Scientists Amazed by Sun’s ‘Canyon of Fire’ on Halloween
Over the past few months, the Sun has been displaying unusual behavior, providing space scientists with incredible sights. Recently, another extraordinary event occurred during a festival, adding to the excitement. On October 31, Halloween became even more astronomically fascinating as the Sun unleashed a massive ‘canyon of fire’ spanning its southern hemisphere. This captivating occurrence was caused by a powerful eruption of a magnetic filament originating from our star, according to Spaceweather.com. The remarkable phenomenon quickly grabbed the interest of both scientists and stargazers.
Huge magnetic solar filaments, composed of electrified gas, or plasma, hovered above the Sun’s surface. These filaments trace their path through the Sun’s atmosphere under the influence of the Sun’s magnetic field. When this magnetic field is disturbed, these filaments become unstable, leading to extraordinary discharges, as reported by Weatherreports.com.
A video documenting the eruption reveals the gradual acceleration of the filament, culminating in a moment of instability and the awe-inspiring event that unfolded.
Brush the earth with solar flares
This eruption also triggered a phenomenon known as a coronal mass ejection (CME). In a CME, charged plasma from the Sun’s corona – the uppermost layer of its atmosphere – is pushed strongly into space. NASA models point to a possible glancing blow to Earth, which is expected to occur around November 4, as reported by spaceweather.com.
If some of this coronal mass goes towards our planet, it could cause strong currents of magnetized solar wind. When these solar winds reach Earth, they can create breathtaking aurora borealis for days to come. The northern lights, also known as Aurora borealis (in the Northern Hemisphere) and Aurora australis (in the Southern Hemisphere), are caused by the collision of highly charged particles from the Sun with the Earth’s upper atmosphere at astonishing speeds of up to 45 million miles per hour. (about 72 million kilometers per hour). Earth’s magnetic field plays a crucial role in directing these particles to the planet’s north and south poles.
As a rare celestial treat, the Sun’s Halloween “canyon of fire” reminds us of the fascinating and ever-changing wonders of our solar system, leaving scientists and space enthusiasts eager to witness more of these awe-inspiring events.
