The sun has unleashed a rare double whammy of powerful solar storms, capturing the attention of scientists and the public alike. The two solar flares, both from the same active sunspot region, are directed at Earth and have the potential to spark amazing auroras, as well as interact with each other as they travel through space.
The first flare, a medium-sized one, occurred on Monday, September 8, followed by a second, larger flare, classified as an Earth-directed X-class flare, on Wednesday, September 10. These flares are powerful eruptions of radiation, and large flares can produce coronal mass ejections (CMEs), waves of solar plasma and charged particles that can travel millions of miles an hour through space.
Solar Storms and CMEs
The first CME made its appearance last night, causing geomagnetic storming, reaching moderate levels, this morning. The second CME is moving at a faster speed and is expected to catch up to the first one, potentially causing higher storm levels, particularly in polar regions.
The International Space Station will measure the CMEs as they pass by, giving scientists on Earth a 30- to 45-minute head start to prepare for the CMEs. The solar event is expected to produce an array of beautiful northern lights, visible to people living in the northern United States.