The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a rare warning, saying that solar activity could cause disruptions. But there is no need for concern.
A severe solar storm is brewing.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center on Friday issued a rare warning after a solar outburst reached Earth.
Officials said that the solar activity could potentially cause electrical outages or interfere with navigation and communication systems.
It also said that the northern lights, which are caused by material that the sun expels from its surface, could be visible as far south as Alabama or Northern California, and the northern parts of Britain.
The lights — also known as aurora borealis — usually look like an arc of green light.
According to the authorities, the solar flares will be most active starting on Friday and potentially over the next few days.
Here is how it happens.
As nuclear reactions occur on the sun, it routinely expels material from its surface. This type of space weather is what creates auroras — also known as the northern and southern lights (depending on your hemisphere).
Here’s where the possible disruption could come in: When the sun’s activity increases, the emissions sent through the solar system can affect satellites orbiting close to Earth as well as infrastructure on the ground, leading to disruptions in navigation systems, radio communications and even the power grid.