Earth is expected to be hit by a geomagnetic storm on Tuesday, but most of us won’t even notice. Nevertheless, it’s possible that some planes flying at high altitude might be ordered to go lower as a precaution, with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) preferring to play things safe.
The storm arises from a coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred on Sunday, and is expected to deal a glancing blow to Earth’s magnetic field on Tuesday (or possibly Wednesday). There is believed to be no danger to humans, and concerns about electricity blackouts are groundless.
The six crewmembers currently on the International Space Station (ISS) are also not in any danger. This is the largest such storm since 2005, and is part of an 11-year solar cycle that is currently ramping up to its maximum point some time over the next year or so.
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