A “black hole” 20 times the size of Earth has formed on the Sun, resulting in a solar wind with electric properties that is expected to hit Earth soon. This weekend, Earth could experience strong auroras and issues with satellite malfunction.
According to the American science outlet Science Alert, NASA’s solar observation satellite, the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), discovered a “coronal hole” on the Sun on the 28th.
The corona refers to the upper atmosphere of the Sun. The corona’s temperature can reach up to five million degrees, and the corona hole, which appears black like a black hole, is a low-temperature area compared to its surroundings. However, even if the temperature is low, it is still very hot. NASA revealed that the temperature of the recently discovered coronal hole is 1.24 million degrees. Coronae holes can only be seen through ultraviolet cameras and are invisible to the naked eye.
In contrast, “sunspots” appear in different locations. They occur on the Sun’s surface, or the “photosphere.” In comparison to coronal holes, sunspots can be likened to phenomena that occur on Earth’s surface. The temperature of sunspots is around 4,000 degrees, which is approximately 1,500 degrees lower than the surrounding photosphere.
The recently discovered coronal hole is the second one to appear in a row. The size of this coronal hole is big enough to fit 20 Earths inside, while the coronal hole that appeared last week was large enough to fit 30 Earths.
As more coronal holes are observed, tension is increasing on Earth. This is because coronal holes emit “solar winds,” which consist of particles with electric properties such as electrons and protons. When these winds reach Earth, they disturb the planet’s magnetic field or “magnetosphere.” They also damage the “ionosphere,” a thin layer in the Earth’s atmosphere that reflects or absorbs radio waves.
As a result, artificial satellites orbiting Earth may break down, and measurement errors may occur in satellite navigation systems. Shortwave communications may be interrupted, and power grids may fail. Sunspots, which emit X-rays, ultraviolet rays, and solar radiation, also cause similar problems, but coronal holes pose a more significant problem for satellite operation.
Scientists predict that the solar wind that originated from this coronal hole will travel at a speed of 800 km/s, and it is expected to reach Earth on Friday or Saturday. Additional analysis is necessary to determine if it will cause significant damage. However, scientists predict that auroras will be stronger than usual. The coronal hole that appeared last week did not cause any significant damage to Earth.