Latest news with #SouthAfricanNationalSpaceAgency
TimesLIVE
6 days ago
- General
- TimesLIVE
Who needs the northern lights when Mzansi has its own?
Travellers to European countries like Iceland or Norway have long been fascinated by the northern lights phenomenon that takes place from September to March. However, Mzansi's night skies are expecting their own colourful spectacle this month. Known as Aurora Australis, the southern lights come after a coronal mass ejection struck Earth's magnetic field in Tuesday morning. This is how the colourful effect is created in the skies. Who will see it According to the George Herald, the light show will be visible in some parts of South Africa — particularly in the far south of the country, although some KZN residents were lucky enough to witness it last year when it occurred. How it happens The South African National Space Agency explains that geomagnetic storms — caused by charged particles from the sun — are measured on a scale starting with G: 'It is denoted by a G followed by a number from one to five, with one being a minor event and five being an extreme event.' How to see it For those taking pictures on the day, Good Things Guy shared tips from We Are South Africans Facebook page that suggested camera users (DSLR or otherwise) should try to use an ISO of 1600–3200, an aperture of f/2.8, and shutter speed of 10–30 seconds — a slower shutter speed is able to catch the colours in the night sky.
The Citizen
03-06-2025
- Science
- The Citizen
Geomagnetic storm with 1 000km
The geomagnetic storm was triggered by the impact of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun. A powerful geomagnetic storm with winds of up to 1 000km per second that swept across Earth's magnetic field over the past 24 hours is now rotating away from the planet. The geomagnetic storm was triggered by the impact of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun, which combined with intense solar wind from a large coronal hole. Coronal hole Since 29 May, a particularly large coronal hole called Coronal Hole 52 has unleashed a high-speed stream (HSS) of solar wind and caused minor to moderate geomagnetic storm conditions. South African National Space Agency (Sansa) spokesperson Daleen Fouche told The Citizen that although geomagnetic conditions appeared to be recovering on 31 May, the solar wind speeds were still at strong levels, reaching 700 km/s. 'A fast CME associated with a strong M8.1 solar flare on 30 May reached Earth on Sunday 1 June, compounding the effects of the high-speed solar wind, increasing geomagnetic activity to G4 (severe) storm levels, with Kp (Kp index is a global measure of geomagnetic activity) values peaking at 8 and Hermanus registering a local K-index of 7. 'The impact of this CME further increased solar winds up to a speed of 1 000km per second. The storm began in the early hours of Sunday morning and persisted through the night. 'By 11:30 am South African local time this morning (Monday, 2 June), the storm had subsided to G2 (moderate) levels, but geomagnetic activity remains elevated and is expected to continue at G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) levels throughout the day,' Fouche said. WATCH Coronal activity on the Sun A powerful M8.2 solar flare that will trigger G4 (SEVERE) geomagnetic storm, tonight 📷 NASA/SDO — Milky Way (@PanatpongJ) June 1, 2025 ALSO READ: Eyes on the sky: Global leaders convene in Stellenbosch to tackle near-Earth threats Northern and Southern lights Fouche said Space weather storms can trigger the Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, and the Southern Lights, or aurora australis. 'The Southern Lights are rarely seen over South Africa, but did make an appearance during two major storms in 2024. No sightings of aurora over South Africa were reported to SANSA after yesterday's G4 storm'. Technology Impacts Possible impacts of a G4 severe storm include disruptions to high-frequency (HF) radio communications and global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), which are sensitive to geomagnetic disturbances. Fouche said the coronal hole that caused the initial HSS is now rotating away from Earth. 'The solar wind speed has decreased to approximately 700 km/s. SANSA anticipates further G1 (minor) to G2 (moderate) geomagnetic activity in the near term, particularly if the incoming CME arrives as forecast'. Sansa has been monitoring space weather since 2010 from its facility in Hermanus, Western Cape, and expanded to an operational, 24/7 capability in 2022. ALSO READ: Anyone out there? Astronomers find signs of life on distant planet
Telegraph
20-03-2025
- Science
- Telegraph
‘Life is tough in Antarctica. You can't predict how people will react when there's no life for miles'
'The Antarctic is often romanticised, but when people realise what's waiting for them… well, there's not a lot of people who feel they're up to it,' says South African geologist Dr Herman Van Niekerk. 'I've taken students out there and some of them just can't handle the isolation, the extreme and frightening weather conditions, the perspective you lose when you can't judge distances in the whiteness. As South Africans we're not used to that weather – I took out a student from the Limpopo Province three months ago who had never even seen snow before. We do conduct psychometric tests on expedition members before heading out there. But you just can't predict how that will affect people in reality when there's no life for miles.' The 53-year-old senior lecturer from the University of Johannesburg has meltdowns on his mind because he only just returned from leading a two-month research trip to the Antarctic base SANAE IV, where, this week, members of a nine-strong team (set to overwinter there until December) have allegedly been pleading for rescue following claims that one of them has sexually harassed a colleague and threatened to kill another. It's a terrifying