Solar Storm To Send Billions Of Solar Atmospheric Material To Earth Over The Weekend
KJ Belonio | | Jun 27, 2015 07:07 AM EDT |
(Photo : Getty Images / Stringer) As the sun continues throwing a fit, the coronal mass ejections have sent billions of tons of solar atmospheric materials spurting through the solar system toward the Earth.
Earlier this week, the Earth was hit with a solar storm, supercharging the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights to vibrantly illuminate dark skies in one stunning sky spectacle. However, the sun isn't done sending coronal mass ejections toward the Earth.
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After the huge explosions of super-hot solar plasma on Thursday, which is reportedly the third in less than a week, it sent billions of tons of solar atmospheric materials spurting through the solar system toward Earth. According to CBS News, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) reported the materials are expected to reach the planet Saturday afternoon.
SWPC weather forecasters also said the event, which is expected to begin June 27 and continue into June 28, is weaker than the severe G4 geomagnetic storm experienced on Monday.
Io9.com revealed the storm is a G2 electromagnetic storm, which is the second weakest of the five levels of severity. While the mid-level solar flare was classified as an M7.9, M-classes being one-tenth the size of X-class flares, the most intense of them all.
As the sun continues throwing a fit, which is part of a normal weather cycle, it causes turbulence on the sun's surface and erupts, shooting radiation and ionized particles toward the Earth. And when it's severe, it can fry satellites and make them go offline, affect the electrical power grid and disrupt power to homes and business establishments. Additionally, it can expose astronauts in space and airline passengers to harmful radiation, as previously reported.
Solar storms, however, has one great advantage. It can pull the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) further south than usual and create ethereal colored lights seen dancing at high latitudes for an ultimate celestial nighttime sky spectacle. However, Wired explained that catching auroras from solar storms isn't that easy and remains largely a matter of luck.
Fortunately, for many Americans who normally wouldn't have the pleasure to see the Northern Lights, the latest Aurora Borealis sightings were reported in Minnesota, South Dakota, Virginia, West Virginia, New Hampshire and Wyoming. And while there are no guarantees of such spectacles this weekend, geomagnetic storms have brought in aurorae in places, such as New York and Idaho.
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