Federal forecasters announced Friday afternoon that “geomagnetic disturbances” caused by incoming solar storms will likely be here on Earth starting Saturday and continuing into next week.
“The last coronal mass eruptions have left the Sun and may reach Earth at least as lightning strikes.” Space Weather Prediction Center He said in a statement. “Early impacts could be as soon as November 4.”
NASA Describes coronal mass ejection In the form of “huge bubbles of coronal plasma linked by intense magnetic field lines that are ejected from the Sun over the course of several hours.” The space agency says they often look like a “huge twisted rope” and can occur with solar flares or explosions on the Sun’s surface.
“The most recent coronal mass ejection from November 3 will likely have an Earth-directed component and may reach Earth later,” the prediction center added. Another solar event is expected from November 8 to 10.
“All this activity poses an interesting challenge for forecasting and the forecast conditions are still being evaluated, but geomagnetic disturbances are becoming more likely in the period from November 4 to 10,” the center said. “Updated forecasts likely.”
Private site SpaceWeather.com He said a minor geomagnetic storm was likely on Saturday.
What is a solar storm?
A solar storm is a disturbance in the Sun that can affect Earth and the rest of the solar system. It is accompanied by solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and other forms of space weather, such as the aurora borealis.
How will this news affect me?
One aspect of solar storms affecting Earth is an uptick in sightings of the aurora borealis (also known as the northern lights). While federal forecasters have not yet issued a forecast for the aurora borealis, SpaceWeather.com “Aurora watchers should get their hopes up,” perhaps on Sunday, he said.
Additionally, in a worst-case scenario, which is not yet predicted in current forecasts, strong geomagnetic storms could interfere with the electrical grid, degrade GPS signals, increase orbital drag on satellites, and pose risks Radiation on airline crews and astronauts. The prediction center said.
more:Aurora lovers, rejoice. 2024 could be a great year for the northern lights, due to the solar maximum
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