By D. Maan, Jadetimes News
Solar Storms Impacting Earth and Beyond
The Sun is extremely active right now, bombarding Earth with the most powerful solar storms seen in the past 20 years. This heightened solar activity is affecting the entire Solar System. During a few nights in May 2024, sky gazers at relatively low latitudes had the rare opportunity to witness the spectacular glow of our planet's auroras. A powerful solar storm sent charged particles barrelling towards Earth, creating dazzling displays of the Northern and Southern Lights that were visible far further south and north than usual.
Extraordinary Auroras
The geomagnetic storm was the strongest in two decades, producing vivid aurora displays that could be seen as far south as London in the UK and Ohio in the US, with reports even coming from just north of San Francisco, California. While some people only experienced a faint, eerie glow, others were treated to a brilliant show of colors. However, this spike in solar activity has also had significant effects beyond Earth.
Solar Maximum and Its Effects
The Sun is currently at or near its solar maximum, the peak of its 11 year cycle, resulting in increased solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These bursts of radiation and particles can supercharge Earth's magnetic field, creating magnificent auroras but also posing risks to satellites and power grids. According to Mathew Owens, a space physicist at the University of Reading, we may see more of these storms in the coming years as the Sun's activity continues to peak.
Observing Solar Activity Up Close
Several spacecraft are closely observing this increased solar activity. The European Space Agency's (Esa) Solar Orbiter, for example, has been studying the Sun since 2020 on an orbit that takes it within the path of Mercury. Currently, the spacecraft is "on the far side of the Sun as seen from Earth," says Daniel Müller, project scientist for the Solar Orbiter mission at Esa. This unique vantage point allows Solar Orbiter to observe solar flares and sunspots that are out of Earth's view.
Connecting Solar Activity to the Heliosphere
One of the goals of the Solar Orbiter is to connect the Sun's activities to the heliosphere, the vast bubble of plasma that surrounds the Sun and the Solar System as it travels through interstellar space. Müller and his team aim to learn more about the solar wind, the constant stream of particles from the Sun, and its interaction with the interstellar medium. This turbulent solar wind plays a crucial role in shaping the space environment.
Unpredictable Solar Cycle 25
This current solar cycle, known as cycle 25, is proving to be significantly more active than predicted. The relative sunspot number, an index measuring solar activity, has far exceeded expectations, with recent observations showing a maximum of 270 sunspots a day, compared to the predicted 120. Despite advancements in our understanding, the exact cause of the Sun's 11 year cycle and its variations remains a bit of a mystery.