A severe solar storm is expected to intensify the northern lights display on Friday, potentially visible as far south as Alabama in the United States.
By Arforbes
The National Oceanic
and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its first severe geomagnetic storm watch since 2005, signaling the significance of this event.
Shawn Dahl from
the Space Weather Prediction Center expressed concern due to the rarity of such storms and alerted satellite and grid operators to prepare for possible disruptions to communications, power grids, and satellites.
Forecasters predict
the storm's arrival around 8 p.m. ET on Friday, but precise timing is challenging due to the vast distance between the sun and Earth.
NASA's Advanced
Composition Explorer spacecraft will aid in measuring solar wind and understanding the storm's timing and potential effects more accurately, enhancing preparedness efforts.
The Space Weather Prediction Center has issued its first "severe geomagnetic storm watch" since 2005
One of the most
damaging geomagnetic storms occurred in 1989, when roughly 6 million people in Montreal, Canada, lost power for nine hours, according to NASA.
Hoosiers might see
northern lights this weekend, but it depends where you live in Indiana