Strong geomagnetic storm continues for more than 30 hours: possible auroras

A strong geomagnetic storm that began on the night of September 30 at about 3:00 AM has been ongoing for more than 30 hours. This was reported by the Solar Astronomy Laboratory of the Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

During this time, conditions in near-Earth space have deteriorated: the solar wind speed has increased from 400 to approximately 700 km/s, and the plasma temperature has tripled to 300,000 degrees. The intensity of the interplanetary magnetic field has decreased by 40-60%, but the storm persists at levels G1-G2.

The most noticeable manifestation has been the auroral displays. Yesterday evening, they were observed in the northeastern regions of Russia, and were also recorded in the Moscow region. In the capital, the aurora was barely discernible to the eye, but it was captured on smartphone and camera lenses.

The forecast for the coming day remains unfavorable. Despite the possibility of a temporary decrease in activity to the "yellow" level, experts warn of a high probability of new disturbances. The probability of X-class flares on the Sun has exceeded 50% for the first time in recent days, which could lead to new magnetic storms.

Read more on this topic:

• Strong magnetic storm of level G3+ registered on Earth: possible disruptions in power grids
• Hold on to your heads: the most powerful magnetic storm in three months has begun on Earth
• Scientists in bewilderment: an inexplicable magnetic storm occurred on Earth on September 10