A magnetic storm has hit the Earth. And that’s not all, the Sun is approaching its cycle maximum

On Wednesday, July 24, a magnetic storm hit the Earth in the morning. This means that the aurora borealis is already visible in the sky in some parts of the world. In the morning (WEST time), it can be seen over Antarctica and Canada. Over time, the aurora will move towards the equator and . .

Two strong solar eruptions. There is no threat to the power grid, but there is an aurora

Wednesday’s visible aurora is the result of coronal mass ejections recorded by NASA in a video on July 21. These are bursts of plasma on the surface of the sun, which result in magnetic storms hitting Earth. If they are strong enough, they manifest as auroras. However, if their power is too strong, they can even cause disruptions to power supplies. For this to happen, the sun must experience a class X flare. Even then, the chance of disrupting power grids is only 15 percent.

Smaller flares are classified as M, C and B (the weakest). In turn, magnetic storms are rated on a scale from G1 to G5. The one on Wednesday, July 24, is not particularly dangerous, because although it is the result of, among others, two X-class flares, it was only classified as G2 –

The Sun may have entered its maximum cycle. X-class flares are intensifying

X-class solar flares are not unheard of. In February, a sunspot triggered three X-class coronal mass ejections, but none resulted in power outages. There could be many more such flares in the coming months, as the sun approaches the maximum of its 11-year cycle.

Whether it has already started, however, is currently impossible to determine. We can only collect data, which in a few years will be used to determine the exact time frame. In theory, the cycle should begin in 2025, but these dates are conventional. However, increasing solar activity indicates that the maximum of the cycle may have already begun.