Solar storm forms 'canyon-like' hole in Sun that is set to hit Earth at possible 1.8 million mph
Experts have predicted that a solar storm will hit Earth on Friday, December 1, as a "canyon-like" cavity has opened up in the Sun’s atmosphere. It is called a coronal hole and will trigger a continual stream of strongly charged particles. It is predicted that it could emit from its hole at a stunning speed of up to 1.8 million miles per hour toward Earth. The worrying factor here is the solar storm is capable of causing power grid fluctuations and orientation irregularities for spacecraft identified as "increased drag" on low-Earth orbiters, believes scientists.
The hole was identified on Monday, November 28, and is estimated to hit Earth through its hole on December 1, reports Space Weather Live. It further claimed, “The transequatorial coronal hole – one going across the sun's equator – was detected in an Earth-facing position.” Moreover, Spaceweather.com has given the solar storm a "G1" rating (on a scale of one to five), which means it is comparatively a minor one, however, it is still a threat to power grid fluctuations and problems for satellites.
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“The gaseous material is flowing from a canyon-like hole in the sun's atmosphere,” the site says. The other name for this solar storm is a geomagnetic storm, which is a disturbance on the Sun. It is said when a solar storm comes toward Earth, some of the energy and small particles can travel down the magnetic field lines at the north and south pole regions into our environment, reports the DailyMail.
Then, the auroras, which are the particles that interact with gases in our atmosphere, form mesmerizing displays of light in the sky. Gases such as oxygen ooze green and red light, while nitrogen glows blue and purple. Auroras in the Earth’s north are formally called Aurora Borealis or the Northern Lights, while in the southern part of the planet, these are referred to as Aurora Australis. As per experts during the Sun’s 11-year-cycle, there are many more amazing instances where solar storms are far more intense and make the aurora brighter and more frequent.
As per Royal Museums Greenwich, most of the particles are deflected from this solar storm but arrested in the Earth’s magnetic field through deflection. “These particles then slam into atoms and molecules in the Earth's atmosphere and essentially heat them up,” said Royal Observatory astronomer, Tom Kerss. “We call this physical process ‘excitation’, but it's very much like heating a gas and making it glow,” Kerss added.
