The huge solar storm is keeping power grid and satellite operators on edge

What Would Happen if a Solar Storm Hit Earth?

On Oct. 24-25, our Solar Dynamics Observatory satellite watched as a solar prominence rose up above the Sun’s surface, twisted around, then became elongated and broke away from the Sun. Prominences are relatively cool clouds of solar material (called plasma) that are tethered above the Sun’s surface by magnetic forces. Although tiny on the scale of the Sun, this prominence stretched out about ten times the diameter of Earth — see Earth inset for scale. These images were taken in a wavelength of

Have you heard? We are now officially in the solar maximum phase! That means we’re in the part of the 11-year solar cycle where solar eruptions, geomagnetic storms, and auroras are most likely to occur. But how do scientists tell where we are in the solar cycle? They count sunspots! Those dark solar splotches tell a story: As solar activity waxes and wanes, so does the sunspot count. But don’t just take our word for it – try it yourself! Track the current and past solar cycles with these fun sun

The sun emitted a trio of mid-level solar flares on April 2-3, 2017. Our Solar Dynamics Observatory, which watches the sun constantly, captured images of the three events. Read more: https://go.nasa.gov/2oQVFju Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/b0avDc48hPM | NASA Space Alerts

A video update with Shawn Dahl, SWPC Service Coordinator, on CME progression & how we analyze & interpret geomagnetic storm activity and solar wind environment; with info about what to look for tonight regarding aurora chances. Stay space weather aware at spaceweather.gov | NOAA NWS Space Weather Prediction Center