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A solar storm is headed toward Earth and will impact on July 21 as it has a fiery CME component, and it may spark a geomagnetic storm here.
A solar storm that is on its way to Earth today will likely hit the planet and spark a geomagnetic storm, creating ideal conditions for the arrival of auroras. (Pixabay)
It has been quite peaceful over the last few days on the Sun. It is surprising, considering that it virtually blew its top in May 2024 when the record-shattering solar storm hit Earth and painted over half the planet in aurora colors. The Sunspot that was the culprit tried manfully to repeat the feat as it again came to face the Earth days thereafter, but it had lost a lot of its potency by then. Now, the Sun has erupted again and it has been strong enough to shoot across a solar storm that will have a considerable impact on Earth. The solar storm is thundering its way across space today toward the planet.
Notably, the solar storm generated by the Sun has a CME (Coronal Mass Ejections) component and that will likely spell trouble. In fact, where there is a CME, there is likely to be a Geomagnetic storm on Earth. Notably, whenever the Sun shoots acros a solar storm, it will probably have a CME component. However, there are certain unexplained instances, where CMEs come into existence without solar storms! One of the mysteries of the universe yet to be solved by researchers.
The solar storm is currently heading for Earth. According to the NOAA, “The geomagnetic field is likely to reach active levels on 20 Jul and potentially G1 (Minor) geomagnetic storm levels 21 Jul.”
The reason behind the likely generation of a geomagnetic storm is the upcoming collision of a CME with Earth that had been erupted by the Sun late on 16 July, 2024.
Fortunately, there is no report of cannibal CMEs, which would make things worse. Cannibal CMEs are generated when the slow moving ones are overtaken by the faster moving ones coming behind them and they merge to create an even more powerful entity. That is likely what happened during the May 10 solar storm assault on Earth that created a new record.
Thissolar storm will spell some good news for skygazers though. The CME will probably spark a few auroras, or Northern Lights, in the northern hemisphere. The aurora is the fascinating physical embodiment of a geomagnetic storm.
And to think that it all started with the Sun blowing up, sending huge amounts of particles and radiation toward Earth.
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