At least five solar flares in succession have been associated with coronal mass emissions directed towards Earth. US meteorologists at NOAA have issued a rare “severe geomagnetic storm” warning for the first time since 2005. In the sky even at low latitudes like that of Italy, it will be possible to admire a spectacular aurora like the one usually witnessed in the areas of the polar circles.
The appointment is for today's evening, Friday 10 May, but it is likely that the danced light show could also be repeated at the weekend. At the moment the alert for Saturday 11 May has been raised from G2 (moderate) to G4 (severe), on a scale ranging from 1 to 5. From Italy it will be possible to admire only a reflection of the phenomenon: although we are at the peak of the solar cycle, a period of maximum activity of our star, from our latitudes it will hardly be possible to admire the full spectacle of the aurora but, as happened in the recent past, optical phenomena linked to solar storms, and known by the acronyms “Sar” and “Steve”, or the distant flashes of the actual Northern Lights.
During the solar storm it is possible that satellite communications could experience malfunctions, as well as problems on high voltage lines.
Are the Northern Lights dangerous? Let's clarify
The origin of the solar storm was a coronal mass emission coming from an area particularly rich in sunspots. The video was created with the coronagraph of a probe that studies our star: the sequence shows very well the emission of incandescent plasma bubbles that from the surface of the Sun are traveling towards the Earth.
The solar emission occurs from an active region larger – in proportion – than the planet Jupiter: its size is so large that it is possible to see a large dark spot on the Sun even without a telescope, but with specific protective lenses. The event recalls the group of spots that appeared on our star in September 1859 and produced the most famous solar flare in history: the Carrington event, a solar storm so powerful that it brought the aurora to illuminate the skies of Mexico and set fire the wooden telegraph pylons. At the time, the electricity grid and global telecommunications infrastructure were still extremely primitive, if such an event were to happen again today the risks would obviously be much more substantial.
Meanwhile, in the past 48 hours the region has already produced several flares of the highest class and – given the complexity of the structure – it is possible that we could witness a historic event, in terms of size and scope. Or nothing could happen.
