A Geomagnetic Storm Howls: Aurora Borealis Paints the Night Sky
A G5 Geomagnetic Storm Reaches Earth
On May 10, 2024, at 11:43 PM EDT, Earth was hit by an extreme G5 geomagnetic storm. According to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, this was the first major solar storm since the Halloween storms of 2003, which caused widespread blackouts in Sweden and damaged power grids.
Aurora Borealis Dazzles
The storm has triggered stunning aurora borealis displays, visible as far south as Atlanta and Alabama. Emily Smith of CNN captured breathtaking footage of the auroras around 10:30 PM, painting the night sky with vibrant greens, reds, and blues.
NOAA's Mission
NOAA's mission includes understanding and predicting such space weather events. By monitoring solar activity and studying its effects on Earth, NOAA helps mitigate potential impacts on our infrastructure and technology.
Origins of the Storm
According to NOAA's April 2, 2024 report, the geomagnetic storm was triggered by intense solar activity, including a severe X-class solar flare and a coronal mass ejection (CME). CMEs are large clouds of charged particles ejected from the sun's atmosphere, which interact with Earth's magnetic field to create geomagnetic storms.
Comments