Near-Miss CME Opened A Crack In Earth's Magnetosphere, Sparks Auroras

Original source (on modern site) | Article images: [1]

G1-class Geomagnetic Storm sparks auroras.

The space has once again treated skywatchers to a spectacular aurora display show. This is because a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) narrowly missed Earth in the early hours of April 26th, grazing our planet's magnetosphere and triggering a minor geomagnetic storm. A CME which is a large expulsion of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun, came close to Earth but didn't directly impact it. However, the CME's proximity caused a disruption or weakening in Earth's magnetosphere, the magnetic field surrounding the planet.

This allowed the solar wind to seep through, sparking a G1-class geomagnetic storm and producing dazzling auroras over high-latitude regions, particularly in Canada, spaceweather.com report mentioned. "As predicted, a CME passed close to Earth during the early hours of April 26th. Despite the fact that the CME missed, it was still effective. Magnetic fields in the CME's wake connected themselves to Earth's magnetic field, opening a crack where solar wind could penetrate," the report added.

Geomagnetic Storm Sparks Aurora

Dr. Tamitha Skov, an avid aurora enthusiast and expert, shared breathtaking images of the auroral display over Manitoba skies. She expressed her delight, stating, "Gorgeous #aurora over Manitoba skies tonight due to the expected #solarstorm impact. It has arrived a bit on the early side, but we will take it!"

According to SpaceWeather.com, this near-miss CME event could be the first of several such encounters this weekend. If subsequent CMEs come closer to Earth, they could trigger additional G1-class geomagnetic storms and treat high-latitude regions to further auroral displays.

Understanding CMEs and Geomagnetic Storms

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are massive eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's corona. When these CMEs interact with Earth's magnetosphere, they can cause geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt satellite communications, global positioning systems (GPS), and power grids. However, they also produce stunning auroras as charged particles interact with Earth's upper atmosphere.

Observation of solar flares, solar storms and solar activity: The Extreme Ultraviolet and X-ray Irradiance Sensors (EXIS), deployed on GOES satellites by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), monitor solar flares and irradiance. These sensors track the Sun's radiation, acting as an early warning system for solar flares.