cme

The Earth just experienced a minor solar storm yesterday, July 17, that sparked aurora displays at some locations in high-latitude areas. But just as soon as this solar activity subsided, another, bigger problem arrived. In the early hours today, July 18, a big M6-class solar flare erupted on the unstable region of AR3363 on the Sun, as detected by the NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory. Researchers believe this solar flare is more dangerous than X-class flares due to the long duration of the event. It has also released a…

NASA has a full suite of instruments to measure solar activity that affects Earth. The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory or SOHO is one of the premier instruments that is used by NASA and ESA. Launched in 1995, SOHO is equipped with 12 scientific instruments, such as an Extreme Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (EIT), Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), LASCO (Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph), and others. SOHO captures images of the sun's corona, measures the velocity and magnetic fields of the sun's surface, and…

NOAA has warned that the progress of Solar Cycle 25 has surpassed scientific predictions, indicating a notably greater number of sunspots and solar storm eruptions than initially predicted by experts, and that forecast may not be very good news for Earth. The cycle began in December 2019 along with a significant surge in solar activity. Over a period of time, we have witnessed numerous dangerous solar storms striking Earth. Recently, on July 14th, the most visually dramatic eruptions of Solar Cycle 25 occurred on the…

On July 15, 2000, the Earth was hit by an unexpected solar storm. The storm was sparked by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that was released after an X5.7-class solar flare erupted on the Sun. The terrifying event was witnessed by the NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, which was launched just five years earlier. But that was not the only NASA spacecraft to witness the solar storm. The Voyager 1 spacecraft, which was placed at the edge of the solar system, also felt the shockwaves produced by the flare eruption.…

Last week, panic spread among people as reports of an ‘internet apocalypse' began doing the rounds on social media platforms. The reports suggested that a massive solar storm will strike the Earth in 2025 triggering the collapse of internet infrastructure globally. Later debunked, the news has still left many netizens concerned. For clarity purposes, it should be noted that while an intense solar storm powerful enough to destroy the internet may come someday, it is impossible to predict when that may happen, for we lack…

Yesterday, it was reported that a double solar storm strike was expected on the Earth. However, it did not happen. Turns out, the coronal mass ejection (CME) clouds that were moving towards our planet, are moving slower than previously thought. However, the danger is not over! It is likely that it will strike today at any moment. Many are also fearing whether this solar storm strike can cause an internet apocalypse, destroying the internet infrastructure altogether and leaving everyone with dead smartphones. Dr. Tamitha…

Prepare for a celestial spectacle this weekend! Canadians are being urged to direct their gaze towards the heavens as a solar storm is expected to hit the Earth on Friday and spark beatiful auroras in the night sky. Yes, there will be breathtaking displays of the Northern Lights.This follows the extremely explosive events on the Sun on Monday night, when a colossal active region, designated as AR 3559, discharged an enormous cloud of charged solar particles into space, known as a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME). This solar…

The biggest cosmic event of the week is scheduled for today. Earlier this week, the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) of NASA detected two separate coronal mass ejections from the Sun, with both of them expected to make partial contact with the Earth. This event is being called the ‘double solar storm' event and as per NASA, it will occur today, July 7, at around 5:30 PM IST/ 12 PM UTC. The event is concerning to researchers because two separate CME hits can greatly amplify the overall intensity of the solar…

As many as two solar storms are set to impact Earth! These were generated by a couple of partially Earth-directed coronal mass ejections (CMEs), spewed out by the Sun on July 4 and they are currently on their way. This solar activity, when it hits the Earth's atmosphere will likely generate geomagnetic storms on Earth. The likely date, when the first solar storm hits Earth and triggers a geomagnetic storm, is July 7. This has been confirmed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) forecasters.NOAA…

After an amazing sunspot-filled June, July appears set to continue the trend of extreme solar volatility. We have already seen a radio blackout this month after a solar flare erupted on the notorious sunspot AR3554. Now, two separate coronal mass ejections (CME) have been released from the Sun and they are both partly Earth-directed, as per data from NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. This means that both will graze the Earth and spark solar storm events. And to make matters worse, it is expected that the second…