Get ready to swap your Netflix binge for some real-life cosmic drama! A massive solar flare the first major X-class of 2026 exploded from the sun’s active region 14341 at around 2:09 a.m. Beijing Time on Monday, sending a coronal mass ejection (CME) hurtling toward Earth. 🚀
By 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday, our planet’s magnetic shield was under attack. Satellite data show there were 6 hours of extreme geomagnetic activity followed by 6 hours of moderate disturbance. That’s some serious space weather action! 🌪️
Space-Based Eyes on the Storm 🌏
China’s Fengyun-3E satellite spotted a sharp dip in geomagnetic indices as the storm peaked, while Fengyun-3H captured jaw-dropping images of auroras dancing across the Northern Hemisphere. Imagine logging into Instagram to see Mother Nature’s own light show! 📸
Auroras in Northern China & Beyond ✨
On Tuesday night, Mohe in Heilongjiang Province became ground zero for vibrant green and pink auroras. These neon waves happen when charged particles from the sun slam into gases in our upper atmosphere, creating spectacular sky art. 🌈
Though folks in Mumbai or Manila might not catch the glow, this solar storm is a cool reminder: our tech from GPS maps to satellite comms relies on that magnetic shield dancing with solar winds. Keep your devices charged and your eyes on the skies! 🔋👀
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
