If you've managed to catch a glimpse of the auroras this spring, you may be wondering what they have to do with the sun, and why they seem to be happening more than usual lately.
The largest geomagnetic storm in 20 years set off displays of the auroras across Canada and the U.S. on May 10, and a smaller coronal mass ejection lit up the skies over the northern U.S. and parts of Canada again three weeks later.
Explosions from more active areas of the solar surface sometimes send magnetically charged material into space in the form of either a CME or a solar flare. The geomagnetic storms of May 10 and 31, as well as this week's storm, were all triggered by CME events. Solar flares and CMEs can happen both independently and together, according to NASA, and they both tend to occur near sunspots, which are the locations on the sun's surface where its magnetic field is strongest.According to CTV News Science and Technology Specialist Dan Riskin, the frequency of CMEs and flares varies with the solar cycle. Right now, we're approaching the peak of that cycle.
"On the other hand, CMEs can funnel particles into near-Earth space. A CME can jostle Earth’s magnetic fields, creating currents that drive particles down toward Earth’s poles."Magnetic changes near Earth can affect high-frequency radio waves, causing radios to transmit static. They can also cause GPS coordinates to stray by several metres and create electrical currents in utility grids that can overload electrical systems when power companies are caught off guard.
Court heard from the Crown’s star witness Tuesday in the case of an alleged terrorist plot to shoot an entire family at their Mississauga restaurant.A hearing held in a Calgary courtroom on Tuesday, saw arguments from a lawyer representing the city of Calgary and a defence lawyer for Denis Bagaric, who is the owner of two dogs that were present for a fatal attack against an elderly woman in 2022.
Amid renewed scrutiny over the cost of Canada's consumer carbon tax, following a miscalculation by Parliamentary Budget Officer Yves Giroux, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland is standing by the Liberal policy, calling the error an 'honest mistake.'An Ontario nurse who's worked in the health-care field for more than 15 years says the staffing levels have never been as bad as they are now.
A New York man was charged Tuesday in a sports betting scandal that spurred the NBA to ban Jontay Porter for life, with the charges marking the first known criminal fallout from the matter.Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is looking to extend her winning streak as the Edmonton Oilers prepare to face off against the Florida Panthers for the Stanley Cup.The Vancouver Whitecaps will host the Red Dragons for a friendly on July 27 in the final game of the Welsh club's pre-season tour.
An Ontario senior whose $4,000 e-bike was recently stolen says his insurance policy only covered a quarter of its value.The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board says home sales in May were down 21.7 per cent from last year, but new listings continued to rise as homeowners anticipate a bump in demand.
It is the beginning of a new era for Regina’s Dress for Success program, a non profit organization which aims to help women and non-binary individuals gain economic independence in a variety of ways, including providing professional attire.Regina police seize drugs estimated to be worth more than $1 million
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