A solar storm resembling ‘a great fire’ in 1582 could hit Earth AGAIN this century, causing billions of damage and knocking out electricity grids worldwide, experts warn
- A solar storm hit the earth in 1582 that looked like a ‘big fire’ in the sky
- The storm lasted three days and stretched from Europe to East Asia
- Today, the storm would cause global blackouts and billions in damage
- The storm of 1582 would occur every century, suggesting that Earth is coming
In 1582, a “great fire” appeared in the sky over dozens of cities in Europe and Asia, and eyewitness accounts of this solar storm have recently come to light.
Scientists at Cornell University found eyewitness observations reporting a ‘fiery red screen in the sky’ that lasted three days, while another said that ‘rays of fire rose above the castle that were terrible and terrifying’.
People of this era were unaware that the event was a massive solar storm, but modern astronomers are using the storms to help predict future solar activity.
The solar storm that hit Earth on March 8, 1582 is similar to those in 1909 and 1989, suggesting they are a “one-off event in the century” and “one or two can be expected in the 21st century.” experts say.
If a similarly intense solar storm hit our modern world, it would cause billions of dollars in damage and shut down electricity grids worldwide.
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A ‘great fire’ appeared in the sky over dozens of cities in Europe and Asia in 1582 and eyewitness accounts of this solar storm have been uncovered. People of this era were unaware that the event was a massive solar storm, but modern astronomers use the storms to predict future solar activity (stock image)
Extreme space weather, or solar storms, occur when the sun shoots out boiling hot plasma in the form of solar flares and winds.
While most solar storms are usually harmless, a big enough storm that hits Earth can have catastrophic consequences.
Pero Ruiz Soares, an eyewitness to the solar storm of 1582, wrote: “All that part of the sky seemed to burn in fiery flames; it seemed that the sky was burning. ‘
‘No one remembered seeing anything like this … At midnight, great rays of fire came over the castle that were terrible and terrifying.
Scientists at Cornell University found eyewitness observations reporting a ‘fiery red screen in the sky’ that lasted three days, while another said that ‘rays of fire rose above the castle that were terrible and terrifying’. Depicted reports reported during the three-day event
The solar storm that hit in 1909 is said to be one of the most intense of the 20th century. According to Japanese auroral data, the bluish color began to appear first, followed by a reddish color
The same thing happened at the same hour the next day, but it wasn’t that great and terrifying. Everyone went to the countryside to see this great sign. ‘
The solar storm that hit in 1909 is said to be one of the most intense of the 20th century, as first reported by Universe Today.
It exhibited violent levels of geomagnetic perturbation, caused widespread interference in telegraph systems, and brought spectacular aurorae to the night sky.
Historical data shows that it hit Earth on Sept. 9, entering as a solar wind shock wave that was later linked to the release of plasma from an active sunspot.
According to Japanese auroral data, the bluish color began to appear first, followed by a reddish color.
A more recent event that could have resulted in fatalities took place in 1973 (photo). It happened during the Apollo era when the solar storm passed Earth in August, but luckily astronauts who explored the moon that year had returned home a few months earlier.
And it disrupted telegraph communications in mid to low latitudes.
About 89 years later, a “moderate” storm was observed that brought down Quebec’s power grid.
The study also highlights “ the 1859 Carrington event considered to be one of the most extreme space weather events reported, ” researchers wrote in the study in arxiv.
A more recent event that could have resulted in fatalities took place in 1973.
It happened during the Apollo era when the solar storm passed Earth in August, but luckily astronauts who explored the moon that year had returned home a few months earlier.
The team hopes to use this data to develop better prediction models as more people travel to space – particularly as NASA plans a lunar mission in 2024.
WHAT IS THE MAGNETIC FIELD OF THE EARTH AND HOW DOES IT PROTECT US?
The Earth’s magnetic field is a layer of electric charge that surrounds our planet.
The field protects life on our planet because it deflects charged particles fired by the sun, also known as ‘solar wind’.
Without this protective layer, these particles would likely remove the ozone layer, our only line of defense against harmful UV radiation.
The Earth’s magnetic field (blue) is a layer of electrical charge that surrounds our planet. The field protects life on our planet because it deflects charged particles fired by the sun (orange), known as ‘solar wind’ (artist’s impression)
Scientists believe the Earth’s core is responsible for creating its magnetic field.
When molten iron escapes into the Earth’s outer core, it creates convection currents.
These currents generate electric currents that create the magnetic field in a natural process known as a geodynamo.