Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska — The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, shines above Bear Lake. Photo by United States Air Force photo by Senior Airman Joshua Strang.
It may turn out to be just a pretty light show in the high latitudes of northern Michigan and Maine -- or -- today's geomagnetic storm may affect power stations across the country and even satellite operations.
Real-Time Geomagnetic Data. -- Warning issued at 0628 UTC.
Classified as a G1 Minor Geomagnetic Storm, today's ongoing event could cause weak power grid fluctuations. Brownouts or blackouts are possible.
Be mindful of excessive energy use today. Give those non-essential electrical appliances the day off, unplugged, to prevent damage in the event of power loss.
And if that cell phone service seems to be acting up, keep in mind that minor impact on satellite operations is also possible today. Take a deep breath and try your call again.
Oh, and while you're breathing, don't forget that "sigh of relief" -- that today's geomagnetic storm wasn't the big one.
An erupting solar prominence photographed by the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
Evidence is mounting: the next solar cycle is going to be a big one. Solar cycle 24, due to peak in 2010 or 2011 "looks like its going to be one of the most intense cycles since record-keeping began almost 400 years ago," says solar physicist David Hathaway of the Marshall Space Flight Center. -- more at Physics.org.
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