Strong Solar Storm Expected to Hit Earth
Published at
NASA(NEW YORK) — The energy from two back-to-back coronal mass ejections hit Earth Friday as expected, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Coronal mass ejections are bursts of radiation that explode from the sun — and these particular flares have been whizzing toward earth as fast as 2.5 million miles per hour. According to NOAA, the current storm level is just above the moderate threshold.
While solar storms may sound alarming, harmful radiation from the flares cannot pass through Earth’s atmosphere. However, a perfect storm of intense radiation can impact satellite and radio transmissions and cause flights to be re-routed due to changes in Earth’s magnetic field.
The solar storm is expected to strengthen as it continues through Saturday — however no major problems have been reported so far.
There is a glimmer of good news in this all: As an added bonus, the solar storm will make the northern lights expand toward the south — providing a beautiful backdrop for star gazers.
Follow @ABCNewsRadio
Copyright 2014 ABC News Radio