NASA showed the most powerful solar storm of 2012: what it looked like.

September 1859 is remembered by Earth for a vivid geomagnetic storm that had an extremely strong impact on the planet. Auroras were visible even near the equator, and electrical systems failed. This event, known as the Carrington Event, remains one of the strongest in the history of observations. And, although nothing similar has happened since then, 2012 prepared a dangerous surprise. Want to know more? Then look for NASA's visualization of the 2012 geomagnetic storm to see what it looked like!

Geomagnetic storms are triggered by super-fast plasma ejections from the Sun - coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Their speed depends on a number of factors and is usually accompanied by solar flares, which can themselves cause radio interference. The Carrington Event was likely enhanced by a powerful flare and a series of prior eruptions that cleared a path for the main impact.

In July and August 2012, the Sun released several CMEs, four of which were a prelude to the grand ejection on July 23. The accompanying X2.5 flare, while strong, was not record-breaking, but the coronal mass ejection itself struck scientists - its speed reached about 2000 km/s. It is believed that the prior ejecta cleared the interplanetary space, allowing the plasma to travel unobstructed.

An impressive video of the Earth's rotation was shown on the net

Recall that it was previously reported that astronomers saw the birth of new worlds for the first time.

In September 1859, Earth witnessed an incredible geomagnetic storm that generated auroras, disabled electrical systems, and remains in history as the Carrington Event. This phenomenon has not been repeated yet, but the events of 2012 showed that the threat is still relevant. NASA recently published a visualization of the 2012 geomagnetic storm, which provides a closer look at this stunning natural phenomenon.