AssetID: 55265856
Headline: UNCAPTIONED: Dazzling Auroras and Disruptions as Powerful Solar Storms Strike Earth
Caption: Dazzling Auroras and Disruptions as Powerful Solar Storms Strike Earth. Brilliant auroras lit up skies across the globe this week, with rare sightings as far south as Florida and intense light displays continuing into Wednesday night. The National Weather Service’s Space Weather Prediction Center confirmed ongoing geomagnetic storm activity, triggered by major solar flares and rated between G3 and G4 on the five-level severity scale. Scientists say the spectacle was caused by multiple coronal mass ejections (CMEs) — massive bursts of plasma from the sun — colliding and forming what experts called a “cannibal storm.” These solar eruptions not only produced stunning auroras but also disrupted communications, satellite systems, and power grids across parts of the world. The British Geological Survey recorded the most powerful geoelectric field since 2012, noting unusually strong electrical currents in the ground, particularly in Scotland’s Shetland Islands. Blue Origin delayed the planned launch of NASA’s Escapade Mars mission due to heightened solar activity, citing risks to spacecraft safety and system reliability. The solar storm was linked to three X-class solar flares — the most intense category — erupting from an active sunspot region known as AR 14274, according to researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder. Despite the chaos, scientists reminded that such activity is part of the sun’s natural 11-year cycle, with current conditions marking the decline from the solar maximum reached in late 2024. The recent storm was classified as one of the strongest of this solar cycle, though less intense than the record-breaking G5 storm of May 2024 or the historic Carrington Event of 1859. While the storm’s strength is waning, experts say auroras could still be visible in northern regions, offering one last chance for sky-watchers to witness the celestial show. Instructions: THIS VIDEO MUST NOT BE EDITED FOR LENGTH TO COMBINE WITH OTHER CONTENT
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