Canadian Space Agency says effects of solar storm will be mild
Posted January 24, 2012 6:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A research scientist at the Canadian Space Agency says the latest solar storm bombarding the Earth with radiation is actually quite mild — for now.
Some space weather observers describe it as the strongest in more than six years but John Manuel, an expert in solar-terrestrial sciences, says it’s currently at the bottom end of the scale.
The space agency scientist says the sun is just starting to ramp up and the solar flares will peak in the summer of 2013.
Manuel says the solar flareups may lead to more spectacular northern lights in the Northwest Territories. He says Edmonton and Winnipeg will probably enjoy some aurora borealis sky works as well.
Manuel adds that cities further south, like Toronto and Montreal, might also get lucky.
NASA says the sun erupted late Sunday and sent what’s described as a coronal mass ejection towards Earth.
The government website Space Weather Canada has issued a storm advisory for the polar region, which means there’s a slight possibility of some disruption of communications.
