Sophia Flores of OAN
5:35 PM – Friday, May 10, 2024
The biggest solar storm to hit the United States in more than 20 years is expected to arrive as early as Friday evening.
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Scientists say the G4 solar phenomenon, a violent magnetic storm, occurs when high-energy particles ejected from solar flares from the Sun reach Earth. But the sun is 93 million miles from Earth, so its effects are barely felt here.
This rare event gives millions of Americans the chance to see the northern lights, or northern lights.
According to experts, auroras are “charged particles from the surface of the sun that interact with the Earth’s magnetic field.”
Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) say the light could reach as far south as Alabama, but north of Northern California it’s likely the solar storm will be visible to the naked eye as long as there’s nothing there. It has said. No light pollution.
Solar storms can disrupt communications because their size can cause widespread power outages, blackouts, and damage to critical infrastructure.
“Geomagnetic storms can impact infrastructure near Earth’s orbit and on the surface, disrupting communications, power grids, navigation, radio, and satellite operations,” NOAA said. “[The Space Weather Prediction Center] We have notified the operators of these systems so they can take protective measures. ”
NOAA has made it clear that the worst-case scenario is similar to what happened during the Carrington incident in 1859. The solar storm was the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history, and its size caused widespread power outages, blackouts, and damage to critical infrastructure.
Scientists have discovered that this current storm, sunspot AR3664, has reached a size that competes with the sunspot responsible for the Carrington phenomenon.
The true strength of the storm will not be known until around 8pm ET on Friday, when the coronal mass ejection (CME) is about 1 million miles from Earth. It appears that at least five CMEs are pointed toward Earth. When they collide with Earth’s magnetic field, our protective shield temporarily weakens, known as a magnetic storm.
Disruption could reach peak on Saturday, May 11thth. It lasts until Sunday.
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