Magnetic storms to hit Earth over the weekend

Magnetic storms, triggered by a small solar prominence ejected from the Sun, are expected to affect Earth over the weekend.

As reported by Caliber.Az, this was stated in an announcement from the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute and the Institute of Solar-Terrestrial Physics (IKI and ISTP) of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

“A small solar prominence was ejected from the Sun toward Earth yesterday (23 July), originating almost exactly from the centre of the visible solar disk,” the publication notes.

Scientists explain that this solar feature had been observed throughout the week and disappeared from monitoring images early yesterday.

According to experts, part of the prominence’s plasma was directed toward Earth during its collapse, albeit at relatively low speeds.

The organisation also notes that weak magnetic storms (G1) are likely to begin over the coming weekend, from 26 to 27 July, with a 65% probability. The likelihood of stronger storms stands at around 15%.

By Vugar Khalilov