Northern Lights May Illuminate the New Year After Intense Solar Eruptions

As Earth completes another orbit around the Sun, a storm brewing in space may soon illuminate our skies with a breathtaking display of auroras.

On December 29 and 30, the Sun unleashed a series of dramatic events, including massive eruptions, powerful flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), potentially aimed in Earth’s direction.

Within just eight minutes of these eruptions, the flash of electromagnetic radiation caused brief radio blackouts on Earth’s dayside. Meanwhile, CMEs—enormous bursts of plasma—traveled more slowly, taking hours to days to spread across the Solar System.

When CMEs collide with Earth’s magnetic field, they trigger geomagnetic storms. The most captivating result of these storms is the vibrant auroras that light up the skies near the planet’s poles.

Key Solar Eruptions of December 29-30, 2024

The three key eruptions occurred on December 29 and 30, 2024 (UTC). On the 29th, sunspot region AR 3936 released an X1.1 flare, categorized as an X-class flare—the most intense type. The following day, this same region produced an even stronger X1.5 flare, followed shortly by an X1.1 flare from sunspot region AR 3932.

Amid these major flares, smaller ones erupted frequently. For example, December 29 saw 18 M-class flares, which rank as the second most powerful category.

However, the CMEs added another layer of complexity. Although CMEs often coincide with flares, the CME most likely responsible for a geomagnetic storm on December 31 actually occurred an hour before the first flare on December 29. Later that day, a second, smaller CME was detected, suggesting the potential for a milder geomagnetic storm on January 1.

NOAA Issues Geomagnetic Storm Warning Amid Uncertain CME Impact

The NOAA has issued a warning for a strong geomagnetic storm, but uncertainties remain. Neither CME is expected to directly strike Earth, complicating predictions.

Adding to the mystery, SpaceWeatherLive highlights that existing data leaves it unclear whether these CMEs originated on the Sun’s side facing Earth. They may have erupted from the far side, in which case they won’t reach us at all.

In a way, this uncertainty feels fitting. What better way to close the year than with a cosmic prank played by the Sun?

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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