The largest solar storm in over 20 years is battering Earth, forcing NASA to postpone a Mars mission and disrupting communications and satellite systems across the UK. The British Geological Survey upgraded its geomagnetic forecast to the highest G5 intensity level on Wednesday as the "cannibal storm" — a second solar blast feeding off an earlier one — reached the planet.
The extreme space weather has already created the biggest measured geoelectric field since BGS records began in 2012. Ground measurements of solar energetic particles rank among the largest recorded since 2005. Blue Origin announced on X: «Nasa is postponing launch until space weather conditions improve. We are currently assessing opportunities to establish our next launch window based on forecasted space weather and range availability.»
Dr Gemma Richardson, a BGS geomagnetic hazard specialist, emphasized the real-world impact: «Space weather can have a real impact on the lives of people across the planet. [...] Our data suggests that this event could be one of the biggest storms we've seen in 20 years.» The storm poses risks of power blackouts, GPS failures lasting days, and problems orienting spacecraft.
Northern Lights forecast
Multiple coronal mass ejections have bombarded Earth in recent days, with another expected Wednesday. Krista Hammond, the Met Office's space weather manager, said: «This event is likely to be of a similar magnitude to the one in May 2024, which brought auroras across much of England and Wales.» AuroraWatch UK issued a red alert, indicating the Northern Lights could be visible anywhere in the country.
But weather will spoil the show for most. Hammond added: «However, on this occasion, the weather will hamper viewing potential for many, with thick cloud and rain for much of the country. The best visibility is likely to be in the north of Scotland on Wednesday night, though there is a chance of some breaks in the cloud at times in the southeast in the night.» Peak aurora activity is forecast between 9pm and 3am, strongest around midnight.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