situation – described as a 'real-life horror movie' by some members of the press – for a group of people completely isolated on the 1997-built structure, in the icy gloom of the polar winter, 2,500 miles from South Africa's closest coast. In an email sent last week and seen by The Sunday Times, a team member described a colleague's descent into some 'deeply disturbing' behaviour, which had created 'an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.' Dion George, South Africa's environment minister, confirmed that a team member did assault SANAE IV's team leader. Although the individual responsible for the assault has reportedly since written an apology and the South African government claims the situation is under control, it must be worrying for the other eight team members. Speaking from the comfort of his home in Johannesburg, Van Nierkerk says that the team at SANAE IV aren't really prepared to deal with violence. 'There's a doctor, mechanics and members of the South African National Space Agency. But there is nobody in charge of security, no firearms or anything like that.' So in the event of an individual running amok, they'd have to group together to restrain that person? 'Yes, yes, I suppose so.' He reminds me that Antarctica doesn't have four seasons, but two. Winter begins in March, plunging the base into almost ten months of darkness, with outside temperatures averaging -23C and winds reaching up to 135mph. 'When there's no daylight,' says Van Niekerk, 'you worry about people getting onto a different time cycle, with some people awake while everybody else is sleeping. It's an extremely difficult environment.' Van Niekerk has been taking teams of students out to camp in British-made tents outside of SANAE IV for the past three Antarctic summers. He says there has usually been a good atmosphere inside the base, which comprises three blocks, each with two storeys. Block A houses laboratories, accommodation, a hospital, some storage space. Block C has 'all the things that keep the base alive: generators, water storage and purification, workshops. The hangers for the helicopters are connected to that too.' He says most socialising occurs in the central Block B where there is more accommodation, a kitchen and entertainment areas. 'There is a bar, a games room and a place where you can watch movies…' Are there rules on drinking and sexual relationships between colleagues? Van Niekerk says there's a list of general rules on the wall of the dining room. He thinks that includes guidelines on alcohol and points out that resources are limited – 'you take what you need and have to make it last the whole season'. When it comes to romance he says 'it's spoken about and it's frowned upon. But,' he laughs, 'these are people and you can't predict what's going to happen. Relationships do start down there. I know of people who were down there in 2016-17: they met there and got married and they've got two kids now. ' When it comes to picking his own teams for Antarctic expeditions Van Niekerk admits: 'It might sound a bit creepy but I try to get to know them all months in advance. I try to involve myself in every aspect of their lives. I look at where they are, what they're doing, how often do they do things? I need to see who this person is before we commit.' Even after paying close attention to candidates, he says he can pick the wrong students 'because people only reveal who they are when they're exposed to the extreme conditions'. On this last trip, he says, a student freaked out and he simply refused to leave the tent. 'We were camped about 200km from SANAE IV and we had to get him to the nearest, Norwegian, base about 100km away.' But Van Niekerk also believes that part of the value of SANAE IV comes from revealing how humans cope under the region's extreme conditions. There's learning to be gained even from the moments when team members crack up. 'We are training people to work in extreme environments,' he says. 'We're thinking about the future of space travel and humans working on different planets. At Antarctic we are gaining experience, taking society forward.' He says that the station is also conducting important research into climate change and that this summer the scientists witnessed 'a lot of melting, streams, waterfalls'. While he says climate change 'has happened and will happen' regardless of human activity, the 'pristine environment' allows researchers to measure the impact we're having. So it's possible that existential fears for the future of the planet have affected team mindsets. As a husband and father of two daughters (now both at university), Van Niekerk says he's had his own moments of fear in Antarctica. 'Mostly when I'm out on snowmobiles. That's unsettling because you can't see the crevasses. The storms also come in very fast, even in the winter. There are a lot of unknowns.' He misses his family and they worry about him during his two-month absences 'especially because they're over the festive season'. But he says it helps that internet connections are very good on SANAE so he's always been able to stay in touch. Van Niekerk says he 'speaks to the people I know on SANAE quite often' and none of them have mentioned the drama making headlines around the world to him. 'People can take things out of context. Or blow up the whole story,' he says. 'But the South African Antarctic programme started in 1959 and this is their 64th expedition. I know the people in charge are highly capable. There's a lot of experience when it comes to running these things so I am pretty sure they are on top of it.' But if things do continue to go awry, does Van Niekerk think the team could be rescued? He sucks in air. 'That would be very difficult. It takes 10-14 days by boat and then a helicopter ride – weather permitting – for us in the summer.' And in the winter? 'It would be… difficult. I don't think we'll see those people again until December.'
