Watch out, the sun is at its “solar maximum” and these are the visible consequences we will have on earth.
Solar Maximum could have an effect on Earth. Here’s what to look out for.
The Sun, the star at the centre of the Solar System that gives our planet life, is going through a period known to scientists as ‘Solar Maximum’, when the star is at its most active.
The Sun’s activity is governed by powerful magnetic fields that fluctuate in cycles. As these fields change, the Sun enters periods of heightened activity, which is what is happening now.
What is Solar Maximum?
Solar maximum, as the name suggests, is the peak of the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle. During this time, the Sun’s intense magnetic fields generate more sunspots and solar flares than at any other point in the cycle.
According to UniverseToday, at solar maximum, the Sun produces an average of three coronal mass ejections (CMEs) per day, compared to just one every five days during solar minimum.
Is the Earth at risk from the Sun’s Solar Maximum?
CMEs pose plenty of risks to satellites, which are vulnerable to the effects of solar storms. In 2003, satellites experienced 70 different types of failures, ranging from electronic malfunctions to the destruction of electrical components.
Coronal Mass Ejections also endanger astronauts in orbit around Earth due to increased radiation. Such phenomena can increase health risks and astronauts must take shelter in the most heavily shielded part of the International Space Station.
“During solar maximum, the number of sunspots, and therefore, the amount of solar activity, increases,” said. This increase in activity provides an exciting opportunity to learn about our closest star — but also causes real effects at Earth and throughout our solar system", Jamie Favors, director of the Space Weather Program at NASA Headquarters in Washington said.
You may remember that back in May 2024, the Sun launched multiple CMEs, triggering what became the strongest geomagnetic storm in 200 decades, with the visual repercussions spotted much further from the poles than usual. NASA revealed that these aurorae were likely some of the strongest displays Earth has had over the last 500 years.
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