This handout image provided by NASA shows a solar flare heading toward Earth. An impressive solar flare is heading toward Earth and could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights. An impressive solar flare is heading toward Earth and could disrupt power grids, GPS and airplane flights. Forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center said the sun erupted Tuesday evening and the effects should start smacking Earth late Wednesday night, close to midnight EST. They say it is the biggest in five years and growing. (AP Photo/NASA)
Surface-level winds in excess of 45 mph have calmed down at least a little bit today. BUT, now we have another kind of wind to worry about. Solar winds!
A large solar flare erupted from the Sun’s surface Tuesday, sending waves of particles toward Earth. It was actually the second solar eruption in the past four days, the first of which occurred Sunday and is now affecting our atmosphere.
Both flares were rated in the X-class, the strongest category for solar flares.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center has been monitoring the storms and has issued multiples advisories in the past 24 hours, with advisories expected to last through Friday
Here is what Tuesday’s flare looked like, thanks to the folks at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.
That blast of charged particles is now headed toward Earth at 4 million mph.
The storm is rare because it will be in the moderate to severe category in each of the three ways (
radio, radiation and magnetic) the particles can affect Earth.
For the Sunday storm, the SWPC has issued a G2 (magnetic), S3 (radiation) and R3 (radio) advisory. Most of those are related to the first round or particles that hit the planet today.
For Tuesday’s, a
G3 is expected to start affecting Earth about 6 a.m. local time Thursday.
Joe Kunches, a scientist for the NOAA, told the Associated Press that power companies around the globe have been alerted for possible outages related to the storm. Satellites could slow down because of increased resistance and interfere with communication systems. Airlines have already been rerouting around the poles to avoid higher radiation levels at high altitudes.
But the most visual aspect of the solar winds comes with the aurora borealis. The SWPC is forecasting the lights to be visible as far south as Iowa on Thursday. While it’s not totally inconceivable that a faint glow could possibly be visible this far south, conditions will
basically guarantee you won’t see them. It’s going to rain a whole lot Thursday. And a full moon will prevent that even if it was a clear sky.
But, you still have time to head to Canada in the hopes of catching the aurora!
Another reason I am excited to write about space today is the excuse I have to post this partial interview with my favorite astrophysicist, Neil DeGrasse Tyson. It's illustrated and has music that definitely adds to it, but listen to what Neil says. It's absolutely mesmerizing.
--Jerry Wofford
