Solar storm strikes Earth as CME from X-class solar flare delivers glancing blow; Check details

The CME released during an X-class solar flare eruption has side-swiped the Earth, sparking a moderate solar storm. It triggered aurora displays in the higher latitudes. Check details here.

Yesterday, we witnessed the strongest solar flare eruption of this solar cycle as an X2.8-class solar flare erupted on the Earth-facing side of the Sun at the sunspot AR2514. The solar radiation from it was so intense that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found interference with aircraft and communication towers across the US. While we wait to find out if it did release a coronal mass ejection (CME), another CME cloud struck the Earth and triggered a moderate solar storm on Earth.  (SDO/NASA)

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1/5 Yesterday, we witnessed the strongest solar flare eruption of this solar cycle as an X2.8-class solar flare erupted on the Earth-facing side of the Sun at the sunspot AR2514. The solar radiation from it was so intense that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found interference with aircraft and communication towers across the US. While we wait to find out if it did release a coronal mass ejection (CME), another CME cloud struck the Earth and triggered a moderate solar storm on Earth.  (SDO/NASA)

The incident was reported by Space Weather Live, which reported on its official X account “Moderate G2 geomagnetic storm (Kp6) Threshold Reached”. Considering that conditions for a solar storm start at Kp4, the overall event was a strong one. Interestingly, it was caused by a glancing blow of a CME, and not a direct hit. (NASA)

2/5 The incident was reported by Space Weather Live, which reported on its official X account “Moderate G2 geomagnetic storm (Kp6) Threshold Reached”. Considering that conditions for a solar storm start at Kp4, the overall event was a strong one. Interestingly, it was caused by a glancing blow of a CME, and not a direct hit. (NASA)

The aurora displays sparked by this solar storm were seen as far south as Iowa in the US. WeatherNation reported in an X post, “Last night we saw the #Aurora in the northern U.S. thanks to a stronger geomagnetic storm. Tonight, the aurora could be visible for states along the Canadian border but it isn't likely to be as strong or bright”. Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov posted, “We have entered the core of a #solarstorm with a lot of southward field. Considering how messy this train of storms has been over the past 24 hours, it's hard to say how long these conditions will last, but it looks like another few hours of sustained southward field at least”. (Pixabay)

3/5 The aurora displays sparked by this solar storm were seen as far south as Iowa in the US. WeatherNation reported in an X post, “Last night we saw the #Aurora in the northern U.S. thanks to a stronger geomagnetic storm. Tonight, the aurora could be visible for states along the Canadian border but it isn't likely to be as strong or bright”. Space weather physicist Tamitha Skov posted, “We have entered the core of a #solarstorm with a lot of southward field. Considering how messy this train of storms has been over the past 24 hours, it's hard to say how long these conditions will last, but it looks like another few hours of sustained southward field at least”. (Pixabay)

The increase in solar activity comes as the Sun inches closer to the peak of its solar cycle. Currently, the Sun is in the Solar Cycle 25 phase, which began in late 2019 or early 2020. Solar cycles are 11-year periods in which the Sun’s solar activity peaks and then slows down significantly. The peak is called Solar Maximum and the trough is called Solar Minimum.  (Pixabay)

4/5 The increase in solar activity comes as the Sun inches closer to the peak of its solar cycle. Currently, the Sun is in the Solar Cycle 25 phase, which began in late 2019 or early 2020. Solar cycles are 11-year periods in which the Sun’s solar activity peaks and then slows down significantly. The peak is called Solar Maximum and the trough is called Solar Minimum.  (Pixabay)

Now, the Earth awaits the CME from the X2.8-class flare, if it has released any. The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured the flare, which carries a full suite of instruments to observe the Sun and has been doing so since 2010. It uses three very crucial instruments to collect data from various solar activities. The solar flare not only hit Earth but ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused shortwave radio disturbances across the US. A solar storm sparked by its CME could be one of the strongest we have seen this year. (Pixabay)

5/5 Now, the Earth awaits the CME from the X2.8-class flare, if it has released any. The NASA Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured the flare, which carries a full suite of instruments to observe the Sun and has been doing so since 2010. It uses three very crucial instruments to collect data from various solar activities. The solar flare not only hit Earth but ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere and caused shortwave radio disturbances across the US. A solar storm sparked by its CME could be one of the strongest we have seen this year. (Pixabay)