Latest news with #solaractivity
The Independent
a day ago
- Science
- The Independent
The Sun is causing Elon Musk's Starlink satellites to drop from space
Eruptions from the Sun are causing SpaceX 's Starlink satellites to fall to Earth 'faster than expected', according to Nasa scientists. A team from the US space agency's Goddard Space Flight Center made the discovery after investigating the impact of solar activity on the lifespan of satellites in low-Earth orbit. Their findings revealed that Elon Musk 's space internet constellation is particularly prone to the effects of geomagnetic storms, which heat up the planet's atmosphere and increase the drag on satellites. The study coincides with the Sun reaching the peak of its 11-year activity cycle, known as the solar maximum, which has seen large amounts of geomagnetic storms and other extreme space weather. 'Our results indisputably show that satellites reenter faster with higher geomagnetic activity,' the researchers said. 'We clearly show that the intense solar activity of the current solar cycle has already had significant impacts on Starlink reentries.' SpaceX has previously blamed space weather for botched launch attempts of its Starlink satellites. In February 2022, most of the 49 Starlinks launched from a Falcon 9 rocket fell back to Earth over the Caribbean, with the event coinciding with a minor geomagnetic storm. There are currently more than 7,000 Starlink satellites orbiting Earth, with SpaceX planning to increase the constellation's size to up to 30,000 satellites. Each Starlink satellite has a limited lifespan, which is typically less than five years. After this period, the satellites re-enter the atmosphere and burn up before reaching the ground. While some of these satellites use onboard thrusters to deorbit, others fall naturally due to atmospheric drag. The Nasa scientists found that during geomagnetic storms, any satellite orbiting below 300 kilometres burnt up 10 days earlier than expected. These quicker re-entries could increase the chance of satellites not burning up properly in the Earth's atmosphere, the scientists said, and may be responsible for some parts of Starlink satellites reaching the ground. The only known instance of this happening took place in August 2024, when a piece of a Starlink satellite was discovered on a farm in Canada. The research was published in a study, titled 'Tracking reentries of Starlink satellites during the rising phase of Solar Cycle 25'.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
A rare geomagnetic storm may bring northern lights to parts of Texas. See where
Skywatchers, take note: Heightened solar activity could bring the aurora borealis to parts of Texas this evening. A rare, severe geomagnetic storm is expected to trigger auroras, potentially making them visible to the naked eye in the northernmost areas of the state. Those farther south may still catch a glimpse using their cameras or phones. According to federal forecasters at NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center, past solar events of this strength have produced auroras visible as far south as the Gulf Coast. This weekend's geomagnetic storm is at G4, or severe, and is one of few storms of such magnitude since last year, when Texans got to see the spectacle as far as South Texas. The May 2024 event was the first geomagnetic storm to reach G4 magnitude since 2005. Visibility may be limited tonight for Texans, but the aurora forecast shows potential sightings as far south as the Austin-San Antonio area, and even Houston. More: Saharan dust to hit Texas just as storms clear. When to expect hazy skies in your area The auroras are a natural light display in Earth's sky that are famously best seen in high-latitude regions of the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The phenomenon is caused when electrically charged particles from space enter Earth's atmosphere and collide with molecules and gases like oxygen and nitrogen, causing the atmospheric particles to gain energy. To return to their normal state, the particles release that energy in the form of light, according to the University of Alaska at Fairbanks Geophysical Institute website, which tracks the phenomenon. As auroras form, Earth's magnetic field redirects the particles toward the poles through a process that produces a stunning display of rays, spirals and flickers that have fascinated humans for millennia. Whether hues of green, red, blue and even pink dance about in the sky depends on the altitude where the collisions occur, as well as the composition and density of the atmosphere at the time. Active geomagnetic storm conditions may persist into early June 2, according to NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. The ongoing disturbance is driven by a coronal mass ejection (CME) that struck Earth in the early hours of June 1, combined with high-speed solar wind flowing from coronal holes. Another CME is expected to arrive late on June 2, which could extend the storm's effects, followed by a much smaller one on June 3-4, according to The June 1 solar storm, traveling at approximately 1,938 km/s (about 4.3 million mph), was unusually complex — made up of material from multiple CMEs. As a result, its impact could continue for another 24 hours, reported. "We just entered what looks to be the 'core' of the first structure," space weather physicist Tamitha Skov told "Since this storm is made up of material from several CMEs compressed into one composite structure, there's a chance we'll see more than one 'core' signature. That means the show could continue to fade gradually over the next 24 hours." While this may cause temporary disruptions to technology and electronic communications, no major impacts are expected — except for the dazzling display of the northern lights. Fortunately, Earth is shielded by its magnetic field, an invisible barrier that protects us from solar winds, according to USA TODAY. When strong solar particles interact with gases in the atmosphere near the magnetic poles, they produce the vibrant colors of auroras. This activity coincides with the sun's approach to the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, known as the solar maximum — a period marked by increased sunspots. These magnetized regions on the sun's surface occasionally release stored energy in the form of solar flares, which NASA calls the most powerful explosions in our solar system. The heightened solar activity boosts the chances of witnessing celestial phenomena like the aurora borealis, which made appearances in the U.S. several times last year. However, it could also interfere with other skywatching events, such as meteor showers. Solar flares and wind can disrupt Earth's atmosphere, potentially obscuring meteor showers expected in 2025. This weekend, residents in the northernmost parts of Texas — particularly those in the Panhandle north of Amarillo — may be able to see the Northern Lights with the naked eye. A broader area, stretching from El Paso to the Louisiana border and as far south as the Austin-San Antonio region, could still catch the display through a camera lens. In especially strong geomagnetic events, the aurora can extend even farther south. According to USA TODAY, during a major event in 1958, the Northern Lights were visible as far south as Mexico City. The best aurora is usually within an hour or two of midnight (between 10:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. local time). These hours expand towards evening and morning as the level of geomagnetic activity increases. "Go out at night," NOAA said. "And get away from city lights." The agency also maintains an aurora dashboard that should help skygazers track the phenomenon. NOAA's 30-minute aurora forecast may be particularly useful for regular updates on viewing opportunities. Fox4 meteorologist Dylan Federico shared his own tips for capturing the auroras with your phone camera. "Use 10+ second exposure on your iPhone camera Sunday night for the best chance to see the auroras," he wrote on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Aurora Borealis forecast: Will northern lights be visible in Texas?
