Massive solar storm bathes Earth in light: Here's what happened

Last week, a very large active region on the Sun erupted multiple times and hurled a massive solar storm towards Earth - the biggest in over 20 years. This storm produced breathtaking auroras, illuminating the skies and causing them to sparkle and dance at much lower latitudes than usual.

Why was this solar storm so big and how did it affect Earth?

The Sun's activity fluctuates based on its 11-year solar cycle, becoming either high or low. Currently, we are approaching the peak of solar activity in the current Solar Cycle 25, therefore big solar storms like the recent one are common during this period.

While the recent storm delivered a breathtaking light show, it did not pose a direct risk to anyone on Earth, thanks to Earth's protective shield. However, some geomagnetic storms can be accompanied by energetic particles that may pose a limited risk to flights at high latitudes and altitudes. In such cases, flights might be rerouted to avoid potential communication and navigation issues or unnecessary exposure.

Additionally, astronauts beyond Earth's magnetosphere require timely warnings of incoming solar storms to allow them to take protective measures.

According to the European Space Agency, the solar region responsible for this storm has rotated out of view from Earth. However, two new very active solar regions are already coming into view. While it is difficult to make concrete predictions, these new active regions will be closely monitored as more space weather events might come our way.

There's a small chance you may have possibly seen one or two aurora pics last weekend.What happened? Why was this solar storm so big? What impact did it have on satellites in orbit? And what is ESA doing to improve our understanding of #SpaceWeather?https://t.co/DQLnoZKMUP pic.twitter.com/Hz4uVSWOuP

— ESA Operations (@esaoperations) May 17, 2024