Long-Duration Solar Storm Shoots Particles at Earth

In the early hours of Saturday (Feb. 9), the sun shot out a long-duration solar flare aimed at Earth, triggering a coronal mass ejection (CME), scientists at NASA confirmed.

Though the flare flung charged particles to Earth at speeds of about 1.8 million miles per hour (nearly 2.9 million km/h), and they can cause a geomagnetic storm, it should not cut off satellites or undermine the work of astronauts in space. However, it could amplify auroras on Earth, NASA says.

“Historically, CMEs at this speed are usually benign,” the U.S. space agency said in a statement. “In the past, CMEs at this strength have had little effect. They may cause auroras near the poles but are unlikely to disrupt electrical systems on Earth or interfere with GPS or satellite-based communications systems.”

The eruption also caught the attention astronauts living on the International Space Station, even though the solar weather event will have little impact on their daily routine.

"We live right next to a star," wrote Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who currently lives on the International Space Station, in a Twitter post. "Today it ejected a huge blob at 500 mi/sec. But not to worry - should be good aurorae."

The sun is currently in an active period of its 11-year solar weather cycle, and is expected to reach its peak this year. The sun's current weather cycle is known as Solar Cycle 24.

Coronal mass ejections, or CMEs, are eruptions of charged solar material that fling solar particles out into space. When aimed at Earth, they can reach the planet between one and three days later, and cause geomagnetic storms when they interact with the planet's magnetic field. They can also amplify the northern and southern lights displays over the Earth's poles.