Solar storm to hit Earth today, your mobile phone signals, GPS can be affected

A solar storm generated by the Sun is speeding towards Earth and it will hit anytime today. A solar storm has the power of impacting mobile phone signals, GPS and even cutting off electricity. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has measured the speed at which the solar storm is approaching Earth and it is pegged at a mind-boggling 1.6 million kilometres per hour. A disruption in these services can happen when the solar flare hits Earth’s magnetic field later today. For those who may be interested, the best example of the solar storm that will be visible to the naked eye would be in the form of the Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights at the North Pole.

Telecom disruption expected: Solar storm is expected to impact satellites flying in the sky as there is no protection for them and the instruments that they carry can malfunction for some time. This will in turn impact telecommunications channels on Earth and that includes mobile phones and other gadgets as well as Satellite TV.

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

How solar storms happen: This event happens after the Sun shoots out massive amounts of energy, which comes out in the form of solar flares. According to Nasa, "A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots. Flares are our solar system’s largest explosive events. They are seen as bright areas on the sun."

Solar flares duration: According to Nasa, "They can last from minutes to hours. We typically see a solar flare by the photons (or light) it releases, at most every wavelength of the spectrum. The primary ways we monitor flares are in x-rays and optical light."