Geomagnetic storm: ‘Space is a mess right now’

Professor Mathew Owens, Professor of Space Physics at the University of Reading, said: “Over the past 48 hours we have seen a series of eruptions - known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) - from the Sun, and they seem to be headed right at us. Our forecast is showing six or seven of these eruptions piling up en route from the Sun to the Earth. Space is a mess right now.

“Forecasting CME arrival time is very difficult, but our best estimate is around 2am (BST, Saturday, 11 May) tonight. If you're late to bed or up before sunrise, it's worth looking north as you may see the Northern Lights. A strong aurora is probable for Scotland and northern England (and the weather looks to be cooperating for optimal viewing). It may stretch further south, but until we have those magnetic field measurements when the CMEs arrive, it's hard to say.

“What's really difficult is forecasting the likely effects of these eruptions and the impact they could have on communications and power on Earth. That's because it all depends on the strength and direction of the magnetic field inside the CMEs, and we basically have no information about that until the CMEs pass spacecraft close to Earth. 

“The scale of this activity is rare, but not particularly unusual for the maximum phase of the Sun's 11-year cycle. It just so happens that Earth is in the firing line this time.”