Sun Slings Coronal Mass Ejection Toward Mercury and Venus

The sun is heating up these days as it nears the peak of its 11-year solar cycle. Now, our nearest star has flung a coronal mass ejection, also known as a CME, toward Mercury and Venus. The new CME shows not only that the sun is becoming more active, but also reveals the potential for an Earth-directed CME in the future.

A CME is a solar phenomenon that can send billions of tons of solar particles into space, racing at speeds of hundreds of miles per second. CMEs have the ability to affect electronic systems in satellites and on the ground when they happen to be directed toward Earth. In this case, the CME shot from the sun at a whopping 570 miles per second, whizzing through space toward other planets.

Unfortunately for some satellites, though, this CME may actually make an impact. NASA's Messenger, Spitzer and STEREO-B satellites are all in the line of fire, according to NASA. Since this CME only has a very slight particle radiation associated with it, though, it's possible that nothing will happen. Yet just to be safe, the mission operators of these satellites have been informed. If necessary, they'll put the spacecraft into safe mode in order to protect the instruments from the solar material.

CMEs are usually preceded by a solar flare, which are powerful bursts of radiation from the sun. As the sun approaches its solar peak in 2013, these flares and, consequently, CMEs are becoming more frequent. In May, for example, our sun hurled four X-class solar flares into space.

Despite the dangers of CMEs--especially those that are directed toward Earth--there are a few positives when it comes to these solar phenomena. An Earth-directed CME can actually supercharge the northern lights, creating a spectacular display as particles interact with Earth's atmosphere. In fact, an Earth-directed CME that occurred in April resulted in a situation where the lights could be viewed far further south than usual.

Want to learn more about space weather or get further updates? Check out NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center here.