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NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover has detected an immense sunspot on the Sun, signalling a rebirth in solar activity with potential impacts on Earth in a week. Scientists use assets like the rover to monitor solar conditions, providing early warnings for protective measures against potential disruptions to satellites, air travel, and power grids.
Giant Sunspot Spotted by Mars Rover, Warning of Solar Storms Headed to Earth
After a few days of peace, solar activity again started haunting the potential risk to the Earth. A new observation from NASA’s Mars Perseverance rover shows an enormous sunspot emerging on the Sun, indicating increased solar storm activity that could impact Earth in about a week.
As per the latest report of SpaceWeather.com, using its mast-mounted camera, the Perseverance rover on Mars imaged a giant sunspot spanning over 200,000 km in diameter on the Sun on December 26th. As Perseverance orbits the Sun over a week ahead of Earth, this provides advanced warning of intense solar activity headed our way.
Sunspots are areas on the Sun with intense magnetic activity, which can lead to solar flares and coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that send charged particles towards Earth. When these solar storms impact our planet, they can trigger auroras and in extreme cases, disrupt power grids and satellite communications.
In related solar weather news, satellite data shows the Sun unleashed a magnificent CME in Earth’s direction on Christmas Eve, i.e. December 24th. This was accompanied by a solar filament eruption from the Sun’s northern hemisphere.
While models suggest most of the CME will pass north of Earth, our planet may experience a glancing blow and resulting G1-class geomagnetic storms on December 27th. This could lead to intensified auroral displays at high latitudes.
The solar activity indicates our star is ramping up towards the next phase of its 11-year cycle, which is expected to peak in 2025. An increase in sunspots and storms will be more common through the next few years.
How Do Scientists Observe Solar Activity?
Advanced monitoring of solar conditions from assets like the Perseverance rover helps scientists better predict space weather impacts on Earth. This allows satellites, air travel, power companies and others to take protective measures as intense solar storms pass by.
So while a major sunspot sighting on Mars provides intrigue, it also serves as an early alert allowing us to prepare for any impacts as active space weather heads our way.