Fizzer

It looked like being tin-foil hat weather on Thursday...

Earth braces for biggest space storm in 5 years

Huge explosions on the sun’s surface are sparking the biggest radiation and geomagnetic storm that Earth has experienced in five years, according to space weather experts.

The storm, expected to hit Earth later today and last for around 24 hours, may disrupt power grids, GPS systems and satellites, and has already forced some airlines to change their routes around the polar regions.

Artist’s impression of sunrise on 9 March 2012. (NASA)

But by next day...

Space weather storm fizzles on arrival

A space weather storm that was forecast to be the strongest in five years has fizzled out and ended up causing no impact to power grids or modern navigation systems, expert say.

A series of eruptions on the sun this week sent radiation and solar plasma hurtling toward Earth at high speeds but, in the end, the geomagnetic storm registered the lowest level, G1, on a five-step scale.

It must be a thankless gig being a space weather expert.