Solar Mega Storm Warnings
According to researchers, a major solar mega storm struck Earth in 1582, appearing as a “huge fire” in the skies over Europe and Asia, and another such mega-storm could strike Earth this century, this time with the potential to cause devastating damage and knock out global power grids.
Cornell University researchers also uncovered 16th-century eyewitness accounts of the storm of 1582. (via Daily Mail). The observations are similar to those of more recent solar storms, such as those in 1909 and 1989, implying that these mega-storms occur once a century.
Last Storm was in 1582
The 1582 records describe a three-day event- solar mega storm that included a “fiery red sky display.” Although the first occurrence of the event was described as “dreadful and frightening fire rays that appeared over the castle,” subsequent days appeared to be less extreme.
“All that part of the sky seemed burning in fiery flames; it seemed that the sky was burning,” said Pero Ruiz Soares, an eyewitness to the 1582 solar storm.
“Nobody recalled seeing anything like that,” they said. At midnight, terrible and terrifying fire rays appeared over the castle. The next day, it happened at the same hour, but it was not as terrible and scary. Everyone travelled to the countryside to see this beautiful sign.”
Other Location of Sightings
The event was also registered in feudal Japan, Germany, and South Korea, among other locations. There have been many solar storms since then, including the 1859 “Carrington disaster,” which is considered one of the most intense space weather events ever recorded.
Solar storms are relatively common, and they are typically harmless. A big solar storm, on the other hand, may be disastrous for the modern world. The sun produces hot plasma as solar flares and winds during a solar storm, which can cause electronic interference. A strong enough solar mega storm hitting Earth could knock out power grids, and there’s historical proof of how destructive such a storm could be. The most powerful solar storm of the twentieth century struck in 1909, causing widespread telegraph system problems, although a less powerful storm knocked out Quebec’s power grid in 1989.
Impact on Our Life
So, how does this impact life in the twenty-first century? Scientists expect another large solar storm will occur sometime in the twenty-first century, and researchers hope to use the 1582 reports to help create improved prediction models, which is particularly necessary given NASA’s plans to return to the moon in 2024.