Solar Storm

(Image credit: Javier Zayas Photography/Getty Images) The sun has been in full force in 2024 thanks to the start of solar maximum . The explosive peak of the sun's roughly 11-year solar cycle officially arrived this year after months of speculation . As a result, sunspots have constantly littered the…

During major geomagnetic storms in May and October, farmers across the U.S. noticed that some of their GPS-dependant machines were malfunctioning and "dancing" from side to side. (Image credit: Getty Images) As millions of people across the U.S. recently looked up to the skies to witness widespread auroras dancing overhead,…

If superflares are akin to celestial temper tantrums, then our Sun might get angry more often than previously thought, according to a report in the journal Science . A superflare, defined as a solar storm that releases over one octillion joules of energy within a short time, manifests itself in…

When the sun's fury disrupts high-tech farming, precision turns to chaos. (Image credit: Tlillico via Getty Images/video converted to GIF.) Modern-day farming is a high-tech operation highly dependent on GPS-guided tractors revolutionizing the way crops are planted, fertilized and harvested. But on May 10, 2024, that system came under attack,…

The Summary The recent flurry of solar storms suggests the sun is in a period of maximal activity as part of its 11-year cycle. The active period is likely to continue over the next year, so more auroras could be in store. Next month, NASA will get an up-close view…

While Thanksgiving may be cool and rainy in many spots across the country, solar storms could offer a glimpse at the northern lights for some in the U.S. Minor to moderate geomagnetic storms are likely Thursday and Friday, thanks to a filament eruption on Monday, during which the sun shot…

Northern lights may be faintly visible across parts of the US this ThanksgivingRead More

Tree rings reveal ancient solar storms, helping scientists predict and prepare for future events that could disrupt satellites and technology. A West Virginia University researcher suggests that severe space weather can leave traces in tree rings, offering valuable evidence that may help us prepare for future catastrophic events that could…

On April 17, 2021, one of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft captured this view of a coronal mass ejection billowing away from the Sun (which is covered by the black disk at center to better see features around it). (Image credit: NASA/STEREO-A/COR2) Space weather may seem like a…

Ken Tegnell’s first home was on Alcatraz. At the time—this was in the nineteen-fifties—there was, in addition to the federal penitentiary, a preschool, a post office, and housing for prison employees and their family members. That included Tegnell, who lived with his mother and grandfather, a guard, while his father…