A Double Sunblast Could Mean Auroras Over the U.S. This Week

According to the experts at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are en route to Earth, and they could be bringing a glowing gift: a potential auroral display reaching farther south than usual—possibly lighting up skies over parts of the northern U.S., like New York and Idaho. This space weather alert is tied to a rare solar double feature: two magnetic filament eruptions that launched CMEs from the Sun over the weekend. If both CMEs arrive on Earth close together, as forecast, we could be looking at G2-class (moderate) geomagnetic storm conditions on Wednesday. The Sun undergoes an 11-year cycle during which its magnetic field flips direction, triggering changes on its surface. This cycle leads to the formation of sunspots—regions on the solar surface where magnetic field lines are especially intense. These sunspots often become hotspots for powerful solar activity, like flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). When these energetic outbursts se ... Read full article.