Latest news with #auroras
The National
21-06-2025
- Science
- The National
Sun unleashes powerful flares as it approaches its most active phase
The Sun has been unusually active this past week, sending out powerful bursts of energy known as solar flares, which have disrupted radio signals and created stunning auroras across parts of North America and Europe. Scientists say this is a sign that the Sun is nearing the peak of its natural 11-year cycle, known as the solar maximum, which had been forecast to take place in July. In recent days, the Sun has emitted several strong flares and enormous clouds of charged particles known as coronal mass ejections. One particularly powerful flare on June 17, classified as X-class, the strongest type, caused brief radio blackouts in North America, with warnings issued for satellites and astronauts in orbit. The Sun unleashed an even stronger X1.9-class flare on June 19, causing radio blackouts over parts of the US and Pacific region. As the Sun nears solar maximum, there is an increase in sunspots and energy bursts that can sometimes be directed towards Earth. Katepalli Raju Sreenivasan, a scientist at New York University Abu Dhabi, said that while solar activity is expected to peak sometime in the next few months, 'no one knows exactly when'. 'It is not going to be especially violent activity this year, so I don't expect any unprecedented damage to Earth's communication infrastructure,' he told The National. 'But I should also say that what matters to us is not necessarily the magnitude of the solar activity but whether one or two of the highly energetic emissions from the Sun reach the Earth. Most, of course, pass by without any effect.' Most of the time, these events do indeed miss Earth or only cause minor effects. But when a strong burst of solar energy is aimed directly at the planet, it can trigger geomagnetic storms, which are powerful disturbances that impact satellites, radio communication, GPS and power grids. Dr Mojtaba Akhavan-Tafti, a space scientist at the University of Michigan, explained the science behind it. 'Solar activity peaks at the solar max because of the increasing number of active spots on the Sun, which are associated with strong releases of magnetic and charged particle energies into the interplanetary environment,' he said. While this can cause disruptions to technology, it also leads to one of the most beautiful natural phenomena – Northern and Southern Lights, or Aurora. 'On the bright side, increased geo-effective phenomena means more chances of observing the mesmerising Northern Lights over the next couple of years,' he said. 'On the other side, heightened geo-effective space weather threatens our technological civilisation, from space-borne assets and the life of astronauts in orbit due to increased space radiation levels, as well as ground-based technologies including communication and power grid platforms due to increased electromagnetic disturbances.' A reminder from history Solar storms have affected Earth in the past. The most powerful on record took place in 1859, known as the Carrington Event, which disrupted telegraph systems and lit up skies around the world with bright auroras. If a storm of that magnitude happened today, it could severely damage satellites, knock out internet and GPS systems and disrupt power supplies in major cities. In 1989, a solar storm caused a blackout for six million people in Quebec, Canada. In 2003, a series of flares damaged satellites and forced airlines to reroute flights away from polar regions due to radiation risks. Watching the Sun closely To stay prepared, space agencies such as Nasa and the European Space Agency are using satellites to monitor the Sun around the clock. Missions s the Parker Solar Probe and Soho (Solar and Heliospheric Observatory) help scientists understand what is coming and give warning before a storm hits Earth. Nasa's Parker Solar Probe became the first human-made object to 'touch the Sun', when it flew through the sun's upper atmosphere to sample particles and magnetic fields in 2021. It beat its own record in 2024 when it made another close approach to the Sun, reaching 6.1 million kilometres from the Sun's surface. The spacecraft also achieved a record-breaking speed of 692,000 kilometres per hour during this fly-by.
CTV News
08-06-2025
- Science
- CTV News
Timelapse of the auroras from Space
Watch Check out this timelapse video of the auroras from space that was captured by NASA astronaut Jonny Kim.
The Independent
02-06-2025
- Climate
- The Independent
Where you could spot the Northern Lights in parts of the US
Following weekend solar storms, the Northern Lights may be visible in parts of the U.S. A coronal mass ejection from the sun prompted a rare, severe solar storm alert, though it was not as strong as last year. Authorities are monitoring for possible disruptions to high-frequency radio, but the worst is over. Auroras could be visible in darker, rural areas of Alaska, Washington, Montana, and other northern states. The sun is at the maximum phase of its 11-year activity cycle, making light displays more common; this active spurt is expected to last through the end of the year.
