The
SOHO LASCO C2 instrument captured this image of the Earth-directed CME.
SOHO's coronographs are able to take images of the solar corona by
blocking the light coming directly from the Sun with an occulter disk.
The location of the actual sun is shown with an image taken by SDO. Image Credit: ESA & NASA/SOHO, SDO
The
SOHO LASCO C3 instrument captured this coronographic image of the
Earth-directed CME. The bright white object to the right is the planet
Mercury. Image Credit: ESA & NASA/SOHO
On
August 20, 2013 at 4:24 am EDT, the sun erupted with an Earth-directed
coronal mass ejection or CME, a solar phenomenon which can send billions
of tons of particles into space that can reach Earth one to three days
later. These particles cannot travel through the atmosphere to harm
humans on Earth, but they can affect electronic systems in satellites
and on the ground.
Experimental NASA research models, based on observations from NASA’s
Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory show that the CME left the sun
at speeds of around 570 miles per second, which is a fairly typical
speed for CMEs.
Earth-directed CMEs can cause a space weather phenomenon called a
geomagnetic storm, which occurs when they funnel energy into Earth's
magnetic envelope, the magnetosphere, for an extended period of time.
The CME’s magnetic fields peel back the outermost layers of Earth's
fields changing their very shape. In the past, geomagnetic storms caused
by CMEs of this strength have usually been mild.
Magnetic storms can degrade communication signals and cause
unexpected electrical surges in power grids. They also can cause aurora.
NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center (http://swpc.noaa.gov) is the U.S. government's official source for space weather forecasts, alerts, watches and warnings.
Updates will be provided if needed.
