Geomagnetic Storm

space weather · magnetosphere · solar activity · northern lights

Powered by the Sun. Geomagnetic storms happen when energy from the Sun, usually in the form of massive waves of plasma and magnetic fields, slam into Earth's magnetosphere, which is the invisible bubble of magnetism that surrounds our planet.

Born from solar explosions. These storms are triggered by solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which are enormous bursts of material that the Sun throws into space toward Earth.

Creates the aurora. The most beautiful effect of a geomagnetic storm is the aurora borealis (northern lights) and aurora australis (southern lights), which are shimmering curtains of green, red, and purple light dancing across the sky.

Affects our technology. Strong geomagnetic storms can interfere with satellites, power grids, and GPS systems that we depend on for communication and navigation.

Earth stays protected. While these storms are dramatic, Earth's magnetosphere acts like a shield that protects us from the Sun's dangerous radiation, even during the strongest storms.