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
Solar Storms Are Pushing Elon Musk's Satellites Back to Earth
New research suggests that heightened solar activity shortens the lifespans of SpaceX's Starlink satellites, and may send them careening back to Earth at greater velocities. Perhaps unintuitively, this could increase the risk of satellite debris making landfall. This preprint study, which has yet to undergo peer review, adds to a wealth of evidence showing that solar storms wreak havoc on Elon Musk's Starlinks. Over the last several years, the frequency and intensity of these storms have increased as the Sun approaches solar maximum—the peak in its 11-year cycle. At the same time, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has skyrocketed, largely due to the rise of private megaconstellations like Starlink. A team of researchers led by Denny Oliveira from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center tracked reentries of Starlink satellites between 2020 and 2024. This period coincided with the rising phase of the current solar cycle, when solar activity ramps up ahead of the solar maximum, which occurred in October 2024. Over the course of those five years, 523 Starlink satellites reentered Earth's atmosphere. Oliveira and his colleagues analyzed the orbits of these satellites using a statistical technique that identifies patterns in how their rates of orbital decay and reentry change during periods of high solar activity. The researchers found that geomagnetic activity—disturbances in the upper atmosphere triggered by solar eruptions—causes Starlinks to reenter Earth's atmosphere sooner than expected. These satellites are designed to remain in orbit for roughly five years. But during bouts of severe geomagnetic storms, their lifespans may be reduced by 10 to 12 days, Oliveira told Gizmodo. He and his colleagues believe this happens because geomagnetic activity heats the atmosphere and causes it to expand. This increases drag on satellites, shortening their lifespans and causing them to lose altitude more quickly as they interact with the upper atmosphere. What's more, atmospheric drag may increase the chances of satellite-on-satellite collisions, as the orbital models that guide collision avoidance measures don't fully account for the effects of geomagnetic activity. The team's findings are currently available on the preprint server arXiv. A difference of 10 to 12 days may not sound like a big deal, but it could make it nearly impossible for SpaceX to ensure that Starlink satellites return to Earth via controlled reentry, Oliveira explained. What's more, his analysis shows that increased drag causes satellites to reenter at higher velocities, which he believes could raise the chances of debris reaching the ground. This may seem counterintuitive, since increasing the velocity of an object during reentry generally increases the likelihood of total disintegration. But Oliveira posits that Starlinks falling at greater speeds may have a better chance of surviving reentry due to reduced atmospheric interaction. Further research will need to confirm this hypothesis, as the study did not directly assess debris risks. Starlinks are designed to fully burn up during reentry, but that doesn't always happen. In 2024, a 5.5-pound (2.5-kilogram) chunk of Starlink debris made landfall on a farm in Saskatchewan, New Scientist reported. In February of this year, SpaceX said it is possible for Starlink debris fragments to fall back to Earth, but claimed that this poses 'no risk to humans on the ground, at sea, or in the air.' There are now more than 7,500 Starlinks in orbit, according to Harvard University astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks the constellation. Eventually, SpaceX hopes to quintuple the size of this fleet, with a goal of launching 42,000 Starlinks in total, according to This is in addition to the thousands of other satellites currently orbiting Earth. '[This is] the first time ever in history that we have so many satellites in orbit at the same time,' Oliveira said. 'So, now, we have satellites reentering pretty much every week. And possibly, in the next months or years, every day.' Understanding how changes in solar activity impact their lifespans and their reentries will be critical as Earth's orbit becomes increasingly crowded.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Something Surprising Is Destroying Elon Musk's Starlink Satellites
Now that more than 7,000 Starlink satellites are orbiting our planet, scientists have been given a golden opportunity to study the effects the Sun's activity can have on the aggregate lifespans of such minimalist, constellation-based spacecraft. As New Scientist reports, it's turning out that ferocious solar storms caused by the Sun pelting our atmosphere with energized particles can significantly reduce the crafts' lifetimes, by prematurely pushing them to burn up during reentry. That's especially true as the Sun nears the most active part of its 11-year cycle, called the solar maximum. "We found that when we have geomagnetic storms, satellites re-enter faster than expected [without solar activity]," NASA Goddard Space Flight Center scientist Denny Oliveira, who's been investigating these effects, told New Scientist. During the solar maximum, a given Starlink satellite's lifetime can be reduced by up to ten days, demonstrating the Sun's immense influence on the outer space surrounding our