An extreme solar flare is heading toward Earth – one the size of which scientists say they haven't seen coming from the middle of the sun in years. The solar storm could interfere with power grids, satellites and radio transmissions, and even though these events are common and don't directly harm humans, this particular flare is disconcerting because of its strength and location on the sun, said Tom Berger, director of the Space Weather Prediction Center in Boulder, Colorado.
"There's been a giant magnetic explosion on the sun," Berger said. "Because it's pointed right at us, we'll at least catch some of the cloud" of highly energized and magnetized plasma that can disrupt Earth's magnetic sphere, which sometimes leads to temporary power grid problems.
(I was not able to obtain a photo from this article)
No comments:
Post a Comment