Severe Geomagnetic Storm Watch:

• NOAA officials have issued a severe G4 geomagnetic storm watch for the first time in nearly 20 years. This watch comes after days of solar activity that sent several explosions of plasma and magnetic fields toward Earth. G4 geomagnetic storms are the second-strongest form of geomagnetic storms and can potentially cause widespread voltage control problems. They may also affect protective systems and spacecraft orientation. The recent solar events started on May 8, when a large cluster of sunspots produced several moderate to strong solar flares. The area where these flares occurred is 16 times the diameter of Earth, and more solar activity is expected. At least five coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are directed toward Earth and could arrive as early as midday on Friday, persisting through Sunday.
  
  This is an unusual event, andNOAA has notified operators of critical systems to take protective actions.

Solar Radiation Storms:

• Solar radiation storms occur when large-scale magnetic eruptions, often associated with coronal mass ejections and solar flares, accelerate charged particles in the solar atmosphere to very high velocities. The most important particles in these storms are protons, which can reach large fractions of the speed of light.

Keep an eye out for potential disruptions in communications and the possibility of seeing auroras (Northern Lights) as far south as Alabama and northern California due to this solar storm!

The Carrington Event

On the morning of September 1, 1859, amateur astronomer Richard Carrington observed a massive solar flare erupting from sunspots. These fireballs released electrified gas and subatomic particles toward Earth. Within hours, the impact of this solar flare was felt globally.

Here are some key points about the Carrington Event:

1. Telegraph Network Disruption: Telegraph communications around the world began to fail. Sparks showered from telegraph machines, shocking operators and even setting papers ablaze. Many telegraph lines across North America were rendered inoperable due to the powerful currents flowing through the wires. Some telegraph stations reported that powerful surges caused telegraph paper to combust.
2. Auroras and Geomagnetic Storm: Colorful auroras illuminated the nighttime skies worldwide. These auroras were so bright that birds began to chirp, and laborers believed the sun had begun rising. The resulting geomagnetic storm was the largest on record to have struck the planet. Wrapping Earth in a seething mass of high-energy particles, it released an estimated 10³⁵ electron volts of energy—equivalent to a 10-megaton nuclear bomb.

During the 1859 solar flare wave, the Carrington Event caused widespread disruption to telegraph networks and awe-inspiring auroras across the globe. It remains one of the most intense geomagnetic storms in recorded history.