Washington:
The most powerful solar storm in more than two decades hit Earth on Friday, triggering spectacular celestial light shows in the skies from Tasmania to Britain – and threatening possible disruptions to satellites and power grids as it persists until the end. of the week.
The first of several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) – expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun – occurred just after 4pm GMT, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.
It was later upgraded to an “extreme” geomagnetic storm – the first since the so-called “Halloween storms” of October 2003, which caused blackouts in Sweden and damaged energy infrastructure in South Africa. More CMEs are expected to attack the planet in the coming months. next days.
Social media lit up with people posting photos of auroras from northern Europe and Australasia.
“We’ve just woken the children up to go watch the Northern Lights in the back garden! Clearly visible to 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 I knew I couldn’t pass up this opportunity,” photographer Sean O’Riordan posted on X alongside a photo.
Authorities have notified satellite operators, airlines and the power grid to take precautionary measures regarding potential disruptions caused by changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
Unlike solar flares, which travel at the speed of light and reach Earth in about eight minutes, CMEs travel at a slower pace, with authorities estimating the current average at 800 kilometers (500 miles) per second.
They emanated from a huge sunspot cluster that is 17 times larger 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, professor of space physics at the University of Reading, told AFP that while the effects will be felt largely across the planet’s northern and southern latitudes, the extent of their spread will depend on the ultimate strength of the storm.
“My advice is to go out tonight and look, because if you see the aurora, it is something spectacular,” he added. If people wear eclipse glasses, they can also look for the sunspot cluster during the day.
In the United States, that could include places like Northern California and Alabama, officials said.
NOAA’s Brent Gordon encouraged the public to try capturing the night sky with phone cameras, even if they can’t see the auroras with the naked eye.
“Just walk out your back door and take a photo with the newest cell phones and you’ll be amazed at what you see in that photo compared to what you see with your eyes.”
– Spaceships and pigeons –
Fluctuating magnetic fields associated with geomagnetic storms induce currents in long wires, including power lines, which can potentially lead to blackouts. Long pipelines can also become electrified, leading to engineering problems.
Spacecraft are also at risk of high doses of radiation, although the atmosphere prevents this from reaching Earth.
NASA has a dedicated team that looks after astronaut safety and may ask International Space Station astronauts to move to locations within the outpost that are better protected.
Pigeons and other species that have internal biological compasses can also be affected. Pigeon handlers have noticed a reduction in the number of birds returning home during geomagnetic storms, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Officials said people should have the normal backup plans in place for power outages, such as having flashlights, batteries and radios on hand.
The most powerful geomagnetic storm recorded in history, known as the Carrington Event, occurred in September 1859, named after British astronomer Richard Carrington.
At that time, excessive currents in telegraph lines caused electric shocks to technicians and even caught fire in some telegraph equipment.
(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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