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Powerful solar storm approaching Earth

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Science & Technology
  • Published
    13th Jul, 2021

A powerful solar storm is approaching the Earth at a speed of 1.6 million kilometers.

Context

A powerful solar storm is approaching the Earth at a speed of 1.6 million kilometers.

What are solar storms?

  • The solar storms or geomagnetic storms are streams of charged particles or plasma that erupt from the Sun and out into space.
  • Cause: These are caused by solar features and phenomena like flares, prominences, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
  • In a solar storm, stored magnetic energy is suddenly released from the sun.

How do they impact Earth?

  • These solar winds of energy can sometimes hit the Earth and cause temporary disturbances in the planet’s magnetic field.
  • While Earth’s magnetosphere, its magnetic shield, absorbs most of these solar storms, some of them can cause:
    • chaotic disturbances like blinding satellites
    • disrupting mobile phone and GPS signals
    • widespread power outages

Key-details of the upcoming storm

  • The solar storm or geomagnetic storm originated from the Sun's atmosphere.
  • It can have a significant impact on a region of space dominated by Earth's magnetic field.
  • Due to the solar storm, it will give a view of beautiful celestial lighting for the people living at the North or South Pole.
  • The people living closer to these areas can expect to see beautiful aurora at night.
  • The speed of the solar storm is about 1.6 million kilometers per hour.
  • The most powerful geomagnetic storm ever recorded resulted in the 1859 Carrington Event when telegraph lines electrified, destroying operators and setting offices ablaze in North America and Europe.

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