After a series of eruptions on the Sun, Earth may be in for a storm over the next few days.
A sunspot has produced two solar flares. Although neither was directed at Earth, the ejections that are currently blasting through space may deliver glancing blows to our planet's atmosphere that could cause minor geomagnetic storms.
The first flare took place on January 18 at 5:44 pm UT. The second happened on January 20. It was more powerful than the one before it at M5.
The first above South America and the second over the Indian Ocean were caused by a burst of X-rays.
The coronal mass ejections are caused by magnetic field lines snapping and connecting, and carrying an embedded magnetic field. If they're heading in our direction, these occur in concert with solar flares, and travel out from the Sun, taking several days to arrive at Earth.
The January 20 flare was associated with a CME. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.
They can still deliver a glancing blow if they're not. That's what we might see with the two CMEs. There will be a few power grid fluctuations, degradation of radio communications, and minor disruptions to space operations.
When charged particles from the CME collide and interact with Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, we might see the Auroras.
The peak of solar activity occurs over an 11-year cycle as the Sun ramps up to solar maximum.
This cycle is based on the Sun's magnetic field, which changes every 11 years with the north and south magnetic poles. It's not known what drives these cycles, but the poles switch when the magnetic field is at its weakest, which is also known as the solar minimum.
The January 20 flare was in the Angstrom wavelength. There is a NASA/SDO.
The solar minimum is a period of minimal activity because of the Sun's magnetic field. When the Sun is at its rowdiest, solar activity ramps up to maximum.
The last solar minimum was in December of 2019. We're heading for a solar maximum in July of 2025. Last year saw some truly epic flares, which could mean we're in for even more spectacular fireworks this year.
It's difficult to predict how active the Sun will be because there are no two solar cycles the same. Scientists are trying to better understand our Sun's behavior in order to better predict solar storms with the help of probes and observatories.
There is a good chance of the Auroras on the weekend, as the incoming CMEs are due to reach Earth's orbital distance over the next few days. You can watch the forecast here or here.
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