planet, despite the enormous distance. While it's technically not a new phenomenon, the Elon Musk-0wned company's enormous Starlink constellation has shed light on how solar activity is causing satellites to reenter earlier than expected. "It's the first time in history we have so many satellites re-entering at the same time," Oliveira told New Scientist. Scientists tracked a whopping 523 Starlink satellites reentering between just 2020 and 2024. "In a few years, we will have satellites re-entering every day," the NASA scientist added. "This is the first solar maximum that we've had in the mega constellation era," University of Regina astrophysicist Samantha Lawler told the publication. "So it is important to do these measurements." Last year, Musk warned of "degraded" Starlink broadband service as the Earth was being battered by a ferocious storm. While the satellites endured at the time, a 2022 storm knocked out 40 satellites. Starlink's satellites are designed to both intentionally lower their orbit to meet their demise and naturally be pulled towards it when something goes wrong. But by accelerating this process, Oliveira warns that pieces of the satellites may survive reentry, allowing bits to plummet back to the ground. There has been a single instance of an identified piece of Starlink satellite, which was recovered on a Canadian farm last summer, as SpaceX claimed in a notice at the time. However, with intense geomagnetic storms still on the horizon and thousands of planned Starlink satellites that are scheduled to be launched, many more pieces could make their way through the atmosphere unharmed as well. "If we found one [piece] here, how many did we miss?" Lawler told New Scientist. More on Starlink: It Looks an Awful Lot Like Elon Musk Is Awarding a Huge Government Contract to Himself
Forbes
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Forbes
Northern Lights Update: These 15 States May See Aurora Sunday Night After Solar Flares
Aurora borealis, commonly known as the northern lights is seen on May 11, 2024 in Manning Park, ... More British Columbia, Canada. Places as far south as Alabama and parts of Northern California were expected to see the aurora borealis, also known as the northern lights from a powerful geomagnetic storm that reached Earth. (Photo by) The Northern Lights may be seen in 15 northern U.S. states and along the U.S.-the Canada border this Sunday after space weather forecasters upgraded predictions of geomagnetic storm conditions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center's forecast has a G1-rated geomagnetic storm overnight on Sunday, May 18 through Sunday, May 19. It comes in the wake of the biggest solar flare in 2025 so far, as X1.2 and X2.7 solar flares — intense bursts of energy and electromagnetic radiation — were ejected by the sun on May 13 and May 14. X-class denotes the most intense flares, while the number provides more information about its strength, according to NASA. It's just over a year since an extreme G5 geomagnetic storm on May 10-11, 2024 judged as the strongest for 20 years saw aurora down to the equator. Solar activity is currently at a 23-year high, though slightly on the wane since the solar maximum in late-2024. A G1 geomagnetic storm is forecast to begin around 18:00 UTC on Sunday, May 18 through 09:00 UTC on Monday, May 19. That makes aurora possible in the hours of darkness in timezones throughout North America. Forecasts have to be taken with a pinch of salt. The geomagnetic storm could, in practice, turn out to begin sooner or later, and be either a weaker display or a stronger G2 geomagnetic storm. During G1 storms, aurora is commonly visible at high latitudes — such as northern Michigan and Maine — according to NOAA. G2 storms are generally seen as far south as New York and Idaho. If there is auroral activity, U.S. states within NOAA's aurora viewline are in the best position to see it. Those 15 states are Alaska, Washington, northern Oregon, Idaho, northern Wyoming, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Regions closest to the border with Canada will have the highest possibility of seeing the aurora. NOAA's aurora viewline forecast for Sunday, May 18, 2025. The predicted displays of aurora borealis have a predicted Kp index of 5. The Kp index is an imperfect measure of how far from the poles the aurora oval reaches. According to NOAA, during a Kp 3-5 display, 'the aurora will move further from the poles, it will become brighter, and there will be more auroral activity (motion and formations). If you are in the right place, these aurora can be quite pleasing to look at.' Space weather is unpredictable and the forecast can change quickly. Skywatchers are advised to check NOAA's Aurora view line, which is available for tonight and tomorrow night, as well as its 30-minute forecast and X account, where the latest forecasts are posted. Use the Glendale App for up-to-the-minute forecasts. Aurora is typically seen in polar regions at around latitudes of 70 degrees north and south, but during strong geomagnetic conditions the auroral oval can bulge, with displays then seen as far as 40 degrees north and south. If your smartphone has a 'Night Mode' feature, that should be good enough to get a more than impressive souvenir shot of the aurora. It likely means a long exposure of between five and 10 seconds, which will look much better if you do three things: Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
