Sun's intense solar flare sparks geomagnetic storm on Earth

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The Sun's recent surge in activity as it gradually approaches the solar maximum, the peak of its solar cycle, has led to a colossal solar flare that emanated from sunspot AR3363. It has sparked a geomagnetic storm on Earth.

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 This M6-class event propelled plasma towards the inner planets at staggering speeds of millions of kilometers per hour.

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On Tuesday, the solar flare collided with Earth's magnetic field, causing a geomagnetic storm.

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NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the event near the Sun's southwestern limb.

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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), individuals flying at high altitudes in aircraft could face an increased risk of radiation exposure compared to those on land. 

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Same risk applies to astronauts out in space, for instance on the International Space Station. 

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The Sun follows a natural cycle of magnetic activity known as the solar cycle, which repeats approximately every 11 years.

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This cycle has a profound impact on space weather, influencing solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and other phenomena.

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The solar cycle consists of two main phases: the solar maximum and the solar minimum. NOAA warning about the geomagnetic storm is for the next two days.

This warning comes as Earth's magnetic field reacts to a series of impact and near misses by coronal mass ejections since July 16th. One of the fascinating results of geomagnetic storms are the auroras that can be see over the northernmost part of the planet called aurora borealis. 

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Auroras in the Southern parts of the planet are called Aurora Australis.  The reason why aurora forms is explained by NASA: "When a geomagnetic storm comes toward us, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south poles into Earth's atmosphere." 

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Thereafter these particles interact with gases in the atmosphere sparking auroras in the sky.