A massive solar flare hit Earth on the night of July 18

A solar storm hit planet Earth on the night of Monday July 18 to Tuesday July 19, 2022. It was believed to be a massive eruption that escaped from the sun before heading towards our planet, according to NASA scientists. , reports

.

“The magnetic orientation of this Earth-directed solar storm will be difficult to predict.

Level G2 (possibly G3) conditions – a classification which corresponds to an event of “moderate” intensity, according to our colleagues – can occur if the magnetic field of this storm is oriented towards the south!

“, had explained on Twitter the physicist in space weather Dr. Tamitha Skov.

The long snake-like filament cartwheeled its way off the #Sun in a stunning ballet.

The magnetic orientation of this Earth-directed #solarstorm is going to tough to predict.

G2-level (possibly G3) conditions may occur if the magnetic field of this storm is oriented southward!

pic.twitter.com/SNAZGMmqzi

— Dr. Tamitha Skov (@TamithaSkov) July 16, 2022

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Multiplication of solar flares

This phenomenon is due to an accumulation of energy on the surface of the sun, according to

.

Solar plasma (or CME, for coronal mass ejection) would be shot at high speed through space before hitting Earth's upper atmosphere and interacting with its magnetic field.

The name "Space Weather" was given to the study of these phenomena by the CNRS in October 2021.

However, extreme solar flares are rare.

However, they could multiply in the years to come, and this because of the new cycle in which the solar star has entered.

A cycle lasting 11 years which should reach a peak in 2025

, explains a researcher at the Institute for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology (IRAP).

Several consequences

These magnetic storms, which last from a few minutes to several hours, can have several consequences such as the aurora borealis at lower latitudes than usual.

Telecommunications networks can also be disrupted, as can the orbit of certain satellites.

The last solar storm hit Earth on July 6, 2022.

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