Video: Solar Storm To Lash Earth Until Wednesday

The World
The World

Our Geo Quiz starts 93 million miles away: on the surface of the Sun.

That’s where a solar eruption happened over the weekend.

It’s described as an immense blast of plasma and radiation streaming out from the sun.

That plasma has been traveling through space at about four million miles an hour, and it reportedly reached our planet on Tuesday.

Scientists are on the lookout for any effects of this storm here on Earth.

The question is, what kind of storm are we talking about?

The answer is a geomagnetic storm.

It’s a phenomenon caused by a solar wind shock wave that interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field.

The result can be Northern Lights displays and possible disruption of satellite communications around the world. Anchor Lisa Mullins gets details from Doug Biesecker at the NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Space Weather Prediction Center in Colorado.

Help keep The World going strong!

The article you just read is free because dedicated readers and listeners like you chose to support our nonprofit newsroom. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you hear the latest in international, human-centered reporting every weekday. But our work would not be possible without you. We need your help.

Make a gift today to help us reach our $25,000 goal and keep The World going strong. Every gift will get us one step closer.