Jun 11, 2010 Sun Storm Makes Earth Blackout in 2013 Possible
Written under: Science News of a solar storm coming in the next
few years is making people believe that there is a possibility
of an Earth blackout in 2013. “The sun is waking up from a deep
slumber, and in the next few years we expect to see much higher
levels of solar activity,” said Richard Fisher, head of NASA’s
Heliophysics Division. But what is a solar storm? Well, it is
essentially the occurrence of violent eruptions in the sun which
can eject destructive radiation and charged particles into
space. These are closely connected to magnetic fields – which
are hazardous for satellites and space stations. In 1859,
reports of a geomagnetic storm sparked by a huge solar flare
swept over the Earth. This caused telegraph wires to short and
houses were set on fire. What’s scary is that scientists predict
that in May 2013, the sun’s solar cycle will peak at about the
same level as in 1859. So what would happen? Will there be a
massive Earth blackout in