Solar Storm Four Times the Size of Earth Detected by Amateur Photographer

A solar storm emerging away from the Sun where "four entire Earths" could fit in was recorded by an amateur photographer and American educational YouTuber named Chuck Ayoub, who posted about the strange space event of such magnitude on social media recently.

Solar storms consist of a variety of solar activities like solar flares and coronal mass ejections.

These space phenomena can emit several space weather hazards, such as a geomagnetic storm, solar radiation, and radio blackout, disrupting both radio frequencies and satellite signals on Earth.

Over recent months, solar activities have increased on our solar system's only star under the current Solar Cycle 25, as part of the 11-year change where the Sun's magnetic field flips and goes through the said cycle.

While the occurrence of solar storms is common, the observations and recordings of these solar spectacles are scientifically significant.

Solar Storm Video

Ayoub detected the unusual space storm on a video posted on Instagram on Friday, June 3.

In the caption, the amateur astronomer stated he was not expecting to capture the event, which happened after he pointed out his telescope on Thursday, June 2.

In the video, it can be noticed the Sun emitted a curve-shaped plasma out of its surface.

The photographer described that there was an ongoing battle between the Sun's changing magnetic fields, which led to the plasma storm to emerge from its surface that can last for days.

He further noted that it could reach 5,500 degrees Celsius (10,000 degrees Fahrenheit).

In another social media platform, Ayoub also posted a portion of the video in a Reddit thread on Sunday, June 5.

The video has gained thousands of views and even caught the attention of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

Ayoub, known in the internet as Chuck's Astrophotography, is reportedly well recognized for uploading videos in matters relating to astronomy, astrophotography, telescopes, and cameras.

Solar Cycle 25

In September 2020, experts from NASA and the National Oceanic and Space Administration (NOAA) gathered to discuss their analysis and predictions with regard to the ongoing Solar Cycle 25, including matters how it could affect our daily lives, Earth's technology, and even the astronauts from space.

According to the Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel, the solar minimum or start of the current solar cycle occurred in December 2019, as per NASA.

The panel consists of an international group of experts co-funded by NASA and NOAA.

A solar minimum is an early phase of the solar cycle where solar activities are relatively low.

However, this increases as it heads towards the solar maximum, which has been predicted to reach its peak in 2025.

Carrington Event

While there have been notable solar storms in terms of frequency and intensity, the Carrington Event of 1859 is still considered as the strongest geomagnetic storm in recorded history, disrupting the world's telegraph systems, according to NOAA.

The event's name was coined by British astronomer Richard C. Carrington, who saw the massive solar storm while studying a group of sunspots.

While technology is still relatively primitive at that time, the 1859 solar storm released an electricity surge that temporarily prohibited telegraph workers to send a message.

Anecdotal evidence also suggested that there were occurrences of fires in multiple telegraph stations, including in the United States.