Rare celestial phenomena with consequences for Earth: NASA observations show four massive explosions on the sun at the same time. These events, known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), could have significant impacts on our planet’s magnetic field.
Early on the morning of April 23, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured a rare image: four regions on the Sun, separated by hundreds of thousands of kilometers, exploding almost simultaneously. Coronal mass ejections, in which billions of tons of solar material are thrown into space at high speeds, are an impressive force of nature. This is reported by “The Mirror”.
Interaction of these solar ejections with the Earth’s magnetosphere can cause geomagnetic storms. These disruptions can impact satellite communications, radio transmissions and power grids. At the same time, in polar regions they create spectacular light phenomena known as the northern and southern lights.
The recent outbreaks occurred south of Earth’s orbit and pose the risk of a G1-classified geomagnetic storm. Space weather experts predict that the first impacts of the CMEs could be felt this Thursday.
The SDO is a space mission that uses high-resolution cameras to capture the dynamics of the Sun to gain a better understanding of the causes of solar variability. The mission documents the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, and the hot plasma of the flares.