The sun appears to be angry; a massive coronal mass ejection unveils a striking image resembling a grimacing demonic face. Striking are the letters DV (DeVil?) standing out on the forehead of the figure.
Obviously, the strange phenomenon captured by NASA’s solar satellite SOLO EUI HRI 174 on 2024/05/11 is an ordinary natural occurrence triggered by the eruption of solar material but a fact is that a huge CME hit Earth’s magnetic field on May 10th, leading up to the biggest geomagnetic storm in almost 20 year.
And it is not yet over as forecasts predict additional coronal mass ejections to follow closely behind, prolonging the storm well into the weekend. Anticipation mounts for widespread auroras, promising captivating displays over regions like Europa and the United States.
The storm has now reached level G5 which is the strongest level of geomagnetic storm, on a scale from G1 to G5. The solar storm could lead to disruption of satellite communication systems, low-frequency radio navigation systems such as GPS or even widespread power grid failures.
This unique solar phenomenon emphasizes once more the importance of constant monitoring and readiness in response to solar disruptions in order to prevent another Carrington event which was the most intense geomagnetic storm in recorded history, peaking from 1–2 September 1859.