SOHO satellite captures amazing video of the recent solar storm

The largest solar storm in more than a decade struck Earth over the weekend of May 10-12, 2024. Many of us enjoyed colorful auroras that lit up Earth’s protective atmosphere, while spacecraft endured incredibly strong solar winds and electromagnetic radiation buffeting them.

The ESA/NASA Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO), positioned between the sun and Earth, caught the entire solar storm outburst on camera.

The video shows the sun spewing out clouds of particles, with an extremely large burst sent to Earth on May 11, 2024. Jupiter and Venus appear as bright spots on the left and right.

SOHO’s LASCO instrument, a coronagraph made up of a telescope with a disk blocking the center of view, took this video. By blocking out the direct light coming from the sun, the instrument can see light from the surrounding corona.

Understanding solar storms

Solar storms are massive eruptions on the sun that release a tremendous amount of energy in the form of solar flares, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and solar wind. These phenomena can have significant effects on Earth and human technology. Here are some key points about solar storms:

Solar flares

These are sudden, intense bursts of radiation that occur when magnetic energy built up in the solar atmosphere is suddenly released. They can cause radio blackouts and disrupt satellite communications.

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

CMEs are huge explosions of plasma and magnetic fields from the sun’s corona. They can carry billions of tons of solar material and travel at speeds up to several million miles per hour.

Solar wind

The sun continuously emits a stream of charged particles called the solar wind. During a solar storm, the speed and density of the solar wind can significantly increase.

Geomagnetic storms

When the charged particles from a solar storm reach Earth, they can interact with our planet’s magnetic field, causing geomagnetic storms. These can lead to beautiful auroras but can also disrupt power grids and satellite operations.

Impact on technology

Solar storms can affect GPS navigation, high-frequency radio communication, and satellite operations. In severe cases, they can even cause power outages on Earth.

Solar cycle

The frequency and intensity of solar storms vary over an approximately 11-year cycle, known as the solar cycle. The most recent solar cycle, Solar Cycle 25, began in December 2019.

Monitoring solar activity is crucial for predicting and mitigating the potential impacts of solar storms on Earth and our technology. Spacecraft like SOHO play a vital role in this effort.

Video Credit: SOHO (ESA & NASA)

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