? Well, the 900 foot long asteroid is going to pass within 20,000 miles of Earth -- which is extremely close by the way -- in 2029. During this pass there is an extremely unlikely chance that it could pass through what is known as a key hole. Key holes are regions of space that have a specific gravitational potential that would cause a passing object to eventually (in this case seven years later) impact our planet.

This particular keyhole is about 2000 feet in diameter, which is only slightly larger than Apophis itself. And considering that the orbital mechanics of the rock are likely to change, even if ever so slightly, between now and then it is extremely unlikely that it would pass through the key hole.

And even if the asteroid does pass within the keyhole? NASA researchers also point out that the gravitationally bound object is likely to break apart long before it makes it back to Earth in 2036. So it would still miss us anyway.

But, just to put your minds even further at ease, should the asteroid be determined to be on its way here, NASA is prepared to stop it. Basically they would just slam probe into the asteroid to knock it slightly off its course, sending it past Earth. They have already demonstrated this ability with the Deep Impact probe which impacted the comet Temple 1 in 2005.

On the flip side, many researchers are excited about the close pass in 2029, and see it as an opportunity to conduct detailed studies of the object. So there you have it, no need to worry at all.