On Wednesday, September 6th, the sun released two sizeable solar flares into the earth’s atmosphere.
The second flare was massive. In fact, it was the largest one that the earth has seen in over a decade.
National Geographic describes solar flares as, “giant explosions on the surface of the sun that occur when twisted magnetic field lines suddenly snap and release massive amounts of energy.”
Stunning view of the #solarflare activity of the past few hours, including the X9-class #solarflares. pic.twitter.com/95UcdfrKqr
— Sun Viewer (@SunViewer) September 6, 2017
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This means a multitude of things for us Earthians. The flare was so strong it was able to cause shortwave radio blackouts over Africa, Europe, and across the Atlantic Ocean. North America was able to view the northern lights all across the continent, and NASA captured some pretty phenomenal images.
Geomagnetic Storm Brewing After Massive Solar Flare
In addition, scientists predict there could be a great deal more in store for us.
Many members of the scientific community are stating that a geomagnetic storm will hit Earth on September 8th.
Our Solar Dynamics Observatory saw a mid-level solar flare yesterday. Learn more: https://t.co/4uVVU65P1t #spaceweather pic.twitter.com/xSmGkmOdiP
— NASA Sun & Space (@NASASun) September 5, 2017
National Geographic states that such storms “disrupt satellites, GPS navigation, and the power grid but can also spawn especially brilliant auroras.”
Also, the flares can cause throw off people’s internal clocks. You may feel sleepy, moody, or just generally out of sorts.
So, this means that you’ll potentially be able to view some magnificent astral displays; however, be aware that there could be power outages during this time.
