Solar Storm Triggers Geomagnetic Storm, Northern Lights Expected
Dramatic Blast from the Sun Causes Geomagnetic Disturbance
May 10, 2024 | Updated 7:03 PM
A dramatic solar flare from the sun has triggered a geomagnetic storm in Earth's atmosphere, which is expected to produce northern lights in high-latitude regions. The storm, which began on Friday, is the result of an unusually strong solar flare that erupted from the sun on Thursday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued a severe geomagnetic storm watch for the northern United States and Canada. The storm is expected to peak on Saturday, May 11, and could cause power outages, disruptions to communications systems, and damage to spacecraft.
The solar flare was captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory on Thursday. The flare released a massive amount of energy into space, which traveled towards Earth in the form of charged particles. These particles interact with Earth's magnetic field, causing the geomagnetic storm.
People in high-latitude regions, such as Alaska, Canada, and the northern United States, may be able to see the northern lights as a result of the storm. The lights are caused by the interaction of charged particles with atoms and molecules in the atmosphere.
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