An unusually powerful solar storm has struck Earth, unleashing breathtaking auroras across the Northern Hemisphere early Saturday. The event marks the strongest geomagnetic storm since the infamous \"Halloween Storms\" of October 2003, which previously caused significant blackouts in Sweden and damaged power infrastructure in South Africa.
The storm began with a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) erupting from the sun, the first of which reached Earth just after 1600 GMT, as reported by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center. These expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields intensified the geomagnetic activity, leading NOAA to issue a rare severe geomagnetic storm warning earlier than anticipated.
China's National Center for Space Weather also issued alerts, indicating that most of the country would experience the effects of the CMEs. They warned that short-wave communications and satellite navigation systems might experience interruptions in the coming days.
The current solar storm is part of the sun's 11-year cycle of increased activity. Solar eruptions release bursts of radiation and charged particles that interact with Earth's atmosphere, creating stunning auroras, commonly known as the northern lights, visible in polar regions. This year's heightened solar activity has resulted in auroras being visible not only in traditional northern areas but also in parts of Asia, Europe, North America, and beyond.
Social media platforms have been abuzz with shares of aurora photographs from around the globe, showcasing the mesmerizing light displays. While the visual spectacle is captivating, experts remain vigilant as more CMEs are expected to impact Earth in the coming days, potentially affecting global communication and navigation systems.
Reference(s):
Earth hit by strongest solar storm since 2003, bringing auroras
cgtn.com
