Aurora borealis seen as far south as the equator in 1872 after largest known solar storm
On February 4, 1872, the most powerful solar storm in recorded history occurred.
This event, known as the Carrington Event, caused widespread disruption to telegraph systems and produced stunning auroral displays visible as far south as the equator.
The Carrington Event was triggered by a coronal mass ejection (CME), a massive cloud of plasma and magnetic field that erupted from the Sun's surface.
When the CME reached Earth, it interacted with the planet's magnetic field, causing a geomagnetic storm of unprecedented intensity.
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The storm caused telegraph lines to spark and fail, disrupting communications across the globe.
It also induced strong electric currents in the Earth's crust, which caused auroral displays to be visible in regions where they are rarely seen.
The auroral displays were so bright that they were visible during the day. In some locations, the aurora was so intense that it illuminated the ground.
The Carrington Event was a reminder of the Sun's power and the potential impact of space weather on our planet. It is also a reminder of the need for better understanding and monitoring of space weather events so that we can mitigate their effects.