Solar storms LIVE: Power grid fears after NASA spacecraft rocked by flare battering Earth

SpaceX launches all-civilian crew into orbit

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An alert published by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned the UK to expect “weak power grid fluctuations” and satellite “orientation irregularities”. The agency rates the storm as G2, meaning it is moderately strong and is expected to continue until 4pm this afternoon. 

A coronal mass ejection (CME) is a massive expulsion of plasma from the Sun’s corona (its outermost layer). 

The Met Office said the storm will likely cause “minor to moderate geomagnetic storms” resulting in “enhanced auroral activity”.

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Northern skies lit up by Aurora glow

The Northern Lights were also visible in the UK in the early hours of this morning. 

Aurora Alerts UK issued a “red alert” at 7:23 am, stating that the Northern lights may be visible in the northern parts of Britain and could continue tonight. 

The solar flare hit Earth’s magnetic field at around 3.30 am sparking the storm which is expected to last until 4 pm.

The glow appeared in skies above parts of England’s north, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. 

READ MORE: Solar flare: UK on ‘red alert’ as ‘strong substorm’ fuels Northern Lights over Britain | Science | News | Express.co.uk

US states seeing Northern Lights

Some northern US states appear to be seeing the Northern Lights as a result of the DSCOVR spacecraft being hit by the storm. 

Space meteorologist Christian Möstl said the appearance is caused by “the piled up plasma with southward pointing magnetic fields led to a coupling of the solar wind to the magnetosphere.”

This is four times the average.

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