Sunspots and cycles

Amid the hustle and bustle of daily life, it is easy to forget how small we are. It would take 1.3 million Earths to fill up the sun. The past week saw massive solar storms, explosions on the surface of the sun that emit electromagnetic radiation. When these electrically charged solar particles hit the Earth’s magnetic field, they are funnelled north and south towards the poles. In the upper atmosphere, they crash into oxygen and nitrogen atoms, resulting in the spectacular aurora light phenomenon. This is usually more visible in the Northern Hemisphere, but last ‘s week solar storm was so big even South Africans could catch a glimpse in places. There is potential peril amid the beauty. These geomagnetic storms can also knock out communication equipment, but fortunately not this time.

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