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The weather in space is not something commonly discussed, but it still happens. Forecasters revealed that the Earth is currently in the midst of a solar storm with solar particles hitting the planet at a rapid pace.
The Space Weather site has forecasted that the Earth is currently experiencing a solar storm, as solar particles are hitting the planet at over a million kilometers per hour, at 425 kilometers per second. These solar particles have managed to cross towards Earth from the sun 150 million kilometers away. These solar particles appear to be coming from a hole in the Sun’s upper atmosphere, and so people can expect to see auroras in the sky.
“A stream of solar wind is brushing Earth’s magnetic field today, June 8th. The gaseous material is flowing from the northern hole in the sun’s atmosphere. High-latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras, especially in the southern atmosphere, where waxing autumn darkness favors visibility,” said Space Weather.
Auroras, collectively referring to aurora borealis and aurora australis, appear when solar particles or solar winds hit the magnetosphere of the Earth, producing the blue lights in the skies. This phenomenon, only seen in the polar regions on the planet, is just one effect of a solar storm hitting the Earth. Solar storms can affect satellite-based technology and expand the Earth’s outer atmosphere among others.
However, there is a possibility that one solar flare from the Sun could permanently cause damage to the technology here on Earth and scientists have yet to determine when that may be. Dangerous solar flares could cause power outages or overloads, and one instance of this happened back in 1859, also known as the Carrington Event.
Today, with technology especially prevalent and more advanced, the University of Southampton astrophysicist Emma Osborne has warned that the effects of a solar flare of that kind today could be even more dangerous. Speaking at New Scientist Live, Dr. Osborne explained that a solar flare today could cause a surge in electromagnetic radiation that could result in all technology on Earth short-circuiting.
But Dr. Osborne has noted that while this may be the case, power companies today or power grids are aware of this kind of situation and are prepared.
