Where is the massive ‘bird wing’ solar eruption that was expected to hit Earth today?
Astronomers on Tuesday witnessed a spectacular solar event — a massive ‘bird wing’-shaped eruption stretching nearly 6,00,000 miles from the Sun’s surface. Initially feared to trigger a severe geomagnetic storm on Earth, scientists later confirmed the planet narrowly avoided a direct hit, receiving only a glancing blow, according to a Daily Mail report.
The eruption, made up of superheated plasma and charged particles, raised concerns of potential disruptions, but its impact was minimal.(X/@TamithaSkov)
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The eruption, made up of superheated plasma and charged particles, raised concerns of potential disruptions, but its impact was minimal.
Chances of Northen Lights over parts of UK
As the trailing edge of the eruption moves past Earth, there remains a slight chance of seeing the Northern Lights over parts of the UK on Friday night. According to the report, these auroras are caused when solar particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere, exciting gas molecules and producing glowing light displays.
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The UK’s Met Office predicts that this auroral glow could be visible as far south as parts of Scotland. Visual simulations from the European Space Agency (ESA), according to the Daily Mail, revealed just how narrowly Earth avoided a direct encounter with the dramatic solar outburst.
The minor geomagnetic activity currently being recorded is the result of what’s known as a filament eruption — distinct from solar flares. While flares are intense bursts of radiation, filament eruptions, or Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), involve vast clouds of solar particles hurled into space. A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a release of charged solar particles and magnetic fields that erupts from the Sun’s surface during solar activity.
Professor Sean Elvidge, a space environment expert at the University of Birmingham, told Daily Mail that such eruptions are caused by magnetic instabilities on the Sun. “These instabilities trigger large-scale expulsions of magnetic field structures and plasma into space,” he said, with some travelling at nearly 3000 km per second.
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During these events, cooler filaments of plasma are held aloft above the Sun by magnetic forces. In solar imagery, they appear as long, dark strands. When the magnetic fields weaken, the filaments erupt violently, releasing waves of charged material that can trigger geomagnetic storms and dazzling auroras when they reach Earth.
What happens when solar storms erupt?
During a solar storm, the Sun can unleash a series of powerful events, though not all occur every time, according to European Space Agency.
It often starts with a solar flare—a magnetic explosion that can release energy equivalent to a billion atomic bombs. This flare sends X-rays and ultraviolet radiation racing toward Earth at light speed, reaching us in about eight minutes. These rays are absorbed by the ionosphere, potentially disrupting radio signals and GPS systems.
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Next, high-speed solar particles, including protons, may follow about an hour or two later. These particles can harm astronauts, damage satellites, and even affect electronics on Earth.
Solar flares are frequently accompanied by a coronal mass ejection (CME)—a massive cloud of solar gas and magnetic fields that can take 18 hours to several days to reach Earth. If it does, it can disturb Earth’s magnetic field, triggering geomagnetic storms. These storms can interfere with power lines, pipelines, and navigational systems, and also generate auroras.
Solar storms heat the upper atmosphere, causing it to expand. This increases drag on low-orbit satellites, potentially knocking them off course unless corrected. However, the same effect helps pull space debris into the atmosphere, where it burns up.
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Satellites in geostationary orbits face different risks. If the solar wind compresses Earth’s magnetosphere, these satellites can be exposed to more harmful particles.
Interestingly, solar storms also offer some protection: by deflecting cosmic rays—energetic particles from beyond our solar system. During intense solar activity or large storms, the number of cosmic rays reaching Earth temporarily drops.
