Quote:
Originally Posted by bobeaston
Nothing to do. The strongest part happened 2 days ago. Adverse effects, mostly communications via radio...
Find actual details at Space Weather by SolarHam |
'bobeaston' is mostly correct. The initial solar flare (flares in this case) are electromagnetic radiation that travel the 93 million miles from the Sun to Earth in about 8 and 1/3 minutes causing additional ionization and enhanced absorption of the electromagnetic (EM) waves in the ionosphere leading to partial or even total radio fade-outs on the Sun facing side of Earth. It takes 2-3 days for the particulate matter to travel the distance to the Earth's magnetosphere to affect it (if there is a mass ejection directed to Earth) and cause the visual phenomena we see as the Aurora which can also cause electrical disruptions on the ground.
This was a defining storm as it had characteristics of the one that caused all the electrical disruptions of the great solar event of September 1, 1859 called 'the Carrington event'.
The Carrington Event: History's greatest solar storm | Space
Did not see any reports of problems like then happening now thank goodness.
Here is another site for space weather info. Look for the graphic showing the Auroral circle.
SpaceWeather.com -- News and information about meteor showers, solar flares, auroras, and near-Earth asteroids
BTW, you can still see the sunspot that caused all this activity. Get out your eclipse glasses and take a look before it rotates out of sight. It is shown on the SpaceWeather.com page. It is huge, you cannot miss it.