Powerful solar storm approaching Earth

Context

A powerful solar storm is approaching the Earth at a speed of 1.6 million kilometers.

What are solar storms?

• The solar storms or geomagnetic storms are streams of charged particles or plasma that erupt from the Sun and out into space.
• Cause: These are caused by solar features and phenomena like flares, prominences, sunspots, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
• In a solar storm, stored magnetic energy is suddenly released from the sun.

How do they impact Earth?

• These solar winds of energy can sometimes hit the Earth and cause temporary disturbances in the planet’s magnetic field.
• While Earth’s magnetosphere, its magnetic shield, absorbs most of these solar storms, some of them can cause:
  • chaotic disturbances like blinding satellites
  • disrupting mobile phone and GPS signals
  • widespread power outages

Key-details of the upcoming storm

• The solar storm or geomagnetic storm originated from the Sun's atmosphere.
• It can have a significant impact on a region of space dominated by Earth's magnetic field.
• Due to the solar storm, it will give a view of beautiful celestial lighting for the people living at the North or South Pole.
• The people living closer to these areas can expect to see beautiful aurora at night.
• The speed of the solar storm is about 1.6 million kilometers per hour.