"Christmas Storm" Expected Following Significant Solar Flare
An M-class solar flare is expected to trigger a minor geomagnetic storm, bringing polar lights on Wednesday. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
**Vibrant Northern Lights Expected Wednesday**
People in the northern hemisphere can look forward to spectacular aurora borealis displays on Wednesday, as a coronal mass ejection from the sun interacts with Earth, according to Russian scientists.
After a period of two weeks with little solar activity, the sun emitted a class-M flare Monday, measuring 8.9 in magnitude, just shy of class-X status. This flare originated from sunspot group 3932, which astronomers have been keeping a close eye on as it is positioned to cross the sun-Earth line in the next 5 to 7 days.
“Part of the coronal mass ejection could clip our planet in the afternoon of December 25,” noted Mikhail Leus from the ‘Phobos’ weather center in Moscow on his Telegram channel. He added, “Forecasts show it might result in a G1 or G2 magnetic storm.”
Leus explained that Monday’s flare occurred at a 40-degree angle from the sun-earth line, which indicates that the resulting storm is expected to be mild. The duration of this solar event is estimated to last between 8 to 10 hours, though it could extend up to 30 hours.
In addition to the expected northern lights, the solar storm on Wednesday may lead to some disruptions in high-frequency radio communications and could impact satellite operations. There are also safety concerns regarding radiation exposure for astronauts in space and passengers on high-altitude flights.
A more intense X9 flare produced a significant geomagnetic storm on October 10. Although it was classified as a G4-level event with the potential for major disruptions to power grids and radio communications, the actual impact on technology was relatively minor, although it did allow the northern lights to be visible as far south as California.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
People in the northern hemisphere can look forward to spectacular aurora borealis displays on Wednesday, as a coronal mass ejection from the sun interacts with Earth, according to Russian scientists.
After a period of two weeks with little solar activity, the sun emitted a class-M flare Monday, measuring 8.9 in magnitude, just shy of class-X status. This flare originated from sunspot group 3932, which astronomers have been keeping a close eye on as it is positioned to cross the sun-Earth line in the next 5 to 7 days.
“Part of the coronal mass ejection could clip our planet in the afternoon of December 25,” noted Mikhail Leus from the ‘Phobos’ weather center in Moscow on his Telegram channel. He added, “Forecasts show it might result in a G1 or G2 magnetic storm.”
Leus explained that Monday’s flare occurred at a 40-degree angle from the sun-earth line, which indicates that the resulting storm is expected to be mild. The duration of this solar event is estimated to last between 8 to 10 hours, though it could extend up to 30 hours.
In addition to the expected northern lights, the solar storm on Wednesday may lead to some disruptions in high-frequency radio communications and could impact satellite operations. There are also safety concerns regarding radiation exposure for astronauts in space and passengers on high-altitude flights.
A more intense X9 flare produced a significant geomagnetic storm on October 10. Although it was classified as a G4-level event with the potential for major disruptions to power grids and radio communications, the actual impact on technology was relatively minor, although it did allow the northern lights to be visible as far south as California.
Olivia Brown contributed to this report for TROIB News
