The most powerful solar storm in over 20 years hit Earth on Friday, creating amazing light shows in the sky from Tasmania to Britain. It could also cause issues for satellites and power grids as it continues into the weekend.
The initial of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun – happened just after 1600 GMT, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)'s Space Weather Prediction Center.
It was later upgraded to an 'extreme' geomagnetic storm – the first since the 'Halloween Storms' of October 2003 caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged power infrastructure in South Africa. More CMEs are expected to hit the planet in the coming days.
Social media was filled with people sharing pictures of auroras from northern Europe and Australasia.
'We’ve just woken the kids to go watch the Northern Lights in the back garden! Clearly visible with the naked eye,' Iain Mansfield, a think tanker in Hertford, Britain told AFP.
'Absolutely biblical skies in Tasmania at 4am this morning. I'm leaving today and knew I could not pass up this opportunity,' photographer Sean O’ Riordan posted on X alongside a photo.
Authorities informed satellite operators, airlines, and the power grid to take precautionary steps for potential disruptions caused by changes to Earth's magnetic field.
Unlike solar flares, which move at the speed of light and reach Earth in about eight minutes, CMEs travel at a slower pace, with officials stating the current average at 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second.
They came from a huge sunspot cluster that is 17 times wider than our planet. The Sun is approaching the peak of an 11-year cycle that brings increased activity.
– 'Go outside tonight and look' –
Mathew Owens, a professor of space physics at the University of Reading, told AFP that while the effects would be mainly felt over the planet’s northern and southern latitudes, how far they would extend would depend on the storm’s final strength.
'Go outside tonight and look would be my advice because if you spot the aurora, it’s quite a spectacular thing,' he added. If people have eclipse glasses, they can also look for the sunspot cluster during the day.
In the United States, this could include places such as Northern California and Alabama, officials said.
NOAA’s Brent Gordon recommended the public to attempt to capture the night sky with phone cameras even if they can't see auroras with their naked eyes.
'Just go out your back door and take a picture with the newer cell phones and you’d be amazed at what you see in that picture versus what you see with your eyes.'
– Spacecraft and pigeons –
Changing magnetic fields linked to geomagnetic storms produce currents in long wires, like power lines, which can potentially cause blackouts. Long pipelines can also become electrified, leading to engineering problems.
Spacecraft are also at risk from high doses of radiation, though the atmosphere prevents this from reaching Earth.
NASA has a specialized team investigating astronaut safety, and can request astronauts on the International Space Station to move to areas within the outpost that are better protected.
Pigeons and other species with internal biological compasses could also be impacted. Pigeon handlers have observed a decrease in birds returning home during geomagnetic storms, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Officials stated that individuals should have the usual backup plans ready for power outages, like keeping flashlights, batteries, and radios nearby.
The most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history, referred to as the Carrington Event, took place in September 1859, named after British astronomer Richard Carrington.
Excessive currents on telegraph lines at that time caused electric shocks to technicians and even ignited some telegraph equipment.
Agence France-Presse
