Extreme G5 Geomagnetic Storm: Rare Auroras in Ladakh and Risks to India's Space Infrastructure
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A massive G5-category solar storm, the strongest in two decades, recently impacted Earth, causing rare aurora sightings in Ladakh and prompting ISRO to monitor satellite health. The event underscores the growing need for space weather forecasting to protect critical communication and power systems.
On May 10, 2024, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US upgraded a geomagnetic storm to the 'G5' or 'Extreme' category, the highest on its scale. This event, the strongest to hit Earth since 2003, was triggered by a series of intense solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) from a massive sunspot cluster.
The storm's most visible impact was the rare appearance of auroras at lower latitudes than usual. In India, the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh, captured stunning red-hued auroras. Typically, auroras are confined to polar regions (Aurora Borealis and Australis), but extreme geomagnetic activity can push these displays toward the equator, providing unique data for space weather research in the high-altitude Himalayan region.
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