NASA is also aware of the potential problems, and is actively researching solutions. While these actions wouldn't ensure safety, being informed would be the key to recovering from the event. They could also be instructed to stay off the roads, airlines could be entirely shut down, and protective structures could be created/used (or there might be ways for people to maximize safety at home). To, at least, mitigate damages, people could be informed of the exact time and nature of the event, lessening panic and chaos. Hopefully before another major solar event happens, we might at least have the ability to anticipate it. It is impossible to say with certainty what such an event would lead to, and when or if it might happen. The Carrington event happened in the mid-1800s, and the effects that it had on the technology of the time were notable and significant. The effect of a similar event occurring during the 21st century would be much worse due to our reliance on technology - for starters, we would probably lose all satellites, causing billions of dollars in damage and confusion as our navigation and communication systems shut down. But the impacts of these storms range from potentially disastrous, even at the mildest level, to incomprehensibly catastrophic. There is a wide range of severity when it comes to solar storms. In 1859, amateur astronomer Richard Carrington was trying to using glass and projection to study sunspots when "a ray of light had penetrated a hole in the screen attached to the object-glass…for the brilliancy was fully equal to that of direct sunlight." Now known as the Carrington event, this storm was reported to have started fires, stopped all working electricity, and lit up the sky with auroras. These events do not represent the full extent of potential solar storms. ![]() This can, quite obviously, cause widespread blackouts (while still interfering with GPS technologies). This can create fluctuations and disturbances on the ground, which could be strong enough to destroy transformers within power grids. ![]() A much larger burst, CMEs can shoot particles into Earth's atmosphere and create electromagnetic fluctuations. In just about six months, on April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross North America and the Circle City. ![]() While this presents a wide array of potential difficulties and disasters, a coronal mass ejection (CME) would be more serious. NASA is racing to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for next year’s solar eclipse.
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