Every 11 years or so, for reasons scientists have yet to fully
comprehend, the sun comes a little undone. Magnetic storms rage
across its surface, sunspots erupt like acne, and clouds of
electrically charged particles fly outward at 2 million miles
per hour. When those clouds reach Earth, they can overload power
lines and disrupt communications, but they also have an oddly
lyrical side: The rain of solar particles lights up the aurora,
one of nature's most breathtaking spectacles. Now is the perfect
time to witness both the beauty and the beast. The current solar
cycle apparently reached its maximum late last year. Auroras
usually hit their peak the following year, so the view this
month should be about as good as it gets. And these days, a
fleet of spacecraft constantly monitors the sun's violent
behavior and its earthly consequences. The results of these
round-the-clock observations are available to anyone with an
Internet connection you just have to know where to look. The
SOHO satellite (sohowww.nascom.na