This story is from May 11, 2024
An unusually powerful solar storm in over twenty years hit Earth on Friday, causing celestial light displays in the skies from Tasmania to Britain. However, it also poses a threat of potential disruptions to satellites and power grids as it continues into the weekend.
(Photo: AP)
The first of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) - expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun came at 1600 GMT. Social media was filled with individuals sharing images of auroras from northern Europe and Australia.
(Photo: AP)
The storm, which is expected to disrupt communications moved to "extreme' geomagnetic storm recently - the first since the so-called "Halloween Storms' of October 2003 caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged power infrastructure in South Africa. More Coronal mass ejections are expected to impact the planet in the upcoming days.
(Photo: AFP)
Authorities informed satellite operators, airlines, and the power grid to be cautious due to possible disturbances from alterations in Earth's magnetic field. Solar flares travel at the speed of light and reach Earth in around eight minutes, while CMEs travel at a slower pace, currently averaging 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second.
(Photo: AP)
They originated from a large cluster of sunspots that is 17 times wider than Earth. Observers said that the impacts would mainly be experienced across the northern and southern latitudes of the planet, with the extent of their reach depending on the final strength of the storm.
(Photo: AP)
The celestial lights were seen in locations like Northern California and Alabama. Observers suggested the people to attempt to take photos of the night sky using their phone cameras, even if they are unable to see auroras with their naked eyes.
(Photo: AFP)
Fluctuating magnetic fields that come with geomagnetic storms create currents in long wires such as power lines, which may result in power outages. Spacecraft are also vulnerable to high levels of radiation, but Earth's atmosphere shields it from reaching the planet.
(Photo: Reuters)
Starlink, the satellite arm of Elon Musk's SpaceX, warned on Saturday of a "degraded service". Musk said that Starlink satellites were under a lot of pressure due to the geomagnetic storm, but were holding up so far.
(Photo: Reuters)