5 Things You Need to Know About the Geomagnetic Storm Hitting Earth Tonight
- The current geomagnetic storm is rated as a G3 (Strong) event, which means it could trigger spectacular aurora borealis displays visible as far south as Illinois and Oregon in the U.S., according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center.
- This geomagnetic storm originated from a coronal mass ejection (CME) that erupted from the sun on Tuesday, traveling at over 600 miles per second before slamming into Earth's magnetosphere earlier today.
- While dazzling to skywatchers, this geomagnetic storm poses risks to power grids and satellite operations, with utilities in northern regions already on alert for voltage irregularities and potential transformer damage.
- Airline routes over polar regions may be rerouted during the geomagnetic storm to protect passengers and crew from increased radiation exposure at high altitudes, which could cause delays for international flights.
- For optimal viewing of this geomagnetic storm's aurora, experts recommend heading to dark skies away from city lights from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. local time, and checking your phone's camera—modern sensors often capture colors invisible to the naked eye.