The two Earth-directed explosions have merged into a “cannibal coronal mass ejection” and are heading towards us at a speed of 1,881,263 miles per hour (3,027,599 kilometers per hour). When it hits the Earth’s magnetic field on the night of March 30, the result will be a strong G3 geomagnetic storm, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (SWPC) Space Weather Forecast Center. G3 storms are classified as strong geomagnetic storms, meaning that the upcoming solar eclipse could bring lightning as far south as Pennsylvania, Iowa and Oregon. The sunspot, called AR2975, emits flashes of electrically charged particles from the Sun’s plasma soup from Monday (March 28th). Sunspots are areas on the surface of the Sun where strong magnetic fields, created by the flow of electric charges, form cracks before breaking suddenly. The resulting energy release launches bursts of radiation called solar flares or explosive jets of solar material called corona mass bursts (CMEs). Mass cannabis eruptions occur when fast-moving solar flares surpass previous explosions in the same region of space, scanning charged particles to form a giant, combined wavefront that triggers a powerful geomagnetic storm. The “frenzy” of solar flares meant that “at least two complete haloes [Earth striking] “The CMEs emerged from the chaos,” SpaceWeather.com wrote about the event. CMEs typically take about 15 to 18 hours to reach Earth, according to the SWPC. When they do, the Earth’s magnetic field is slightly compressed by waves of highly energetic particles, which wave magnetic field lines and shake molecules in the atmosphere, releasing energy in the form of light to create colorful lights in the night sky. The energy from the storm is expected to be safely absorbed by our magnetic field, but large solar storms still have the potential to wreak havoc. G3 thunderstorms can cause “intermittent satellite navigation and low frequency radio navigation problems”, according to the SWPC. A recent storm in February sent 40 Starlink satellites back to Earth, Live Science reported earlier, and scientists have warned that an even bigger one could have the potential to cripple the Internet around the world. Scientists believe that the largest solar storm ever to occur in modern history was the Carrington Incident of 1859, which carried about the same energy as 10 billion 1-megaton atomic bombs. After hitting Earth, strong currents of solar particles fueled telegraph systems around the world, causing lights brighter than the moonlight to appear as far south as the Caribbean. If something like this happened today, it would cause trillions of dollars in damage and extensive power outages, such as the solar storm that caused the Quebec blackout in 1989, according to scientists. Related content: 15 unforgettable star images This article was originally published by Live Science. Read the original article here.
