A solar storm hit Earth last weekend, leaving scientists confused as to what caused the impact. Here’s more on that.
Amid the growing risk of a solar flare on the Sun, a mysterious solar storm hit Earth around midnight on June 25 and continued into the next day.
Solar storms have been a common occurrence for the past few months, with the Sun in the middle of its solar cycle. However, this solar storm has left scientists puzzled. They couldn’t figure out how it happened or where it came from.
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Solar storms occur due to a coronal mass ejection (CME) that is triggered on the surface of the Sun. According to the K-index, which measures the magnetic field around the Earth, solar storms are divided into 5 classes from G-1 to G-5. G-1 is the lowest solar impact G5 is given to the most severe solar storms.
The June 25 solar storm was strong enough to affect the power grid and cause the stunning celestial phenomenon known as the Aurora Borealis, which lasted until June 29. Experts at Spaceweather.com told the Sun: “Forecasters are not sure why. The prime suspect is an unexpected CME (coronal mass ejection) embedded in the solar wind. It also affected the power grid and caused minor power fluctuations.
Interestingly, this solar storm collided with another extremely rare phenomenon where five major planets of our solar system – Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn – lined up to grace the night sky.
This solar storm comes after NASA scientists revealed a risk of a solar flare from a Sunspot in the solar region 3038. According to NASA, Sunspots are dark regions on the Sun’s surface that contain strong magnetic fields that are constantly shifting and they can form and dissipate over periods of days or weeks. They occur when strong magnetic fields escape through the sun’s surface and allow the area to cool slightly.
This sunspot has the potential to emit M-class solar flares to Earth, which can cause physical damage. May cause power outage, GPS issues. However, if a solar storm is large enough, it can wreak havoc on the entire technological infrastructure of earth.
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