Daily Mail
02-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Massive solar storm set to hit in just HOURS causing blackouts and communication disruptions
A massive solar storm that hit Earth over the weekend is intensifying, with the potential to trigger radio blackouts and strain power grids. Officials issued a Level 3 geomagnetic storm warning on Monday, which means solar activity could disrupt GPS signals, radio communications, and electrical systems, while also making auroras visible much farther south than usual. A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance in Earth's magnetic field caused by a burst of charged particles from the Sun's outer atmosphere. Power system disruptions are possible parts of the Midwest and Northeast, such as false alarms and systems shutdowns, triggering blackouts. The powerful storm is also expected to create stunning northern lights across 13 US states on Monday and Tuesday. The auroras may be visible in Washington, northern Idaho, Montana, northeast Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. The best time to catch the colorful display is between 10pm and 2am local time. The stunning lights will also be visible across northern UK and Europe. In the UK, aurora activity will 'become progressively confined to Northern Ireland and Scotland,' the Met Office said. To see the spectacle, wait for clear skies to get dark and then go outside, ideally away from bright city lights. Taking a picture with a smartphone camera may also reveal hints of the aurora that aren't visible to the naked eye. The sun unleashed a massive M8.2 solar flare on Sunday, a very strong burst of energy. A solar flare is like a massive explosion on the sun's surface. It sends out a huge amount of energy in the form of light, X-rays and charged particles. They are ranked as A, B and C being the weakest, M is deemed medium and X is the strongest. Sunday's explosion hurled a powerful coronal mass ejection (CEM), a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the sun's surface, directly at Earth, which is causing the geomagnetic storm. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that solar activity will linger for the next few days, causing a G3 storm. This space weather scale is much like the scale for measuring hurricanes, tracking how intense a geomagnetic storm will be when it collides with Earth, ranging from G1 (minor) to G5 (extreme). A G3 geomagnetic storm can cause minor disruptions to radio and satellite communications, potentially leading to a few hours of lost radio contact, according to NOAA. 'Infrastructure operators have been notified to mitigate any possible impacts,' NOAA shared in an alert. 'Some risk for mainly controllable power fluctuations in the power grid. Possible, slight risk of various satellite operations' effects.' The alert added that GPS may also stop working in some areas. Dr Tamitha Skov, an independent space weather physicist, posted on X: 'The speed of this storm is fast, but the field strength is moderate thus far. G3 to G4 levels are possible during this early phase. 'A stronger region of the storm will likely come later, but for now aurora is brightening quickly! GPS users & HF radio operators expect signal disruptions on the nightside of Earth.' The solar activity comes as scientist warned that humanity is not prepared for extreme space weather. They conducted a 'solar storm emergency drill', simulating what would happen if a major geomagnetic storm hit Earth. Results showed power grids failed, blackouts were triggered and communication broke down across the US. The exercise ran four simulations of geomagnetic storms of different severities, which is is a temporary disturbance of Earth's magnetic field caused by a massive eruption of charged plasma from the sun's outermost layer. One scenario included a 'solar superstorm', strong enough cause an 'internet apocalypse,' resulting in power grid disruptions across the entire US with the eastern seaboard experiencing blackouts, which lasted for weeks. Not only were power grids impacted, but railways and pipelines were also knocked offline, causing mass disruptions of travel and dramatic price increases of gas. Scientists are now calling for a whole-of-government planning approach, arguing it will be critical for protecting America from cosmic disaster. That would include deploying more satellites to monitor space weather, enhance real-time data collection to improve forecasting models, and provide earlier warnings.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Severe geomagnetic storm could spark auroras, disrupt communications next week
(FOX 5/KUSI) — A powerful solar storm is on the way, and it could disrupt communications, GPS systems and even produce rare auroras across parts of the United States early next week, according to weather experts. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a G4 (Severe) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Monday, June 2, after a coronal mass ejection (CME)—an enormous burst of solar plasma—erupted from the Sun on Friday, May 30. The CME is expected to reach Earth by Sunday evening (June 1) and could spark strong geomagnetic activity almost immediately. Initial storm levels may reach G3 (Strong), with conditions potentially intensifying to G4 by Monday. Although the forecast indicates strong potential for disruption, officials note that the exact timing and intensity of the storm are still uncertain. Much of the impact will depend on the CME's magnetic orientation—data that will only be known once it reaches solar wind observatories located about 1 million miles from Earth. 'Upon arrival at those spacecraft, we will know the magnetic strength and orientation that are very important to what levels and duration of geomagnetic storm conditions are expected to occur,' NOAA officials noted in the weather warning. While most aurora activity is typically seen closer to the poles, strong geomagnetic storms can push auroras farther south. Depending on how intense the storm becomes, parts of the northern U.S. may be treated to rare views of the Northern Lights. A G4-level storm could lead to GPS errors, radio signal disruptions, and even voltage irregularities in power grids, though these impacts are less likely at lower latitudes. High-frequency radio communications, used in some trans-oceanic flights, and navigation systems may be affected. Airlines and space agencies are monitoring the situation closely. The storm is expected to taper off by Tuesday, June 3, with lingering G1-G2 (Minor to Moderate) conditions possible. For the latest updates, NOAA recommends visiting its Space Weather Prediction Center. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
