A severe solar storm to hit Earth today, bringing dazzling auroras; know where they will be visible

Such storms can disrupt power grids and satellites. (Image: Canva)

A significant wave of solar particles will hit Earth today, October 10. This event could trigger a "severe" G4-class geomagnetic storm. The warning comes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Space Weather Prediction Center.

Such storms can disrupt power grids and satellites. They may also interfere with GPS navigation and harm critical technology. NOAA alerts that this geomagnetic storm will make auroras visible at lower latitudes than usual.

According to NOAA, the northern lights may be seen in much of the northern half of the U.S. They might even be visible as far south as Alabama and northern California. This solar outburst is known as a coronal mass ejection (CME). It originated from a powerful solar flare on October 8, classified as an X 1.8-class flare.

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Solar flares happen when tangled magnetic fields snap back violently. Some flares are accompanied by CMEs, which are blobs of fast-moving plasma. These blobs can take days to reach Earth, especially if our planet is in their path. When CMEs hit Earth, they can cause major disturbances in the magnetic field.

NOAA ranks geomagnetic storms from G1 to G5. G1 storms are mild, while G5 storms are extreme. There's little preparation individuals can do for this incoming G4 storm. However, aurora enthusiasts should seek dark areas away from city lights. You don’t need special gear to see the auroras. Using a phone camera can enhance the colours visible to the naked eye.

Solar flares, CMEs, and auroras become more frequent during solar maximum. This phase marks the peak of the sun's 11-year activity cycle. While scientists predicted this cycle's maximum would begin in 2025, some suggest it may be happening now. Researchers will know for sure only after the maximum phase ends.

Another object in the CME's path is comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS). This comet is making its closest approach to the sun in 80,000 years. There's a chance the comet’s tail might be affected by the solar eruption. Skywatchers will have to wait until the weekend to see if the comet's tail survived.

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