Yahoo
20-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Life is tough in Antarctica. You can't predict how people will react when there's no life for miles'
'The Antarctic is often romanticised, but when people realise what's waiting for them… well, there's not a lot of people who feel they're up to it,' says South African geologist Dr Herman Van Niekerk. 'I've taken students out there and some of them just can't handle the isolation, the extreme and frightening weather conditions, the perspective you lose when you can't judge distances in the whiteness. As South Africans we're not used to that weather – I took out a student from the Limpopo Province three months ago who had never even seen snow before. We do conduct psychometric tests on expedition members before heading out there. But you just can't predict how that will affect people in reality when there's no life for miles.' The 53-year-old senior lecturer from the University of Johannesburg has meltdowns on his mind because he only just returned from leading a two-month research trip to the Antarctic base SANAE IV, where, this week, members of a nine-strong team (set to overwinter there until December) have allegedly been pleading for rescue following claims that one of them has sexually harassed a colleague and threatened to kill another. It's a terrifying situation – described as a 'real-life horror movie' by some members of the press – for a group of people completely isolated on the 1997-built structure, in the icy gloom of the polar winter, 2,500 miles from South Africa's closest coast. In an email sent last week and seen by The Sunday Times, a team member described a colleague's descent into some 'deeply disturbing' behaviour, which had created 'an environment of fear and intimidation. I remain deeply concerned about my own safety, constantly wondering if I might become the next victim.' Dion George, South Africa's environment minister, confirmed that a team member did assault SANAE IV's team leader. Although the individual responsible for the assault has reportedly since written an apology and the South African government claims the situation is under control, it must be worrying for the other eight team members. Speaking from the comfort of his home in Johannesburg, Van Nierkerk says that the team at SANAE IV aren't really prepared to deal with violence. 'There's a doctor, mechanics and members of the South African National Space Agency. But there is nobody in charge of security, no firearms or anything like that.' So in the event of an individual running amok, they'd have to group together to restrain that person? 'Yes, yes, I suppose so.' He reminds me that Antarctica doesn't have four seasons, but two. Winter begins in March, plunging the base into almost ten months of darkness, with outside temperatures averaging -23C and winds reaching up to 135mph. 'When there's no daylight,' says Van Niekerk, 'you worry about people getting onto a different time cycle, with some people awake while everybody else is sleeping. It's an extremely difficult environment.' Van Niekerk has been taking teams of students out to camp in British-made tents outside of SANAE IV for the past three Antarctic summers. He says there has usually been a good atmosphere inside the base, which comprises three blocks, each with two storeys. Block A houses laboratories, accommodation, a hospital, some storage space. Block C has 'all the things that keep the base alive: generators, water storage and purification, workshops. The hangers for the helicopters are connected to that too.' He says most socialising occurs in the central Block B where there is more accommodation, a kitchen and entertainment areas. 'There is a bar, a games room and a place where you can watch movies…' Are there rules on drinking and sexual relationships between colleagues? Van Niekerk says there's a list of general rules on the wall of the dining room. He thinks that includes guidelines on alcohol and points out that resources are limited – 'you take what you need and have to make it last the whole season'. When it comes to romance he says 'it's spoken about and it's frowned upon. But,' he laughs, 'these are people and you can't predict what's going to happen. Relationships do start down there. I know of people who were down there in 2016-17: they met there and got married and they've got two kids now. ' When it comes to picking his own teams for Antarctic expeditions Van Niekerk admits: 'It might sound a bit creepy but I try to get to know them all months in advance. I try to involve myself in every aspect of their lives. I look at where they are, what they're doing, how often do they do things? I need to see who this person is before we commit.' Even after paying close attention to candidates, he says he can pick the wrong students 'because people only reveal who they are when they're exposed to the extreme conditions'. On this last trip, he says, a student freaked out and he simply refused to leave the tent. 'We were camped about 200km from SANAE IV and we had to get him to the nearest, Norwegian, base about 100km away.' But Van Niekerk also believes that part of the value of SANAE IV comes from revealing how humans cope under the region's extreme conditions. There's learning to be gained even from the moments when team members crack up. 'We are training people to work in extreme environments,' he says. 'We're thinking about the future of space travel and humans working on different planets. At Antarctic we are gaining experience, taking society forward.' He says that the station is also conducting important research into climate change and that this summer the scientists witnessed 'a lot of melting, streams, waterfalls'. While he says climate change 'has happened and will happen' regardless of human activity, the 'pristine environment' allows researchers to measure the impact we're having. So it's possible that existential fears for the future of the planet have affected team mindsets. As a husband and father of two daughters (now both at university), Van Niekerk says he's had his own moments of fear in Antarctica. 'Mostly when I'm out on snowmobiles. That's unsettling because you can't see the crevasses. The storms also come in very fast, even in the winter. There are a lot of unknowns.' He misses his family and they worry about him during his two-month absences 'especially because they're over the festive season'. But he says it helps that internet connections are very good on SANAE so he's always been able to stay in touch. Van Niekerk says he 'speaks to the people I know on SANAE quite often' and none of them have mentioned the drama making headlines around the world to him. 'People can take things out of context. Or blow up the whole story,' he says. 'But the South African Antarctic programme started in 1959 and this is their 64th expedition. I know the people in charge are highly capable. There's a lot of experience when it comes to running these things so I am pretty sure they are on top of it.' But if things do continue to go awry, does Van Niekerk think the team could be rescued? He sucks in air. 'That would be very difficult. It takes 10-14 days by boat and then a helicopter ride – weather permitting – for us in the summer.' And in the winter? 'It would be… difficult. I don't think we'll see those people again until December.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
